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

13.48 here....where are you Ed?

Ed Miliband is caught in traffic so has promised to stay late. Eta of chat now 2-3.
Thanks for your patience .

FFS our welfare state is not 'at risk'. Even this Govt will be spending over £100bn on benefits every year after the reforms

I just have a small window of opportunity here whilst mr. Tumble is on ...

Ed,
When is the Labour Party going to take responsibilty for creating a massive debt burden for our children, and admit that their extravagant overspending (which some might call vote buying) in the 'years of plenty' has messed up the economy for years to come?

Bugger..i've got to go out.

Educate yourself Alex. The welfare state is not just benefits. It's the NHS, social workers, education etc etc etc

Thanks. gives me time to put DD to bed for her nap.

Do you read the papers, alex? Have you seen the cuts that have already happened/are about to happen? Have you seen what's happening to the NHS?

but the tired old dichotomous argument:

our welfare state is at risk/welfare state is cause of all ills is just bolleaux isn't it?

the welfare state clearly and urgently needs reform. we need more money into it as a percentage of GDP, but equally we need to encourage work rather than lifetime/intergenerationally transmitted no work as way of life. and there are loads more complex equations than just privatise vs subsidise.

i'm so so tired of politicians simply going for the headlines they need in order to play to the lowest common denominator: fear.

something different please.

@reelingintheyears

Bugger..i've got to go out.

Will try to make sure he gets to your question in your absence Reeling.

sorry for the hideous layout/syntax/general grammar in that last post.

Definition of welfare state here en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welfare_State

Reform might be needed but demolishing the principles it stands on? No.

kate it is so bloody far away from the principles it was founded on it's untrue!

LadyMontdore probably never, because they weren't responsible. If that was true then this wouldn't be a global problem.. Greece, Italy, Iceland, Portugal, USA....

Note to all - only one question each please. There are an enormous amount of questions already, and we can't guarantee to answer everyone but am sure he'll try his best. If you ask more than one, though, it most likely won't get answered.

typically late.

David wouldn't be late.....

Dear Ed, please sort the Labour Party out so I can vote for you again.

In particular I would like to be able to trust you on the economy but at the same time I would like to rely on Labour not sucking up to the bankers Tory-style.

Thank you.

Dear Mr Miliband,

What do you think of the government's plans to help first time buyers and what would your party do, or do you see this as less of a priority?

again lubey/vs ladymont it's not one or the other. it's both. there is a global crisis AND labour overspent. it's not simple and the sooner politicians stop pretending it is the better for all of us.

Ed, seeing as the nhs pension scheme pays in £2billion pound a year more than it takes out and is forecast to continue like this for 21 years and it was adjusted three years ago to make it more affordable (no longer a final salary scheme, etc for new starters) surely you can see why its so unfair to change it again when it is affordable.

Employment is a key principle of the welfare state. The ConDems have already started to remove some employment rights and are consulting on more including a consultation about TUPE regulations. TUPE is what protects your employment contract if your employer sells the bit of the business where you work to another employer. If your rights under TUPE weren't there then your labour is effectively being sold. Modern day slavery.

(I know TUPE regulations have not been touched by what they heck are they consulting on?)

Id like to scrub my last question please and ask this instead:

We are a family with one income, I stay at home to care for our daughter and will continue to stay at home to home edcuate her. We rely on tax credits as my partners income is less than 16k per annum - if the welfare reform bill is passed, where will that leave us - will I be forced to send my child into a school system I have no faith in and go to work?