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NCS Students Engage with Sir Vince Cable on Economic Policies

The former Business Secretary discusses the global economy and its future with Newham Collegiate students.

NCS Lecture Programme
Lecture Date: 09/12/2015

On Wednesday 9th December, The NCS was lucky enough to host our latest guest speaker: The Rt. Hon. Sir Vince Cable.

Sir Vince has had a long and varied career; firstly in economics where he rose to become Chief Economist at Shell and later in politics. In 2010 he entered the cabinet as Business Secretary for the newly formed coalition government and as such Sir Vince is the first former Secretary of State we have had visiting our college.

Sir Vince Cable speaking at Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre, discussing the 2008 economic crisis and its lasting impact. Text reads: 'What we had back in 2008 was the economic equivalent of a heart attack. It wasn’t just a normal up and down, boom and bust. It was a real shock to the system. We’re still connected to the life support system of very low interest rates. Those of you who are studying economics are, I’m sure, reflecting on this.'

His address touched on all these aspects of his previous career and also more broadly on the current state of the UK Economy, following the publication of his latest book: After The Storm. At the end, Sir Vince faced a number of interesting questions from students of Politics, Economics and History, covering a range of matters from the Syrian air strikes to the future of the Liberal Democrats.

Sir Vince’s visit was very well received: his speech was thoroughly enjoyed by all and prompting lots of follow-up discussions. It was a pleasure to host such an important political figure here at The NCS.

The student view

"Worldwide global issues, unique upbringing and constant battles were only a few issues of which former Secretary of State Vince Cable tackled at his visit to the NCS on Wednesday 9th of December. He gave a insightful and meaningful lecture on his journey with politics not only inspiring us students to follow his path but also motivating us to grab opportunities out there despite obstacles which we may face. It was a pleasure to have the presence of such a high profile politician here with us at the NCS."

"Cable enlightened my perspective on the world of economics and politics alike; especially how such intertwined and complex subjects influence our daily lives; on a local and global scale."

"A thought provoking talk which gave me a great insight on Vince Cable's extraordinary turns he took in his life - leading to his membership in parliament. His ideas of contrasting the economy during the 2008 crisis and the current economic state has given me great food for thought on the recovery of Britain's economy."

"An interesting moment during the talk was when Mr Cable referenced his personal life, regarding his wife and the struggles they had faced during his life. Another intriguing topic was that his unconventional route to politics was extremely inspiring. Once again, NCS have succeeded in motivating myself and others with the company of such intellectual political figures."

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