I travelled up to Brussels on the Eurostar at 06.47 on the day of the European Council meeting, along with what felt like half the British media. The UK Prime Minister was due to agree a new Withdrawal Agreement with the EU27 after weeks of no-deal speculation, meaning familiar faces were also Brussels-bound. BBC's Laura Kuenssberg and Nigel Farage MEP were some of the other early risers we caught sight of on our train; eager to see what they day would unfold.
I was fortunate enough to be selected as part of the Future Leaders Network's UK delegation to the European Parliament, hosted by Seb Dance MEP. This EU-funded trip to tour the Parliament, home of the famous hemicycle, was an opportunity to better understand this EU institution and its functions. We learnt that all MEPs sit in groups, organised by their political affiliation and not their nationalities. There are currently 7 political groups, the largest two being the European People's Party and the Socialists and Democrats. The excellent presentation delivered to us by our guide explained that the European Parliament adopted European legislation, together with the Council of the European Union, following a proposal from the European Commission. Interestingly, the European Parliament has already made plans to reduce the number of MEPs once the UK leaves the EU from 751 members to 705 members. Luckily, we managed to get our visit in whilst our flag was still flying high!
Labour MEP Seb Dance kindly agreed to meet with us and answer our burning questions about the development of the day. It had just been announced that our Prime Minister Boris Johnson had managed to secure changes to the Withdrawal Agreement and a new deal had been agreed. Naturally, as a member of the Socialists and Democrats party in the EU, Seb was not impressed with this new deal. He explained his concerns regarding workers and environmental rights and reiterated his call for a People's Vote. Hearing a politician speak so frankly and passionately about a cause they believed in was a refreshing sight. We quizzed Seb on his plans post-Brexit and he shared his top tips for thriving in European politics. Compassion and collaboration stood out to him as core values. Although he too believed there was much to be reformed within the Union, he felt that ultimately, being part of the reformation would do us more good than bad.
Across town, the day offered opportunities to make new friends with young people from different backgrounds - policy officials, social workers and medical students. We bonded over Belgium hot chocolates and explored the History of Europe Museum. It was clear we all had one thing in common - a passion for leadership and conscious change. The vibrant city of Brussels is definitely one I hope to return to, if only to tour the city in those amazing electric scooters!
Hayat Askar is a member of Future Leaders Network and is a graduate from LSE with a Bachelors in International History. She is currently a student of Law at the University of Law and will be joining Linklaters as a trainee solicitor in 2021. Hayat worked previously within the Civil Service as a Fast Streamer and is passionate about delivering positive change in the world.