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WEBCHAT GUIDELINES: 1. One question per member plus one follow-up. 2. Keep your question brief. 3. Don't moan if your question doesn't get answered. 4. Do be civil/polite. 5. If one topic or question threatens to overwhelm the webchat, MNHQ will usually ask for people to stop repeating the same question or point.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

MNHQ

Live webchat with Ed Miliband, Labour leader and Leader of the Opposition, Thursday 1st Dec at 1.45pm

488 replies

KatieMumsnet · 30/11/2011 13:49

We're very pleased to announce that Labour leader, Ed Miliband will be joining us for a webchat this Thursday between 1.45pm and 2.45pm.

Ed is MP for Doncaster, former Minister for Energy and Climate change and won the Labour leadership in the autumn of 2010. He's keen to hear your views and answer any of your questions.

Do join us for the webchat. As ever, if you can't make it, please post up your advance questions here.

Thanks,

MNHQ

OP posts:
Empress2 · 01/12/2011 14:28

Please tell us what is going to happen to the poor single parents who have made up home to now be ripped out because of the LHA rate cuts and also the children being torn out of school to be place in another borough... all in all both losing local support network!

Alibabaandthe80nappies · 01/12/2011 14:29

Ed - do you agree that the Coalition breaking up would be likely to cause the interest rate Britain is paying on the debt to rise (due to political instability and Labour's well known penchant for spending money they don't have), therefore increasing the deficit and all the related problems in the economy?

CardyMow · 01/12/2011 14:29

Peachy - I think that poster was repeating a comment that had been told to her by a HT, not stating that as her OWN view.

Masserrato · 01/12/2011 14:29

Did you tell Ed that he will get a VERY bad name if he picks and chooses questions?

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 01/12/2011 14:29

@herbietea

One thing he has in common with DaveC is he is a slow typist!Grin

Another, final, reminder Herbietea to follow our webchat rules - ie please be civil or don't be here.

MincePieFlavouredVoidka · 01/12/2011 14:29

does it make sense to create disabled children, to create a drain on teaching resources

Sorry to Hijack - but can you explain this comment.

EdMiliband · 01/12/2011 14:29

@KateMiddIeton

Again not a question: Make it attractive to the Lib Dems to end the coalition. Show you are an alternative with real principles. The Lib Dems had principles at the last election that have been dropped in favour of being in government. They have forgotten that there is no point of being in a government that does not act in the interests of the majority. Remind the Lib Dems of what they once hoped to be and offer them an alternative to a Conservative coalition.

If the Lib Dems want to carry on supporting the terrible plan for austerity that this government is imposing, there is really not that much to stop them. We have set out an alternative for now: labour;s five point plan for jobs and growth. Cut VAT, a bonus tax to help the young unemployed, bring forward investment in infrastructure, cut vat on home repairs, and provide a national insurance holiday for all small firms.

Masserrato · 01/12/2011 14:30

It looks as if he is seriously picking and choosing questions at the monent.

EdMiliband · 01/12/2011 14:30

@Alibabaandthe80nappies

Ed - do you agree that the Coalition breaking up would be likely to cause the interest rate Britain is paying on the debt to rise (due to political instability and Labour's well known penchant for spending money they don't have), therefore increasing the deficit and all the related problems in the economy?

No.....

NorfolkNChance · 01/12/2011 14:30

MNHQ have tweeted a pic of Ed at MNHQ, he is concentrating hard ladies give him a chance!

swallowedAfly · 01/12/2011 14:30

they're not youth JOBS anyway are they - just free labour to tescos and a fiddling of unemployment figures.

i'm going to shout because i'm desperate for you to answer this: WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET THE LIBERALS TO DUMP THE TORIES AND GET A GENERAL ELECTION SOONER?

you are politician you know what works - how do we do it? because it's the only hope it seems so what do you think would make them do it?

EdMiliband · 01/12/2011 14:31

@herbietea

I would like to know when he is going to stop bleating that the Government are doing everything wrong and start telling us what the Labour government would do if they were elected, especially how they would reduce the deficit.

