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.

Agree totally with Lily. You always know what you are getting with the tories, the party is like a raddled old whore who has been peddling the same line for hundreds of years.

I have always thought that the Liberals were far more pernicious than the torys, as they dress up a similar selfish and laissez faire policy with a pretty, caring face,

LilyBolero, the thing is they haven't abandoned their principles. They're implementing them. Not all of them, obviously, and not all as they would like, but that's coalition government. If the Lib Dems had formed a government with Labour, Labour would have had to compromise too.

And "keeping the Tories out" only ever refers to voting Lib Dem in a particular constituency so that you get a Lib Dem MP and not a Tory one. Is there one bit of evidence that the Lib Dems ever said they would keep the Tories out at a national level, or anywhere where a Lib Dem politician ruled out a post-election deal with the Tories?

vesela, my LibDem candidate told me categorically that if I voted for him, and he was elected, they would not 'go in with the Conservatives'.

As far as principles go, I think they have abandoned them. They have been party to a regressive budget, targeting the poorest in society. They have targeted groups such as women and the disabled. They have abandoned their stance on tuition fees. They have abandoned their policy on Trident. And that's just starters.

'As far as principles go, I think they have abandoned them.'

People like Clegg never really had them, because those are usually the result of having had to lived in reality at one point during one's life.

But well, he has power now.

So perhaps the purpose of his life is to serve as a warning to others: Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.

LilyBolero, which candidate was that? bit odd given that the Lib Dems were saying all over the media that they weren't ruling either one out.

vesela, don't want to identify where I am! It was within the context of "Nick Clegg has said he won't be a kingmaker, we will tackle each issue separately, you can be assured that a vote for me is NOT a vote for the conservatives".

That candidate wasn't elected anyway, so it didn't matter how I voted.

According to reports, this Governement is considering changing PAYE administration for all Employees.

At the moment the Employer pays the net, after tax/nic; the proposals apparently are that the Employers pay the gross to the Revenue, and the latter then pay the net.

God help us if this is the case.

here - repeated endlessly in the run-up to the election.

"Nick Clegg last night spelled out the four "tests" he will set for Labour and the Conservatives if they are to seek his party's support in a hung parliament [they were the 10,000 tax threshold, pupil premium, a greener better-balanced economy and voting reform].

Clegg declined to say whether his party would lean towards Labour or the Tories if neither party secured an overall majority in the poll expected on 6 May.

But he told the Independent he would talk to the party that won the "strongest mandate" and was keeping all options open ? including a formal coalition with Lib Dem ministers in the cabinet."

Sorry Penelope what is that? So we would get our pay administered straight from the IL? Surely not.

I think it's disingenuous though to form a campaign based on 'keep the tories out', whatever is happening at national level.

And nowhere in that report does it say "We will be happy to form a regressive government targetting the poor." Ergo their principles are abandoned.

I was on this thread yesterday - I cannot remember anything inflammatory being postedm however shadeofviolet and expat have each had posts deleted

I nearly voted LD cos I'm in a wall-to-wall Tory zone but when Nick said he'd go in with the party that got the most votes i voted Labour after all. I would like PR /AV though, then I could vote Green. I'm not going to vote for AV if the Tories sew up the boundaries as part of the deal in a referendum, however.
Maternal health: don't cut the aid budget.

I do feel sorry for MNHQ. I imagine it is a difficult situation for them 'umm, Mr Clegg, I know you wanted to talk about maternal death, there have been 3 questions on that subject and 104 emotive posts saying you have sold your soul the the devil. Cup of tea?'

It's not MNHQ's fault. Was he really so naive he thought he could come and talk to us about maternal death and have us all forget what was going on nationally and gather round with fawning questions about the Good He Was Doing because it was a Wimmin's Ishoo?

GetOrf.
Apparently so, according to this Sunday's ST.

the top part of that last post of mine was a quote from further up the thread btw- the quote marks fell off

The OP does say that he is 'happy to answer questions on his role as the Deputy Prime Minister'. I take that to mean questions about any part of the policies of the government of which his position makes him a joint figurehead.

no, I think he probably wants to come on for a good argument.

Here are some quotes from Nick Clegg

""It is just preposterous the idea that if a party comes third in the number of votes, it still has somehow the right to carry on squatting in No 10 ... I think a party which has come third ? and so millions of people have decided to abandon them ? has lost the election spectacularly"

Er, which party came 3rd? That would be the Lib Dems.

"As for who I'd work with, I've been very clear......with anyone who can deliver the greater fairness that I think people want.""

Greater Fairness.

"historically, Labour and Liberal Democrats are two wings of a progressive tradition in British politics.""

That would be PROGRESSIVE. Not REGRESSIVE.

""There is just a gulf between what David Cameron stands for and what I stand for, in terms of values, in terms of internationalism, in terms of fairness, in terms of progressive tax reform, in terms of political reform, in terms of simply living in denial, as does Labour, about a major problem of their creation in the immigration system.""

The Tories have held firm to their values, so where does that leave the LibDems?

(Sorry, formatting didn't work)

""It is just preposterous the idea that if a party comes third in the number of votes, it still has somehow the right to carry on squatting in No 10 ... I think a party which has come third ? and so millions of people have decided to abandon them ? has lost the election spectacularly"

Er, which party came 3rd? That would be the Lib Dems.

"As for who I'd work with, I've been very clear......with anyone who can deliver the greater fairness that I think people want.""

Greater Fairness.

"historically, Labour and Liberal Democrats are two wings of a progressive tradition in British politics.""

That would be PROGRESSIVE. Not REGRESSIVE.

""There is just a gulf between what David Cameron stands for and what I stand for, in terms of values, in terms of internationalism, in terms of fairness, in terms of progressive tax reform, in terms of political reform, in terms of simply living in denial, as does Labour, about a major problem of their creation in the immigration system.""

The Tories have held firm to their values, so where does that leave the LibDems?

oh forget the formatting!

And just one more - this is the one I was looking for;

" Before the election result, the Liberal Democrat education spokesman, David Laws, derided the Conservatives' plans for education as "deeply flawed", "absurd" and an "incoherent muddle".

His party leader, Nick Clegg, described the Tory flagship free schools policy as a "disaster for standards"."

From BBC News

Abandoned principles? Hook, line and sinker.

lilybolero, I reckon it ties in with the other question about whether he thinks he's making a fairer Britain, & also how much of the things in the second-to-last para he thinks the LDs are achieving in government.

vesela, yes, if he was actually implementing a LD agenda that would be one thing, but free schools, immigration caps, penalising financially the poorest in society, have never been part of the LD manifesto. I am certain tuition fees for students will also rise, and the LDs are only allowed to abstain from the vote, not vote against it, despite many of them (inc NC) signing a pledge to OPPOSE any rise in tuition fees.

Hello, Nick.

Well done for doing the right thing in the national interest!

My question is: will you be fighting tooth and nail for savage cuts to the EU budget? Britain is being forced to make 25-40% departmental cuts at home because of Labour's immoral and unforgivable spending splurge. Surely the amount we pay to the EU and other European institutions should be cut by at least 50%?