A FORMER head girl has experienced what life is really like inside the Houses of Parliament.

Outgoing Bedford High School head girl Rebecca Halliwell was invited to shadow Leigh MP Andy Burnham for two days.

The 16-year-old from Leigh experienced what life as an MP was like when she sat in on the Shadow Health Secretary’s meetings and attended Prime Minister’s Question Time.

Rebecca said: “It was a very busy time — There seemed to be lots of things going on all at once. Mr Burnham had meetings with different groups of people to discuss things like the future of the health service. It was really interesting.”

Rebecca, who is going to college to study Spanish in September, will also shadow Mr Burnham at his constituency office next month.

She said: “I was really impressed with the amount of work they have to do. It really is non-stop. They have to deal with really important subjects and it’s given me a real interest in politics.

“The experience has made me think about how I can apply it to my future career. Ideally I want to be a translator and I am now thinking about a role possibly working in government or the European Parliament.”

Rebecca met Mr Burnham when he came to Bedford High to talk to the year 11 pupils and tell them how he got into politics.

He said: “It was a real pleasure to be able to show a young person from Leigh how Parliament works behind the scenes. “Rebecca learnt a lot, mostly good and I have no doubt she will go very far. I want all young people in Leigh to have the highest ambitions for what they might achieve and hope more will follow Rebecca’s lead.”