Sixty-six pupils stepped into the shoes of real MPs when they took part in a debate at the Houses of Parliament. In a debating chamber used by top politicians, they argued whether or not to lower the voting age to 16.
The man in the middle is called the speaker. His job is to control the debate. He gave this piece of debating advice: "Make three clear points. People struggle to take in any more than that."
The pupils in favour of lowering the voting age sit on the right of the speaker. This is where the government would sit in the House of Commons.
The students arguing against lowering the voting age sit on the left of the speaker. This is where the opposition party would sit in the House of Commons.
Each person is only allowed to make one speech during the debate but anyone is allowed to 'intervene' as many times as they like. To intervene is to ask a question about a point being made.
There were several heated intervention battles like this one.
Students voted by walking back into the debating chamber through one of two doors marked 'aye' and 'no.' A 'teller' counts the number of people passing through the doorway.
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