Dominic Grieve, a pupil and scholar at Westminster in the 1960s, before training in law and then going on to be an MP for 22 years, touched on many topics in his talk and Q&A, including the story of conservative politics since Margaret Thatcher, prime ministers Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, his opposition to Brexit, the extra pressures on politicians owing to social media, and how presentational politics is more important today than ever.

Following the talk, the co-heads of the School’s Conservative Association, Oskar (Remove, GG) and Lida (Remove, DD), said: “It was our immense privilege to welcome Dominic Grieve KC, Old Westminster and former Grantite to address Westminster’s Conservative Association — a reminder of how fortunate we are to have such illustrious alumni who are willing to give up their time to come and speak.

“Mr Grieve covered numerous topics, manoeuvring between political theory, philosophy and stories from his parliamentary career and even touching on current topics like the consequences of Brexit or immigration policy.

“His responses to the audience’s queries reflected the seasoned expertise of a politician who has not only witnessed but actively participated in a dynamic and crucial period of British politics, even winning over some of the more sceptical within the audience. Even for those who may not have agreed fully with everything he said, there was plenty to think about. It was also interesting to see how interests and habits that begin at school can shape one’s views and even one’s career.

“This event not only highlighted our school’s unique connection to politics, but also demonstrated the enthusiasm of Westminster students to actively engage with and learn from veterans of public service. We continue to welcome anyone with an interest in politics as well as current affairs and strongly believe that disagreement and discourse are the only way to resolve the challenges that we face today.”