whilst i used to be 14, one of my teachers held me back after class to ask me something. It wasn’t about my contribution to the lesson or my work: it changed into to invite how my mom was going to vote on Britain’s participation within the Iraq battle.

if you didn’t bet from my surname, I’m the daughter of Caroline Flint, the Labour MP for Don Valley, who at the time had represented the constituency for 6 years. I remember sitting there, burdened. Does this guy actually assume my mum discusses her political movements with a 14-yr-old who's more inquisitive about romcoms and her subsequent basketball sport than the internal workings of Her Majesty’s government? reputedly so.

“must you really be asking me that?” I replied. His smile disappeared and he mumbled some things before brushing off me, so I packed up my belongings and left. That changed into the moment I realised what it turned into to be the kid of a flesh presser. To be continuously wondered over what your figure thinks approximately this issue or that, to be compelled to interact in a political verbal exchange the minute they discover who your parent is, and to have pals, teachers, co-people and random strangers inform you precisely what they think about your parent, even if what they've to say isn't altogether high-quality.

It’s an irresponsible and unacceptable abuse of electricity as well as a terrible lesson for the teacher’s students
This isn’t me complaining even though; i am proud of my mother’s work over the past  many years and understand that the purpose she have become an MP became to make this us of a a higher region. I think she’s contributed to that, however hearing Bob Stewart communicate approximately his son being victimised by means of his instructor because Stewart is a Conservative MP makes me rather unhappy. Why must a 13-year-old be singled out because of his father’s process, or because their trainer doesn’t consider the parent’s political stance? Take Stewart’s job out of the equation and make him just a dad who voted Conservative. could the trainer nonetheless be telling his college students to now not talk to his son? in all likelihood no longer.

I’m lucky that in my formative years social media wasn’t as customary as it's far now. I didn’t ought to see nasty comments about my mother on Twitter, or have human beings replying to me with their very own two cents approximately her politics on my facebook page, like I do today. Now kids have to face a whole extraordinary kind of peer-abuse that cannot sincerely be monitored through schools, so it’s scary that a instructor would instigate bullying practices in his very own study room, simply due to the fact he’s angry via a toddler’s political family.

It’s an irresponsible and unacceptable abuse of power as well as a terrible lesson for what the trainer’s students need to expect inside the destiny. You’re not usually going to be attractive or operating with folks who percentage the identical political opinions as you. i've buddies who're Tories, a few who voted Liberal Democrat or green, and a few didn’t vote at all. some who had been seasoned-Brexit, many that had been against. plenty who love Jeremy Corbyn, a few who do now not, and person who as soon as tried to perform a citizen’s arrest on Tony Blair. never have I idea to reduce them out of my lifestyles because of our political differences. that is what dwelling in a democracy is all approximately – accepting that not all and sundry has the same opinions as you, but having the liberty to debate them without the concern of abuse.

 Is it adequate to be pals with a Tory?
Joseph Harker and Sonia Sodha
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In 5 years’ time, Stewart’s son may not even vote Conservative, similar to masses of different MPs’ children whose views come to be being in competition to their dad and mom. So why at thirteen, or at any age, ought to they be judged with the aid of their figure’s choices?

I’m 29 now and have turn out to be quite resilient while humans query me about my mother, something that has accelerated tenfold seeing that I have become a journalist and greater politically outspoken on social media. every so often I engage with their feedback, however most of the time I do now not because being a child of an MP doesn’t robotically mean you're a mouthpiece for their politics. we have our personal mind, ideals and political beliefs which could or won't align with our parent’s, and we ought to be judged on them by myself.

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