Live webchat with Vince Cable, Business Secretary, Wednesday 1 May, 1-2pm

[JustineMumsnet]

We will be welcoming Business Secretary Vince Cable for a webchat this Wednesday lunchtime, following his aborted webchat last Jan (due to urgent business in the House).

A bit of background: The Rt Hon Vince Cable completed his undergraduate degree at Cambridge and post-graduate doctorate at Glasgow, where he then went on to work in a range of senior economic and foreign policy roles, becoming Shell International's Chief Economist in 1995. He became Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham in 1997 and served in the Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet from 1999-2003, and as Shadow Chancellor from 2003-2010. In May 2010 he was appointed Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.

The Minister is looking forward to questions on all topics and especially any on starting a new business, mentoring schemes, reforms for flexible parental leave, and the Government's work on increasing women's representation in UK boardrooms.

We hope you can join us and, as always, do post advance questions here if you're not able to make it on Wednesday.

[edam]

That's nice. Shame he's lending his support to such appalling policies, though. Why is a twinkly nice man supporting a government that bullies benefits advisors into tricking learning disabled people out of their benefits, for instance?

[HoveringKestrel]

I've got to admit I thoroughly enjoyed this thread and am overjoyed he answered my questions.

I wish he was my local MP.

[YoniOno]

Seriously, saying 'this government doesn't have an opinion on whether mothers return to work' is totally disingenuous - I don't see me being given financial help to look after my son, whereas if I went back to work I would get financial help. Clearly the government wants women back in the workplace ASAP, being good little capitalists and paying taxes, and paying someone else to look after their children.

I do totally fancy him but that's besides the point

[pickledginger]

The Telegraph seem to have used this. I suppose it's good that they're back to current events after their extended hagiography of Thatcher. And they're still finding the time to maintain royal bump watch.

[AprilFoolishness]

I've just found this. Think Cable's great, and "My relations with the Chancellor are perfectly business-like and amicable" keeps making me chuckle.