A couple of weeks ago we asked you to put forward your questions to the candidates for the Labour leadership. We sent (a cheeky) 15 of them to the candidates and here are their answers. (Bar Ed Miliband's - he's promising to send his first thing in the morning).
If you'd like to comment or come back on their responses then please do so on this thread or better still log on to the live discussion later today (monday) between 12-1. We've got all five candidates coming into Mumsnet Towers to discuss their answers. (Best get some industrial size biscuit tins in).
Please remember normal rules apply - one question each, don't harass for an answer and keep it civil please.
Many Thanks.
Pan
Mon 06-Sep-10 00:15:00
Impressive.
So when is Obama making a show at MN HQ?
longfingernails
Mon 06-Sep-10 09:00:39
My question is a philosophical one, on the role of the State.
In your considered opinion, what should the State do, what should the State not do, and why? What do you see as the ideal size of the State as a percentage of GDP, and why?
I don't know whether to go on here. When we had a webchat with Ed Miliband my child got all the dental floss out of the container leaving me spluttering ineptly online....dies of embarrassment 
Morning,
Here are the candidates' answers to a selection of your questions (we figured the more we got through before the hour, the better).
Ed Miliband's answers will appear shortly.
Please post any comments you have about their answers, or any further questions you'd like to put to any of the candidates.
1. What are the pertinent qualities and experiences that you would you bring to the role of leader of the Labour party, and what is your particular USP?
Read the candidates' answers
2. What are the top five new policies that you would implement today if you were the Prime Minister?
Read the candidates' answers
3. If you weren't standing yourself, which one of the other people standing would you vote for, and why?
Read the candidates' answers
4. How different will New-New Labour (Labour v3.0??) be compared to the Blair/Brown era, and how will those differences be shown?
Read the candidates' answers
5. Why did you leave the coalition with the legacy of every man, woman and child owing £22,000 to the Treasury and now have the gall to blame the new government for making cuts that you yourself were planning? How do you sleep at night?
Read the candidates' answers
6. Will you support the 50:50 ratio of male and female members of the shadow cabinet (and hopefully later the Cabinet)?
Read the candidates' answers
7. I'd like to ask about Graduate Tax - my understanding is that all candidates bar David Miliband are pro, and I'm struggling to understand why?
Read the candidates' answers
8. What would you do to address the gulf in academic attainment between state schools and independent schools?
Read the candidates' answers
9. Iraq. Why should any of us ever trust anything you say again?
Read the candidates' answers
10. Do you think that 50% is the highest personal income tax rate that should be applied? Or would you support higher, and possibly broader, taxation bands for high-earners, to support the welfare state?
Read the candidates' answers
11. Where is the environment on your priority list and what do you think is the best strategy to resist climate change?
Read the candidates' answers
12. How do you plan to improve the lives of disabled children and their families, at school, home and in the community? This includes reform to the current postcode lottery SEN Statementing/ funding system.
Read the candidates' answers
13. If you could be one historical figure, who would you be?
Read the candidates' answers
14. Would you serve in the Cabinet/Shadow Cabinet of each of the other candidates ? If not, which ones would you not work for?
Read the candidates' answers
15. What's the biggest mistake you've ever made in politics?
Read the candidates' answers
CaptainInkheart
Mon 06-Sep-10 11:06:47
They all make me feel like swearing, so I'd better ignore this thread.
<<Slinks off to Waterstones to move Tony Blair's book to True Crime>>
WreckOfTheHesperus
Mon 06-Sep-10 11:18:11
Re the Mansion Tax; what is the philosophy behind a tax on property at this level? Isn't this already reflected in the highest council tax bandings? Doesn't it discrimiate against those in the Home Counties and the South East of England, and against retired people, who might have to sell their family home to fund the additional payments?
Is this policy genuinely going to raise much revenue (how much?), or is it merely a gimicky attempt at placating the populist sentiment to soak the rich...?
PS David Milliband - don't think I'd have chosen as my historical figure a premier who was assassinated....
Thanks 
WreckOfTheHesperus
Mon 06-Sep-10 11:28:20
You were asked about gender equality in the Cabinet, and all agreed that sufficient female representation was important.
Do you also think that it is also important to have attempt to have a Cabinet which reflects a broad spectrum of social backgrounds and experience?
WreckOfTheHesperus
Mon 06-Sep-10 11:31:52
Re top 5 policies; David Milliband, those aren't policies, they are aims and aspirations! Policies are something a little more specific...
Hello candidates <waves> Are you giving hustings answers in your sleep yet?
Please can you say unequivocally whether you will a) vote for the AV referendum bill as it stands today, and b) whether you will support the 'Yes to AV' referendum campaign.
mummymoods
Mon 06-Sep-10 11:38:28
To Diane Abbott: If your biggest mistake is forgetting that irony/jokes don't mix with politics, why have you appeared next to Michael Portillo on This Week for so many years?!
mummymoods
Mon 06-Sep-10 11:43:02
To the Milibands: Whatever you say, this leadership election must have put a huge amount of strain on your relationship. So did you both agree to write that you 'love' one another in answer to the question about who you'd vote for?
We have Milibands in the building [very prompt emoticon]. Still waiting on the others...
ps one question each please.
Diane Abbott is here too.
We're going to get going despite the Ed Balls still to arrive. He's doing the BBC downstairs...
DavidMiliband
Mon 06-Sep-10 12:01:04
Hi it's David here. Trying to figure out the mac. We've been talking about first day back at school. My eldest was a bit tearful going into year 1 for the first time, but no calls home yet so all seems well. Look forward to the discussion.
Very interesting looking, unfortunately I can't click through those links here.
EdMiliband
Mon 06-Sep-10 12:01:53
policywonk
Hello candidates <waves> Are you giving hustings answers in your sleep yet?
Please can you say unequivocally whether you will a) vote for the AV referendum bill as it stands today, and b) whether you will support the 'Yes to AV' referendum campaign.
I am here! No I wont be voting for the referendum bill because it is a bill with AV window dressing which tries to rig the parliamentary boundaries and abolishes public inquiries that have been in place since 1947.
If there is a referendum, I will support Av.
DavidMiliband
Mon 06-Sep-10 12:02:27
mummymoods
To the Milibands: Whatever you say, this leadership election must have put a huge amount of strain on your relationship. So did you both agree to write that you 'love' one another in answer to the question about who you'd vote for?
No it wasn't coordinated! Of course its a pretty unusual situation but we;ve got kind of used to it, and to some extent the media have as well.
DavidMiliband
Mon 06-Sep-10 12:03:27
We all seem to have different colours. I am green - not a political statement. Apparently this was alld esigned to make it easy on the eye.
EdMiliband
Mon 06-Sep-10 12:03:48
mummymoods
To the Milibands: Whatever you say, this leadership election must have put a huge amount of strain on your relationship. So did you both agree to write that you 'love' one another in answer to the question about who you'd vote for?
We didn't have to make an agreement to say it! We do---before during and after this election is over.....
DianeAbbott
Mon 06-Sep-10 12:03:55
mummymoods
To Diane Abbott: If your biggest mistake is forgetting that irony/jokes don't mix with politics, why have you appeared next to Michael Portillo on This Week for so many years?!
BBC This Week has the highest audience appreciation ratings of any BBC political program. I have done it for 6 years and the thing that people say about it most frequently is it makes politics accessible and they like the idea that we are actually saying what they think. I think showing politicians are human beings is quite a good idea. As for the jokes: jokes are life and I firmly of the view that you should not separate life from politics.
