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

How about you resign and let your brother have a go? That way we might have a chance at the next election?

Isn?t a bit over the top that Unison are taking legal action against Jeremy Clarkson?

How would you get the bankers to pay more to reduce the debt?

Ed,
my problem is that there are essentially only two political parties left in this country. The Conversatives don't give a hoot about the public sector as they don't use it and are only interested in partnering with their banking buddies whilst penalising women and children with higher childcare taxes, tax benefit cuts and so on.
The Labour party on the other hand didn't act quickly to stop the credit crisis, they were too soft on benefit claimants, too soft on immigration issues and too soft on the unions.

I don't think any party has what it takes to lead this country. So how can you convince me that my vote is actually worth anything at all?

Dear Ed,

You are my MP, I voted for you. I am a lifelong member of your party and I should be getting a christmas card from you any time soon. However, I am appalled that you have not been more vocal about many of the issues affecting us ordinary working people. Why no support of the strikes? My union dues and labour party membership fees support you, and you are not prepared to support me? Tsk. Stand up for your constituents instead of the bankers please!

Kaytola

Will you be spending Christmas Day with your brother this year?

Oh, and how many different ways can we spend a tax on bankers' bonuses?

Ed, did you take David Cameron's accusation of you being 'left wing' as a slur or a compliment yesterday? The fact is that Blair's govts were more right wing than John Major's in terms of policy and that New Labour has left us with 2 parties fighting it out for reactionary mondeo man's/mumsnet woman's vote.

Isn't being in opposition an opportunity to be bold/brave and actually become the socialist party that Labour was and should be? Times have changed and the British public might actually be ready for something different.

Hi Ed

Can you tell me when you plan to come out shouting and fight the disgraceful actions of this coalition government. Regardless of what people think of Tony Blair he came to power on a landslide election win because he managed to win over masses of middle of the road voters. I am Labour through and through so my vote doesn't need winning, so when will you start concentrating on those who do need winning over because that is where the key to victory lies don't you agree?

Secondly, can you have a word with those at Labour party HQ please, I had to take a couple of months break in my Labour party membership payments and then rang back up to re-start the direct debit and was told I would have to pay for all the months I had missed (4 or 5) before I could re-join!!! So I paid it but I am bloody fuming about it, get it sorted out please!

What do you have to say to the disabled people and their families who are desperately worried about reforms to DLA and/or ESA proposed by the Coalition?

Hi Ed - How do expect the public to trust you when you stabbed your brother in the back?

Testing, testing (tis MNHQ, BTW, Ed here shortly)

FFS - he stood in a legitimate election. He had every right to do so. How on earth is that stabbing his brother in the back?

Can you not ask a more intelligent question than that?

BIWI,absolutely right.

Are you going to answer all of these (great) questions with pre-prepared sound bites that don't actually answer the questions at all?

we fear the worst and hope for the best i guess dilly.

Our welfare state is at risk. Sensible questions people please. This is the leader of the opposition. Let's encourage him to oppose by asking the important stuff.

Hi Ed,

Could you explain why the labour party never seems to spend any time/effort campaigning and explaining their policies in Tory safe seats?

This is the third Tory safe seat I've lived in, and every single one did a woeful job of getting their candidates into the public eye, did no door knocking etc. Nobody will change their vote if they don't think labour cares enough to even bother popping a flyer around...

How do you get to the webchat please? (Thats not a q for Ed btw lol)

You are here Jax

JaxV your on it.

This is the webchat, Jax! We're just waiting for it to start ...

at Jax.

DOH!