Layla Moran (No.4, 1995-2000) is the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and International Development. She has also been the MP for Oxford West and Abingdon since 2017. Before entering Parliament, Layla was a Maths and Physics teacher and was the youngest Head of Year on record appointed at her previous school. Layla recently jointly won the PinkNews Politician of the Year Award 2020 for her dedication to championing LGBTQ+ equality.

What is your favourite memory of Roedean?

So many good memories! From House Plays to Carol Concerts, but all my favourite memories are about my friends. I remember my first ever Birthday at school when I was 13. I was ever so homesick and sad. Being a September child, I’d only been at school a few days before I had to face my first Birthday without my family. But girls in my year heard about this and held a surprise party with music and a massive white cake to cheer me up. To this day, the girls who came are my best friends.

What was the best piece of advice you were given whilst at School?

Oh my...I can’t remember. One bit of advice I could give though is to make the most of the opportunities. On a single site you can play sports, get music lessons, put on professional plays and learn incredible things from incredible teachers (some of my teachers are still there so I would know!). Never again in life did I have such a plethora of opportunities at my fingertips as I did then. I only wish I’d done even more.

When you were at Roedean, what did you want to be when you ‘grew-up’?

I was desperate to be a Psychiatrist. I’ve always been fascinated by how minds work. But I was put off by having to go to medical school first, and in the interim fell in love with Physics and decided to pursue that instead.

What are you now you've grown up?

I am a Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for the seat where I live, Oxford West and Abingdon. I Chair the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Coronavirus and I am Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and International Development for the Party.

What does your job involve?

It is an incredibly varied job and no two days are the same. My primary purpose is to represent the interests of my constituents and to help them with their problems, from housing to schooling and local infrastructure, but more than that I try to influence national policy in the areas I care about. I was driven into politics by education and this continues to be a driving force for me. I believe that no child, no matter their background, should be held back from realising their potential. So much of my passion still derives from this very simple idea.

What have you done that you are most proud of?

I am very lucky to have a job where helping people is a key part of what I do day to day, but I am probably most proud of when I’ve been able to help many people at once by changing policy. At the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic I ran a campaign to get compensation for the families of frontline workers who tragically passed away having caught Covid-19 themselves. I felt it was our duty to honour those who had given their lives in service to the country, just as we would the Armed Forces. After signing up dozens of MPs and gaining the backing of a national newspaper, the Government agreed and now those bereaved families get £60,000. It is a drop in the ocean compared to their loss, but for some, it has been transformative. I am now campaigning for a similar scheme for those who live with long Covid and can’t get back to full time work. I’m hopeful the Government will listen again.

What are the three objects you would take with you to a desert island?

My guitar, my cat, and my Kindle (which will miraculously never run out of charge)

What books have had a significant influence on you and why?

I love books. At school I used to help in the Library and ran the bookshop a day a week. I am a big sci-fi fan and the books that have influenced me the most are from that genre. In particular Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, and a Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. I find immersing myself in worlds where my imagination has to work hard makes me see our world a little clearer.

What is on your bucket list?

I’d love to visit every country in the world. I’ve never missed travelling more than now!

If you had one year and unlimited funds, what would you do?

I’d invest widely in education globally, especially girl’s education. So many studies have shown that by empowering women you empower entire societies to tackle the big issues like health and climate change. There would be no better legacy.