MNHQ here: do you think Westminster politicians understand your life?

[RowanMumsnet]

Hello

We at MNHQ have been undertaking a project with the research consultancy Britain Thinks to find out what mothers across the UK think about how the last year has gone - and what they think politicians should focus on as we (hopefully) emerge from the COVID crisis.

You can see some of the findings here and some coverage in the i newspaper here.

Headlines from the survey we conducted with MNers include:

86% said they felt politicians across all parties are out of touch with the realities of everyday life for ordinary families;
73% say they are ‘concerned about the opportunities my local area offers for young people’;
64% say they feel pessimistic about job opportunities in their local area; and
43% are pessimistic about their children’s future prospects (things like job opportunities and home ownership).

In the focus groups we did with mothers in 'Red Wall' seats across England and Wales, the issue about concern for local areas came through really strongly.

So we'd love to know: what's the one thing you'd like your MP (or your council) to do that would improve your local area? Could be something to do with the physical environment (parks, green spaces), services (youth clubs, children's centres), transport, jobs, or anything else that takes your fancy - what would be on your wishlist?

Thanks
MNHQ

More police, more social housing, particularly for low paid working households, along with removal of the Right to Buy. More housing suitable for an ageing population, which would free up many family homes. Much more stringent rules about financial support from NRPs, with proper penalties.

And a serious cross party look at Universal Basic Income.

They could start by having to follow the same taxation law on expenses as the rest of us - like having to pay to travel to their place of work out of taxable income.

I don't think ALL MPs should be lumped into the category of "not knowing anything about our lives". How can you compare the background of someone like, say, Jacob Rees- Mogg to that of, say, Angela Rayner- left school and became a single mum at 16, worked her way up through the unions etc. This is a recognised tactic of the right wing media- the actions of most Tory MPs are indefensible, so they don't bother defending them- they just seek to hammer into you the message that all politicians are the same, so why bother engaging?

Also, I think that my local MP (environment secretary, hard Brexiter) DOES work quite hard to help people- it's just that he doesn't regard the likes of me (and the thousands like me) as "people" .

But, to get back to the question in hand: one thing he could do for our local area? Tax the absolute fucking bejaysus out of second homes.

Nationally? Well, even giving us a level of environmental protection like that afforded us by the EU would be a start, let alone the much- vaunted (and missing in action) improvement of standards we were promised.

They key thing is like politicians to tackle is NRPs properly funding the costs of their children. It's a joke that the men (and yes 9 out of 10 are men) can walk off and father more kids and never pay for any of them.

I don't have any skin in the game as DH and I are still together and I am a high earner and so would be fine anyway.

But we will not solve child poverty when one parent can piss off and negate their responsibilities and leaving the mums struggling to work and feed their kids.

And on MPs specifically - they should be be able to stand for election unless they've had a proper job where you have to tune up, do as the Boss says or you get sacked. Being a Spad doesn't count. I'm constantly annoyed in my own profession (civil service) how many of my colleagues don't have this experience which makes them rather entitled in my view. I'm very grateful for my time in retail as it taught me a lot. And I think MPs should have to have us real world experience.

Boris’ comment on a post-covid bank holiday this weekend summed it up for me. If he, or indeed any Westminster politicians, think the last year has been some kind of jolly where people have been at home having ‘time off’ they have no bloody clue what it’s been like juggling working from home, homeschool, helping shielding family members etc.

I usually roll my eyes when some people leap on everything senior Tories say as them being out of touch posh boys but that really did stick in my craw like nothing he’s said since ‘back to normal by Christmas’.

Locally - stop building student accommodation everywhere in the city when there is insufficient housing stock for its own residents - put them first. Also, bin collections every fortnight are unhelpful and create rodent problems - go back to weekly collections.

Also more widely - ministers should have some experience or understanding of their portfolio. Sticking the manager of a fireplace manufacturer in charge of the nation's education is risible.

Well I've seen one MP bang on about the lack of a union flag on BBC materials and another MP decide he's going to protest milk prices by carrying around a pint of milk recently so I'd say they were out of touch.

My local MP whom I won't name but is Labour is very woke and "right on" about a lot of things but when I send her an email about something her minions just fob me off. She is in a very safe seat so I doubt we'll be rid of her anytime soon.

I'd like there to actually be a party that I want to vote for.

The choices are currently

• Destroy the economy and be WOKE

Or

• Try and keep some economy but hate everyone who aren't middle class or better white men

What a choice...

I posted similar to this on another thread today, and I'd like to paraphrase here.

