Nick Clegg on Mumsnet this Thursday (16th Sept) evening between 8 and 9 pm

[JustineMumsnet]

We're delighted that the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, will be joining us for a webchat this Thursday evening 8 and 9pm.

Next week the Deputy PM will be joining other world leaders, celebrities and business leaders who are gathering in New York for the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Summit. He will be aiming for global action to reduce the shocking number of women who die during pregnancy and childbirth in the world's poorest countries.

Nick is happy to answer your questions on the UN summit as well as on his role as Deputy Prime Minster. Join us on Thursday evening or if you can't make it along then post your question (one each only please) here.

Thanks.

[PfftTheMagicDragon]

O
M
G

I try to pretend Cleggo doesn't exist these days.

it's easier for everyone

[GetOrfMoiLand]

Christ, he is brave. Or monumentally blind to how he will be recieved by the majority of MNers.

Good luck, Nick. You will need it.

[LadyBlaBlah]

O M G

[withorwithoutyou]

[nowherewoman]

Just remind me....?

[sethstarkaddersmum]

ooh, let's ask him what he thinks about Hooters!

[nearlytoolate]

HAsn't he got better things to do with his time? No, really??

[LadyBlaBlah]

There is nothing more important than his own ego, nearly

[GetOrfMoiLand]

I would like to ask where his loudly shouted opinions on tax avoiding billionaires were when the 'coalition' (pah) invited Sir Phillip Green (he of the Monaco-dominioned wife) to be their advisor.

[PfftTheMagicDragon]

In the bin with the rest of the LD opinions GoML

[PfftTheMagicDragon]

This webchat is going to go well. I can feel it....

Why is he coming on? I mean, does he have some reason to be upping his profile? Does he need to come on, or does he just fancy a bashing?

[GetOrfMoiLand]

2nd question: Who do you think will be the next leader of the Liberal party, after you have deservedly lost Sheffield Hallam at the next election?

[PfftTheMagicDragon]

QUESTION:

5 years ago, is this where you saw yourself in 5 years? Is this what you wanted to achieve? Deputy PM - has it been worth it?

[Spinaroo]

I really wish I could think of a great question but I am too .

That really takes some cojones- maybe we should give him credit for that?

I wonder if he will be following the thread until Thursday thinking, as many others have voiced OMG!!!!!!!!

Maybe the thread will have been pulled by then

Sorry Nick- that all sounds so bitchy but I used to quite like you.

[Hassled]

I want to use words like "Sold", "Soul" and "Devil" but I won't.

Nick - are you wary of your reception at the LibDem conference? How are you going to deal with the apparently increasing number of disgruntled LibDem members who don't feel that the coalition government represents their views?

[ISNT]

Blimey. Where to start...

[RachelMumsnet]

PfftTheMagicDragon - see Justine's op - Nick is joining us specifically to talk about representing the UK at the forthcoming MDG summit and his aim for global action to reduce death in pregnancy and childbirth in the developing world. We're all for a lively debate but please don't forget our webchat guidelines to treat our guests as you would a guest at your own home.

[weegiemum]

Dear Nick,

How can you look at yourself in the mirror in the morning?

Or do you have someone shave you nowadays?

[MrsDoofenshmirtz]

Is he still around ? I thought he had been locked away or something.

[ShirleyKnot]

[PfftTheMagicDragon]

GAH _ Rachel, am clearly numpty!

I did read it....and then promptly forgot it!

However - I know that he is doing the summit, but what does he want? Is he after opinions? Politicians don't just come here for fun do they? They want something - publicity, opinions....

[LadyBlaBlah]

Isn't it rather ironic that he is going all the way to New York to attend the MDG summit to discuss (in very grand surroundings) how to end poverty, when he himself is involved in policies that are going to put more people into poverty.

Its a funny old world.

[3seater]

I think they want to get an idea of how strong a back lash they might get after 20th Oct.

[SanctiMoanyArse]

Hello Nick

We were members of your party, at one stage I was asked to stand for a local seat.

I resigned recently because of the route the coalition was following: not so much the existence but the lack of a voice, of any real distinctive Lib Dem opinion.

I wrote to you, to my AM (which I was sad about as she is wonderful). I never had a reply although it was maybe three months ago. I am very disappointed and have since joined Labour because although they are far from perfect at least I can be part of a rebirth rather than a slow death, and maybe help create something to be proud of.

I am one of the many whose income has and will continue to drop under this government. My Dh has been made redundant; I am a carer and our HB has been cut. My sons have invisible disabilities that mean passing a DLA assessment will be harder, as per the worries voiced to you by the National Autistic Society. I am working towards retraining as a Social Worker (now just over a year away) and wondering if there will be any LA jobs left for me to apply to. My Husband has started his own business as well as studying and finds there are no business advisors about who can help, those who supply him are going under and those who buy from him are begging for discounts he can't give because they have no money either.

You are Mr Cameron say that the deficit is a first priority but do your realise that there are real vulnerable lives attached to these cuts? Real honest people who are working with very fibre towards honourable, self supporting goals that seem to slip further away? I don't watch the news any more, it scares me. I don?t sleep much either, tbh.

The deficit is a priority: there are others, including supporting those who never can themselves (such as one of my sons) and those who have hit hard times but trying to move forwards, because the unemployed don?t pay tax, they have lower health and employment outcomes for their families, they cost. Those who can manage to find solutions on the other hand pay taxes, take control, have a future beyond state dependency and state provided elderly care.

Ultimately, one day I will die and my son will need there to be a functioning state able to provide a social worker, support. I honestly do not believe any longer that it will be there.

So a question please: if deficit reduction as fast as possible (and I think too fast but let's agree too differ) is a number one in your priority list, where do we, as a family trying to tackle quite adverse conditions head on, come? As a number out of ten please (1 being highest). And was it really worth all those years of paying NI, tax, etc to be hailed as a burden? (don't worry, don?t need an answer to the latter- already know it. Yes, but for my sanity not the label of societal drain).

TIA