i Editor's Letter: iDebate heads for booming Bournemouth to contest the motion - Political chaos on 8 May would be good for British democracy

The panel will feature i and Independent journalists Oliver Wright, Jane Merrick, Simon O'Hagan, Steve Richards and Hannah Fearn. Get your tickets now

A photograph from the last iDebate in Manchester Town Hall (Colin McPherson)

We’re coming to Bournemouth a week on Tuesday, for our next iDebate. Our panelists will contest the motion, “Political chaos on 8 May would be good for British democracy.” If you haven’t been to one of our iDebates – and we’ve so far staged them in Cardiff, Manchester, Edinburgh and Leeds – the debating teams slug it out, the audience gets to challenge them, and afterwards we lay on free drinks for the crowd. This iDebate is staged for students (university or college), who seem to have been forgotten in the election. The venue is Talbot Heath School, doors open 5.30pm, kick-off 6pm. You can apply for the 300 free tickets at ind.pn/idebatebournemouth.

We stage these iDebates because we believe in going around the country to meet readers. We want a forum to debate the big issues – as well as to gossip with you in the bar afterwards. Arguing for chaos will be i columnist Jane Merrick and Voices editor Simon O’Hagan. Arguing against will be political commentator Steve Richards and social affairs journalist Hannah Fearn. Whitehall Editor Oliver Wright will chair.

I’m excited about visiting Bournemouth, which recently beat London as the UK’s fastest growing digital economy – pipping Liverpool, Brighton and south Wales. It’s one of only two places in the UK expected to get younger over the next 20 years (the other is Barking). Thrillingly, Bournemouth is also writing a modern fairytale.

For anyone who doesn’t follow football: tiny AFC Bournemouth, who were 92nd out of 92 league clubs six years ago, and came within 24 hours of going bust three times, have fought off the bailiffs, climbed the pyramid, and are just three games away from winning promotion to the Premier League big time. A story of hope that transcends sport!

ind.pn/idebatebournemouth