Baby boomers are portrayed as prosperous, but that masks widespread crushing female poverty in middle-aged and older women. 'Boomers' were supposedly born up to 1964 so include women like me turning 60 who had shitty impoverished childhoods in the early 60s, got shafted with divorce, childrearing and an incompetent child support system (the CSA and CMS), felt the brunt of unequal pay, and who won't receive a state pension till they are 66 despite in many cases being absolutely buggered through having to take on caring responsibilities for old and young that men eschewed, while having health problems of their own that aren't properly recognised by the government's dreadful PIP assessment system.

But instead of dealing with this, I see Westminster obsessed with dismantling the rights that women have built for themselves since the 1960s; at a time when thousands of schoolgirls are reporting endemic sexual assaults.

Westminster is so out of touch it hurts.

I'd really like Westminster to stop referring to free school meal pupils and those economically challenged as having dropped significantly behind with no prospects of catching up then in the same breath boasting how they're going to throw money at those pupils to do extra lessons.

Some children are disengaged. Segregating that group from their peers with a very negative no prospects label and not having people to model positive and engaged behaviour doesn't encourage them to learn or aspire. Specialist 1-1 type intense intervention would help but that isn't going to happen. Forcing 10 plus disengaged pupils into extra lessons with no peer modeling is not going to change outcomes.

What is academic achievement scary was demonstrated in last years GCSE results were in part predicted based on sats. I'm from a family with quite a few teachers and slightly synically there is a common thread in discussions that can within reason predict secondary outcomes from primary results.

So a child currently labeled as FSM with low sats results and disengaged is not within our current education system likely to turn things around. Infact secondary can intrench negative behaviour patterns.

A child is still mouldable at 11, their self esteem can still be built up. If we put them in a nurturing environment where they can contribute to society have a bit of personal value and develop life and basic skills that could set them up in a job that actually gives them future prospects.

A sort of work experience rotational apprenticeship type scheme where maybe there could even be a monetary allowance to help with transport and independance. Some lesson based activities to help with the social skills and understanding the problems and frustrations of working environments alongside basic core skills sessions of things like real world maths - working out the shopping list cost, buy 1 get one 50% vs buy 1 get one free, basic budgeting. In theory it should cost far less than putting children who don't want to be in school in school.

There are various countries that have successful less academic post 11 streams. Why don't we?

I would like to see a nominated adult scheme for children from families who are unable to engage with school. Whether the barrier is language, economics, fear of school and authority, a disabled sibling/ carer responsibilities making it challenging. A volunteer based scheme held under supervision within school where another parent from a different year group, grandparent or person with education system experience could engage with the school to ensure that the child was progressing and getting support when necessary - maybe working with the parents/ carers to help with paperwork etc. Not direct private access to the child for obvious reasons but a DBS checked person who could do in school reading sometimes, attend assemblies, be that person the child knows is their for them that singles them out as important too. I volunteered with homestart and have seen what a difference a bit of support at the right time can make. I've also volunteered in a lot in primary schools, several in deprived areas and seen how much children thrive from even a small amount of regular 1-1 or even small group adult time. This would be an education equivalent sort of school start. A child advocate to ensure that they get pushed towards the opportunities that enable them to fulfil their potential regardless of their background.

My other big issue is the effect of being a single parent is so misunderstood. How one parent can just walk away and the others life is near destroyed, then they can dip back in again and walk away, rinse and repeat.

Access to childcare can be a nightmare and prohibatively expensive, plunging families into a benefits cycle which is so difficult to break out of.

Not having reliable income is a nightmare and completely crushes any remaining self respect - why can't the government underwrite the absent parent debt to give families stability. The government can then use their many powers to actually access that money from the absent parent. Why is the onus on the abandoned (often exhausted) parent and children to locate the absent parent, to negotiate payments, to chase payments, to facilitate positive relations. This is a society issue. Children suffer, the cycle of unstable homelife will ever repeat unless we respect families and enable them to have financial stability to build a stable life.

They have no clue! I live in the north west. Our local council is as corrupt as Liverpool city council across the river.
I would like to see everyday casual drug use off the streets so I do not have to have difficult conversations with my five year old on way home from school about the teenager sparko outside my house smoking weed or whatever the hell it is!!!
I mean this is an issue within all areas. Well to do and deprived and all in between. Where the hell do these kids get the money for it all??
Would also like decent education for all. At best it’s hit and miss and only a third of kids get the education they deserve to reach their full potential. What about the rest of the kids and when kids near leaving school more preparation for adult life is needed.
Working within the NHS and attending appointments in another trust for my daughters health care, we really need more money there too.
Sod the entitled few let’s concentrate on the future generations who could actually save the country. Think all MPs need to get their head out of their backsides and work out how to get us back on track.

www.huntsabs.org.uk/hsa-exclusive-fox-hunters-own-footage-catches-them-breaking-lockdown/

Nope, they don't have a clue.