If we were in government, we would have made cuts too because paying down the deficit matters massively. But this government is cutting too far and too fast - creating a vicious circle in which it becomes harder to pay down the deficit. It's why George Osborne has to borrow £158 billion more to pay the bill for unemployment benefit and his failed economic policy. Anyone with a debt knows you have to make savings but you can't pay it off if you don't have a job. That's one of the big problems with the economy now - people are losing their jobs and Britain is losing their taxes and the contribution they would make to the economy.

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 01/12/2011 14:31

@Masserrato

Did you tell Ed that he will get a VERY bad name if he picks and chooses questions?

He has to pick by definition but he's just asked me what are the difficult ones, so again, please be patient!

Secondtimelucky · 01/12/2011 14:31

Ok, my questions. Other than bank taxes what would you do to build a "fairer more responsible capitalism"? You say you have lots of examples so please can we hear some?

The one you've chosen is a bit, well, obvious banker bashing populism? I want to feel Labour could really be trusted with the economy and at the moment it feels like a choice between bad plan and no plan.

VenetiaLanyon · 01/12/2011 14:31

Hi Ed,

Can I ask you if you would ever consider reducing the 50% tax rate if you got into power, or is it a) a fair rate for the better-off that's here to stay or b)a rate that can't be reduced as it would be electoral suicide to be seen to do something for the rich, even if the rate is proved to be counter-productive for the economy as a whole?

Thanks Smile

Alibabaandthe80nappies · 01/12/2011 14:31

Thanks for answering :)

Masserrato · 01/12/2011 14:31

Oh come on....you've jumped from the first question aeons ago and come to the last question. Sad.

CardyMow · 01/12/2011 14:31

I have copied my question from pg 2:

What is Labour doing to oppose the Coalition with regards to leaving people with disabilities with no income. By leaving them with no income, I mean people being refused ESA as they are not 'disabled enough', but also being refused JSA as they are not fit for FT work. While they are appealing the ESA refusal, they may have 6 months plus with no income. Do you have any plans to try to get the Coalition to close this loophole?

HuntyCat, #frothers.

EdMiliband · 01/12/2011 14:31

@LeNameChange

What do you think of the Leveson Inquiry? Should the regulation of the press change?

Yes. The current Press Complaints Commission is not working. We need wholesale change. I think the testimony at Leveson has been shocking, including the Dowlers, the McCanns and others....

greenlady78 · 01/12/2011 14:31

Here is my question once again

Dear Mr Miliband,

I'd like to ask as your view on the Maternity Allowance for self-employed/business owners mothers. It seems very unfair that someone that is employed by a company is allowed to start their own company while on Maternity Leave but a self-employed person is not allowed to keep running their business, that is not even allowed to email, answer a phone call while on Maternity Allowance - apart from 10 days (however even if you only work 30 minutes in a day it is considered a full day)

I do understand that Maternity Allowance is designed so that you can spend time with your baby, but I fail to see how using a few hours a week to maintain your business afloat while on Maternity Leave is of any problem. A bigger problem is to have to shut down your business completely to go on Maternity Leave or have a month off only and have to go straight back to work full-time on your business.

The rules for Maternity Allowance for self-employed/business owners mothers are completely unfair and deserve to be looked at and changed. I would very much appreciate to hear your views on this and how this can be improved.

Many thanks.

Masserrato · 01/12/2011 14:32

I would like to ask how Ed Milliband can stand in the House of Commons at question time and behave as if HIS party has nothing to do with the current crisis. I would like to see MPs agreeing on this issue and getting down to work together and at least pretending to support each other, instead of shouting at each other like hooligans.

KateMiddIeton · 01/12/2011 14:32

If the Lib Dems want to carry on supporting the terrible plan for austerity that this government is imposing, there is really not that much to stop them.

You, Ed! It's you that can stop them, you are the opposition!

FelicityNavidad · 01/12/2011 14:32

arf @ the "no"

haha!

northernmonkey · 01/12/2011 14:34

arrgghh i have to go :(

TheRhubarb · 01/12/2011 14:34

Can I ask what type of biscuit he prefers?

How mad would you all be now if he answered that eh?