Webchat with Deputy Labour Leader Harriet Harman MP; THURSDAY 12 FEBRUARY 12-1pm

[RowanMumsnet]

Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman MP will be joining us at MNHQ on Thursday 12 February between 12 midday and 1pm.

Harriet is Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, and Shadow Deputy Prime Minister. She was first elected as an MP aged 32 when she was 7 months pregnant, and her long-term campaigning interests include gender equality, better maternity pay and conditions, and women-only shortlists.

Come and chat to Harriet this Thursday at 12 midday, or post a question in advance on this thread if you can't make it on the day.

Thanks
MNHQ

'for the ladies'- sarcasm intended. Sorry, should preview.

Why on earth would you send round a pink bus to talk to women - did you not realise that it would hijack the news agenda over and above the important issues that you need to talk about? Did you really think wrapping something in pink will attract female voters? I would love to know the logic behind this move.

Is childcare 'woman's work'?

If not, how do you propose to solve issue of early years education/childcare having a workforce that's currently only 2% male?

I would like to know when politicians are going to address the issue of sending children to school at 4 years of age when repeated studies have shown that this early focus on academic learning can be harmful to child development. Longitudinal studies have shown that in later years these children tend to perform worse than those who were able to learn through play until the ages of 6 or 7. Why is this evidence being ignored?

Its still unthinkable that in this day and age that its still only the conservatives who have fielded a female leader and PM.

What is stopping yourself or other equally appropriate women from leading your party?

Is Labour committed to true gender equality? In pay? In the opportunity to work flexibly around family life? In making the language of co-responsility of childcare logistics around paid employment part and parcel of everyday life? Cultural sea change is required, not piecemeal legislation and half hearted HR policy. How will labour address this? Is the pink bus part of the grand plan or is it an indication that women are viewed by the party as incapable of getting their heads around something that isn't pink and sugar coated?

pink lego for children was abysmal enough the idea that grown women need politics pink coating is.... god i don't know what to say.

emmigration springs to mind. at least the middle east is upfront in their attitudes and you have a clear attitude to fight against rather than pretending equality whilst being treated like a waxed plastic dolly who needs a sickening pink coat of paint on anything and everything that's to be sold to her.

Do you plan to introduce a "use it or lose it" element to additional parental leave, as many bother countries have, meaning that the total leave is longer if the father takes at least some of it (a month is common)?

Given that teenagers now have to stay in education or training (or approved work place apprenticeship) until the age of 18 years old what would a Labour government do to make sure that sixth forms and colleges receive sufficient funding to offer a wide range of courses post 16 apart from just A levels and are able to expand and take on more students.

Labour has held a large majority of the seats in Rotherham Council since the mid 70's. Do you feel it is time to introduce more rigorous criteria to the application process for potential councillors, including minimum education qualifications ?

I've been a card carrying member of the LP since I was 18 (am now very old)

My question is the same one I asked on the Ed webchat, but he didn't answer it so I'm going to ask all Labour politicians until someone does.

Why is there currently this godawful hideous trend for "career" politicians? Why are they all suited and booted and just spending a few years looking pretty in the HoC before trundling off to "consult" for someone? Why aren't you picking your candidates from the grassroots party membership? The local activists who spend their whole lives trudging up garden paths and doorstepping? Are they not photogenic enough? Are they not X factor enough? Are you scared they'll talk like Dennis Skinner and scare off the Bloomsbury intelligentsia? I reread absolutely every election year, and sometimes in between Jon O'Farrell (that was me, back in the 80s, bloody hoping and wishing and shoving sodding leaflets through doors whilst sporting big hair and listening to dodgy music by even bigger haired people) and he writes wonderfully about the grassroots organisation behind the LP.

Those are the people that, for me, represent the LP, not some ex telly presenter who had to be moved to my area to represent me. (you can probably work out who my Mp is from that description, and whilst I have no quibble with her, she hardly represents me, or my constituency)

That's about 10 questions rolled into one, but I'm going to sneak another one in.

Did you go come over all unnecessary during the leadership election result thingy when David M winked at you? we all did

Are Labour going to stop this war on the most vulnerable members of society?

