Ropetackle Arts Centre has teamed up with Sussex University and Shoreham WordFest to present a series of debates on some of today’s major issues – and we want the audience to be involved.

The Tackle The Issues series was launched in March 2023, when Paul Johnson, Director of the Institute of Fiscal Studies, was interviewed by Sussex University’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sasha Roseneil, about his important new book, Follow the Money.

On Wednesday 26th April, we present the next session entitled:  Is Our Democracy In Danger? It will be debated by Paul Taggart, Professor of Politics, Sussex University; Baroness Dianne Hayter (formerly Labour’s Deputy Leader in the House of Lords and Shadow Spokesperson on Constitutional Issues); Salma Shah (former Government Special Advisor) and Dr. Jess Garland, Director of Research and Policy, Electoral Reform Society. The event will be chaired by Ivor Gaber, Professor of Political Journalism, Sussex University. (Pictured top-to-bottom, with Gaber at the centre.) As well as exploring the threats to democracy and the various models of state governance, the evening will include a session for Q&A.

On Thursday 1st June, the issue will be Migration, featuring panel members: Dr Jo Wilding, migration law lecturer at University of Sussex; Tim Loughton MP and member of Home Affairs Select Committee and Ann Singleton, Professor of Migration Policy, Bristol University. Robin Lustig, BBC broadcaster and journalist, will be in the chair. This event will be held at the Shoreham Centre.

Ropetackle chairman, Martin Allen, said: “We are pleased to be able to provide a forum to debate some of the important topics society faces with panels of experts examining the wider contexts. These are sure to be lively evenings.”