Sixth Formers grilled the panel about issues ranging from zero-hours contracts, to immigration, and the impact on British farming if the country was to vote to leave the European Union.
Sitting MEPs Geoffrey Van Orden (Conservative), Richard Howitt (Labour), Andrew Duff (Liberal Democrat) and Stuart Agnew (United Kingdom Independence Party) were joined by Dr Rupert Read, lead candidate for the Green Party in the Eastern region.
The discussion opened with a four-minute statement from each of the five candidates before the debate was thrown open to questions from the floor where some 120 Upper Sixth students were joined by Lower Sixth Politics students.
The lively encounter, which included the obligatory heckling from opposition candidates, was rounded off with a question from Headmaster Ian Davies who asked candidates to give their vision of life in 2064 if their policies were adhered to.
Mr Davies said it was a great privilege to welcome candidates to the School. The East of England seat comprised of a large geographical area encompassing Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, so for candidates to include Brentwood in the hustings was a great honour.
Mr Davies commented further that he had been very impressed by the quality of the debate, and thanked Mr Mike Willis, the Head of Politics, for making all the arrangements.
