A LEIGH headteacher is setting up a virtual parliament for hundreds of children to debate climate change.

Peter Spencer-Lane, head of Saint Pierre School on Leigh Road, Leigh, is the headteacher champion for the UK’s “House of Children” virtual parliament.

This will see 650 child MPs debate climate change in October.

The initiative has been set up by Microsoft, The Big Issue and content organising firm Wakelet, allowing children aged seven to 13 to debate and vote on critical issues such as climate change.

The topic will be put to a vote by the children by the Child ‘Speaker of the House’ at the end of virtual parliamentary session.

Mr Spencer-Lane will be approaching all of the nation’s primary school teachers on a search for the child MPs and will also be co-ordinating the live event.

He said: “A virtual youth parliament ahead of the COP26 Climate Change Conference is a powerful notion. These children hold our planet’s future in their hands, it is a responsibility they take very seriously.

“It would be a huge mistake to assume our children can’t contribute to a topic like climate change, which is so close to their hearts.

“They are a generation devoted to their environment, a generation focused on restoration, not blame, a generation who own the future and a generation to whom we need to listen.

“Child of this age are passionate about the environment and are remarkably well informed. To give children across the country a voice in such a magnificent virtual arena is a unique opportunity, not just for them to speak, but for us to listen”.

The “House of Children” will be held on the eve of the United Nations Climate Change Conference on October 29.

The virtual child parliament will be held online via Microsoft Teams, and has also been backed by Southend West MP Sir David Amess.

He said: “I want to inspire children right across the United Kingdom to get involved in the political process from an early age.

“I started out in politics at school at the age of 11 in a mock election at St Bonaventure’s in Forest Gate, which took place in 1964 and 1966.

“In my opinion, the earlier young people get involved in politics the better.”