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

[KatieMumsnet]

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

Thank you very much for your answer, much appreciated.
However I think public pensions will still be far more generous than a private pension - as most disappeared in value with recession! Asking us to help fund theirs seems a little galling.

P.S. maybe you could get out of the City and see how farmers and other rural people are struggling with making a living in the recession too ?
We can vote too!

Bucharest - I think I make 3!

Thanks everyone. Have to go but will do this again soon. Ed

... really ? I have checked there first before I asked my question - it tells me how I can be a member, volunteer, support, donate and a brief section on "Who we are"... and the "shop"... Various other sections detail the Party and structure, history and achievements etc etc

...but I can't find anywhere on there what Labour's current policies are ... maybe I am looking in the wrong place..

I've just called the CSA actually to chase up my claim. The arrears have to reach £500.00 before they can start court proceedings (or 13 weeks of non payment)

Good job I don't rely on the paltry £40 / week which the father of my children is meant to pay or I would be in serious financial trouble.

Something really needs to be done about this. Honestly.

whoops. Too late now I guess.

Keep meaning to start a bloody caMPAIGN THREAD ON IT ACTUALLY.

What does 'funding jobs for young people' actually mean? Are you going to pay them to dig holes or something?

Won't the bankers just go elsewhere if you tax them more? Seems a bit unkind when you were so happy to encourge them so much not so long ago!

Thank you for answering the questions you have Ed. I am conscious I have monopolised much of your time.

Would you please send answers to the questions you didn't get round to direct to MNHQ to add to the thread please?

Oh 3 with Mincepie!

Ne'mind. I still believe.

Could you do it now, while its fresh in your mind Felicity? It sounds utterly dire.

Thats a good idea KateM. Seconded.

I think you should re read All the questions that have been put to you and make a stab at answering them - here - at a later date.

Goodbye and have good Christmas.

LWW - think I will.

Thirded!

Won't the bankers just go elsewhere if you tax them more? Seems a bit unkind when you were so happy to encourge them so much not so long ago!

Poor little bankers. Might someone be unkind to them? My heart bleeds for the fuckers

Felicity, have you spoken to your MP? An MPs letter can move mountains of bureaucracy.

Yes please answers to the missed questions please. Especially my one about being swindled out of money by Labour HQ!

Job creation is a long standing tradition for recession beating - that's how my mum got her first job in the 80s (in another country). It usually works quite well, but I would want to know the details of who they are working for though - having to work at Tesco to get your JSA is wrong, council/charity projects on an actual wage are perfectly okay IMO.

Won't the bankers just go elsewhere if you tax them more? Seems a bit unkind when you were so happy to encourge them so much not so long ago!

Why should Britain be so scared of the bankers? Why should we allow ourselves to be blackmailed be the threat of leaving the country.

Aside from anything else, it is not that easy for a bank to up and leave. The bankers might be willing to move to Geneva (or Frankfurt) but what about the support staff? The secretaries, the lowly paid assistants etc.

I don't think this was a particularly good web chat unfortunately.

And I think having him back "soon" might not be the best use if anyone's time. I know Labour is having a policy review, but don't know when that will translate into any definite policies. But presumably it will be noticeable when it does, and only after that might there be anything illuminating.

@Bucharest

And I am one of the 2 (AFAIK) people on this thread who voted for you. (was it me mentioning Ann Widdecomb that put you off? Are you scrubbing your eyes with a brillo pad?)

Apologies Bucharest, he just ran out of time. He was whisked away with a print out of yours and CatalieSisters' (excellent) questions in is hands. So you never know....

Felicity I will support your campaign and write to my MP, she is a junior minister. That is shocking.

I wish he had replied question re. self employed mothers as well. But thanks Mumsnet and Ed for the Q&A

Thanks Ed and MN

MmeLindor - exactly, what about all the support staff? Very easy to hire new ones in Geneva or Frankfurt I expect, and then there go another several thousand onto the dole queue.
I agree that we shouldn't be held to ransom by the banks, but I don't think we afford to just dismiss them.