I’m heartened to read all the comments on this thread. I thought as was alone in my anger and dismay. I live in Manchester and house prices are becoming increasingly unaffordable in a city where there is constant building work on apartment blocks but these are being bought up by Chinese and Saudi investors. When so many MPs are landlords, what hope do ordinary people have?

I do like my local (Labour MP) he has done a lot of good. But I feel that I can no longer vote for the party and hell would have to freeze over (not even then) before I would vote for BoJo's lot. When I think how hard women fought for the vote I feel ashamed.

Baby boomers are portrayed as prosperous, but that masks widespread crushing female poverty in middle-aged and older women. 'Boomers' were supposedly born up to 1964 so include women like me turning 60 who had shitty impoverished childhoods in the early 60s, got shafted with divorce, childrearing and an incompetent child support system (the CSA and CMS), felt the brunt of unequal pay, and who won't receive a state pension till they are 66 despite in many cases being absolutely buggered through having to take on caring responsibilities for old and young that men eschewed, while having health problems of their own that aren't properly recognised by the government's dreadful PIP assessment system

Agree with this.

In general politicians need to start recognising and valuing the burden of unpaid caring work mainly women do.

They also need to start caring about children. Funding the state education sector better.

But they won't, they're rich and their kids go to private school.

I think we need proportional representation for anything to change. As far as I can see politicians of all colours - with a few rare exceptions - are mostly in it for their personal enrichment and power.

Until that changes, we're screwed.

There's an NHS action party - nhaparty.nationbuilder.com/ who I was lucky enough to be able to vote for once (there was an ex GP standing locally ).
I'd vote for them but again, with the current system I won't have the opportunity and they probably have no chance. Still, after the failures of this last year, let's hope there might be surge of support for parties such as this.

At the moment I'm politically homeless and will be spoiling my ballot for the forseeable future.

In terms of what would benefit the local area - funding all state schools adequately? Less of a gap between rich and poor so there's less reliance on foodbanks?

Stop funnelling all the billions of pandemic money to private companies like Serco that do a shit job? Invest it across local authority public health teams instead? The list is endless.

It's just depressing wherever you look, more and more people reliant on food banks. Wages declining in real terms. And it's not the pandemic, it was like this before, the pandemic just exposed the extent of the devastation
.

My MP should resign.

Then, stop building more and more unaffordable houses. In fact, stop building houses altogether unless schools/GP surgeries etc are also going to be provided.

Invest in the local economy. Our town centre is a shite hole.

Invest in youths / low income families, not just meaning benefits here. Give them something to do, help them to find meaning and start rebuilding communities.

Reward the hard workers, not just the high earners / millionaires.

Invest in the NHS.

Capitalism. Just stop. Try to think of a better way, one which values those who do things without which the foundation stones of our society break.

When you're bankrupt, you spend what little you have on food, shelter. Start with that, and then work your way up. We need everything to be restructured completely.

My Tory MP only just got in at the last election claiming one of the pivotal red wall seats and he already is heading for one term only as he tows the party line every time going against our constituents wishes. The Government only care about themselves. I wonder if any of the MPs and advisers have made everyone aware over conflicts of interests when handing or multi millions contacts to their pals without going out to tender?

@ProfessorSillyStuff

Get rid of corruption in local authorities, and other overseeing bodies. Although I can see you're already trying to do that, so well done and please keep going!

If they are starting with corruption perhaps start from the top within, the way they handed out contracts to their friends is illegal.

@Mabelface

Bring back Sure Start. Invest in it heavily. To my local mp Robert Largan, stop blocking people on social media when they ask a question you don't like.

My MP Peter Gibson does this, this will not be forgotten in the elections

So many things. Just off the top of my head though, childcare that doesn't cost as much as a mortgage and to have shorter holidays or provide consistent holiday childcare which fits working hours and is publicly funded.
To make non term times holiday destination cheaper and more accessible to families.
Understand how modern families work, we don't all have supportive family members and many single parent families.

Unfortunately I am not the demographic that votes (although I personally do) so what I think isn't going to be listened too. We need to build build build houses and then build more. Young people have no chance of living the lives their grandparents did when a mortgage was possible on 3 times one persons salary. This is because house prices are inflated. We have never built so few houses as we have over the last few decades. If house prices were more sensible then family's would have real options to live better lives. Both parents wouldn't need to work full time. Commuting costs and time would be reduced as could live nearer to jobs. Childcare costs would be more comfortable as there would be more disposable income.

My Tory MP only just got in at the last election claiming one of the pivotal red wall seats and he already is heading for one term only as he tows the party line every time going against our constituents wishes

Exactly like Ian Levy, he never ever votes against party lines so it feels like there isn't even any point engaging with him as he's not going to listen (not that I can engage as I'm one for the blocked constituents after I asked why he voted against extending free school meals provision when we have a high proportion of children in the constituency who directly benefit from it).