I am on ESA and some DLA but I live in fear of being tested again and told I am fit for work when I am not. I suffer with ME/CFS and there is still a stigma around it where doctors don't always believe it.

I am sick of this war the Coalition is waging on disabled benefits when statistics show fraudulent benefit claims are actually very low. David Cameron may argue that more people are off benefits and back to work but many people just will not fight.

I did originally get put in the Work Related Assessment Group. I was only eligible to claim for 1 more year, then nothing! I wouldn't qualify for income related ESA as my husband works but his wages do not cover our outgoings, which are fairly meagre. Apparently "he earns too much" according to the government. I appealed and was lucky enough to get moved to the Support Group but this can be retested at any time and I have to go through the whole thing again. Private companies should NOT be in charge of testing peoples capability for work by ticking boxes.

I am very very interested to know Labour's policy on this, as a life long Labour supporter.

Pink? Really? Sorry but that sort of thing really, really annoys me.

Hello Harriet,

Re Labours Education Budget from 2015; day after day Labour MP’s on TV criticise the Conservative announcement that they are currently intending to FREEZE the Education Budget from 2015, which your fellow parliamentarians correctly point out (due to inflation, although currently diddly squat) is a real terms CUT in spending over the next parliament.

Clearly if criticising that Tory policy, Labour must have a larger spending plans for Education, so why doesn’t the parliamentary Labour Party ANNOUNCE their own plans, rather than spend so much time 80-odd days before the election focusing on non policy issues e.g. at PMQT?

Can you give Mumsnet and ‘exclusive’ that Labour’s Education spending WILL be higher?

What are the Labour party's plans for Education should they get voted in?

Tristram Hunt seems to be repeating that he will 'remove unqualified teachers from teaching' like a broken record, but as far as that, and an MOT for teachers (because that will help teacher retention which is already at a quite frightening level)-he appears to be utterly silent.

Do you actually have any plans? What are they?

This is not only for me, but asked on behalf of the next generation - If we never fire a nuclear missile, how many submarines will eventually need decommissioning, where will we store their nuclear waste and how much will it all cost?

If Russia (sending aircraft bombers over only a week or so ago), N.Korea, Iran or any other up-and-coming rouge state with a nuke, thinks without the fear of retaliation they can lob one over, either there WON'T BE a next UK generation, or for the survivors ALL of this fair island will all be 'glowing' in the dark.

There are often complaints on this forum about the inability of the CSA to enforce payments from non resident parents, usually fathers.
Does the Labour Party have any plans to tackle the problem ?

A. Pink. Bus. Seriously???? How does this gender stereotyping crapola get past the ideas stage? What does the Man bus look like?

I want to vote for you so much, please stop doing this.

Who actually devised the pink bus and the Woman to Woman slogan and who approved it?
Have they been fired yet and if not why not?

Did you not realize that people actively campaign against segregation and marginalisation?
Thanks,
Woman and mother of daughters who feel patronised and very unimpressed

What are you intending to do for disabled people in your (potential term) in Government when so many cuts in services are taking place locally.

Is DLA or PIP going to be phased out or stay as they are?

Basically I'm asking are you going to make it harder for the most vulnerable people in society to have a life or better?

(As a concerned parent of a child who has had most of her therapies cut as the funds are not there locally to pay for staff or equipment, having to wait 1+ years for SN bed from OT is unacceptable when safety is paramount concern)

Harriet why aren't you leader instead of that feckless hamster we have in charge?

Harriet, if elected in May, will Labour address the unfair cuts to child benefit? Do you believe it's fair that a family with a single income of 50k lose it and a family on a joint income of 90k keep it? I would like to know your stance on this, as this will sway how I vote.

I have voted in every election since 1979. All labour until Blair invaded Iraq and then I couldn't bring myself to vote labour again.
I now find for the first time in my life I genuinely don't know who to vote for and the Pink Bus has not helped one bit.
What were you thinking!
Also for what it's worth I predict the Mansion tax will be Labour's very own poll tax (and I live in a very cheap house in the North so not affected).

My question is what are labour's plans for education and funding for the 16 to 21 age group.

Yes-I'd like to know what your plans for Education are as well. Especially after that Tweet someone wrote to Mr Hunt asking for more information but Mr Hunt told him very rudely to get back to work!