Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, on Mumsnet for a webchat

To everyone asking about the deficit, I?m sorry this answer is quite a long one but it?s important so I want to make sure I cover it in detail. Once we?ve got the economy fully on the road to recovery we're going to halve the deficit in four years and there are three ways we?re going to do it.

The first and most important way is by having an economy that grows well - because a growing economy means more tax revenues and less need to spend on things like unemployment benefit. So, strange as it something seems, cutting spending too early and risking going back into recession, would actually make the deficit worse not better.

Second, I am afraid we have had to announce some tax rises, despite it being the run-up to an election. Now I think it is fair that most of the burden of these increases is taken by the richest, for example the new 50p top rate of tax.

The third is cuts in spending. These will definitely be needed and we have already embarked on making cuts in lower priority areas - and we don't pretend it is anything but painful. University vice chancellors know only too well that we are taking money off them and asking them to be more efficient. Legal aid budgets will be cut and we will spend less on regeneration and housing. Public sector pay will be capped public sector pensions reformed too. But it?s impossible to say precisely how much money the government will have to spend in three or four years time, because that depends on how much the economy is growing. That?s why it?s so important we secure the recovery this year ? and not put it at risk.

Here Here Mr Brown. I love my Tax Credits. Please dont let the Tories take them to pay off the debt that they got us in back in the 80s by bloody privatising everything.

So no tax credits cuts - TAHNK GOD as that is what we live on!

Tell me in a sentance what your party are doing for these things (please)

schools - specifically new build, low admissions and special schools

NHS - pay for workers, etc

Tax - up or down?

environment - grants for solar panels perhaps?

good luck on thurs/fri Gordon

LMAO - my 8 year old - is gordon brown in brown because he is brown?

Meloncauli - have you ever worked in the public sector? It's not all cushy.
We had below inflation 'pay rises' for years - including 3 year deals - it just happens that for once, inflation drops and now everyone thinks we're on a bed of roses.

I think Gordon inherited a lot of trash from Tony Blair. I personally think he's done a good job as PM under difficult circumstances. I certainly think he's better than the competition. I hope he'll come through at the elections, despite his lack of PR spin and I'll be putting my vote where my mouth is.

I think there are a lot of issues that need to be addressed, regardless of who gets in. Whether they will or not is doubtful, considering the financial difficulties the country is in. I guess we'll see after election day though.

Mr. Brown,

Could you please explain why you believe the cost of the vast bureaucracy required to manage tax credit and means tested systems would not be better spent on giving an income tax cut to the less well off?

MN WEBCHAT GUIDELINES

1. One question per member plus a follow-up question if appropriate, ie once you've had a response.
2. Keep your question brief
3. Don't be disappointed if your specific question doesn't get answered and do try not to keep posting "What about me?".
4. Do be civil/polite.

It's not hard

hahah lovely cross post with grumpyasallpoliticians are

"There we go again - lets protect all the public sector employees with their nice pensions" if you worked in the public sector you'd know that's out of date!

Are you commited to retaing free nursery places for three and four year olds?

We are undecided voters

Won't be voting Conservative but split between Labour and Lib Dem. Personally, Clegg has put me off with his patronising (IMO) approach in the recent interviews.

We are a middle income family, 1 child and another on the way. We don't qualify for tax credits. What promises can be made about the retention of child care vouchers, whereby a percentage of my salary is taken untaxed for childcare?

I am a lower tax payer, my DH an upper one.

We would be lost without our tax credits, I have 4 children and spent 14 years in the RAF before being medically discharged. My husband is a police officer and I just want to say a big thank you for ctc, I dread to think of us loosing them.

omgwoe- not the 10 o'clock news anyway... I like TV talent shows

Dear Mr Brown.

Do you have any plans to introduce an essential user fuel rebate? Our livelihood (haulage)is threatened with each and every fuel increase. I appreciate that this isn't a particularly relevant question for a parenting website but it is the most relevant question for my family and the families of the workers I employ.

Thank you.

Given the likelihood that you may not achieve a majority on Thursday, will you be willing to stand aside to give the party a fighting chance to recover power in the future?

talk to us about support for you - I don't want to vote hoping to get you, and then find the party doesn't allow you to stay on to do the job

So, no cuts to anything then?

Just more borrowing? Until we end up like Greece?