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

There have been a number of teachers jailed for sexual offences against pupils recently. In many of these cases it was reported to the school leadership team but no action was taken.

Shouldn't there be an independent agency that parents / pupils / teachers can report suspected incidents of this nature? With academies in particular it is left up to school governors and the leadership team. There are clearly flaws in the system. LADOS cannot change school policy or investigate cover ups.

To HH, you are very brave facing this; kudos!

Will you and the Labour Party admit that austerity is a way of taxing the poor to pay for the rich to get richer and put a stop to it?

If Labour are re-elected how would they ensure that any new central government didn't promote policies which would lead to situations like that seen in Rotherham where the abuse of at least 1,400 children was covered up by a Labour council as they priortised 'community relations' above the right of children not to be abused.

How would Harriet ensure that all voters could feel that they would be treated equally if they report a crime, regardless of their own race and the race of the alleged perpetrator? This didn't happen in Rotherham and as Labour claim to be big on equality surely they should be addressing making sure it never happens again. How do they intend to do this?

I want a government who will not lie, who are trustworthy and will actually take a holistic longterm view of what is best for our country and also with an awareness and concern for the rest of the world.Too much to ask for?

and why pink?just why?

Harriet, you claim this pink tour is to speak about issues that affect women including the impact of caring commitments and domestic violence. (Source press.labour.org.uk/post/110671370409/labour-launches-biggest-ever-womens-campaign)
How can you speak on such issues when Labour are voting for (or abstaining from voting) on continued austerity which will directly impact areas such as care and domestic violence services?

Secondly rather than saying 'vote SNP get Tory', can you get some substance into your Scottish Branch Office? It's hardly a vote swinger when the Tories are saying the same thing.

Scottish Labour is a joke. Promising 1000 extra nurses on top of whatever figure the SNP pledge smacks of 'My Dad will batter your Dad' playground banter rather than any real attempt at policy.

Tweeting completely different views on the NHS mere days apart didn't do much for you up here either.

TheLastNameLeft - we'll see how brave Ms Harman is by the questions she chooses to answer.

I am completely disillusioned with British politics and have zero faith in our politicians. Would bet my mortgage that Ms Harman won't answer my question (the first post after Rowan's OP) and will only answer the easy questions from obvious Labour voters. She'll give a jokey endearing answer to the pink bus question that her SPADs are currently working flat out on and she'll give a similarly amusing 'designed to show her as an actual human' answer to the question about when David Miliband winked at her so that we all have a good old chuckle at how these politicians are really just 'one of the girls'. All other difficult questions she'll ignore.

And I wouldn't expect anything different from any other British politician with the exception perhaps of Kate Hoey who is simply wonderful. (I am not Kate Hoey).

And yes, I suspect she will take the 11% pay rise because they all always do.

I agree with you blue. The questions she chooses to answer or should I say, chooses to avoid, will tell us everything we need to know.

I totally agree, blue. I suspect the questions she actually chooses to answer will be few and far between and and won't persuade anyone to vote for her who isn't already a Labour supporter.

Mrs H, I would dearly love you to prove me wrong.

I bet this one

To HH, you are very brave facing this; kudos!

And this one

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

And this one

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

Will all get replies...

I'd like to know what as a mother and deputy PM she is going to do to make the "secret courts" in private law care proceedings public in courts where children's services workers can have their "lies" challenged by parents and family.
It is one law for the rich "public law" and another for the poor "private" law care proceedings.
The children's minister should be impartial and represent children's voices which he clearly doesn't do. As the voices that are hidden by social workers who commit perjury on a daily basis to get people's children.i went to see him and he wouldn't see me. Why won't you change this barbaric system #forcedadoption NOW

Given that Labour a) introduced university tuition fees, b) introduced top fees having promised they wouldn't and stating they'd legislate to prevent their introduction and c) commissioned the Browne Report, knowing the direction it was heading in and therefore timing it to report after the last General Election, how can voters trust anything the Party says on education? How do you propose to win back the votes of a generation that may not have (been eligible to) vote at the time but has a longer memory than many of your party seem to have on the issue?

My question may be a little different from others asked here..

I would like to ask about your opinion on whether possessing small amounts of cannabis for personal use only in private should be a criminal offence? Keeping cannabis illegal may sound like the right thing to do but:

1. There are medical benefits for cannabis
2. People who really want to use cannabis will buy it no matter what the law is, and when illegal the cannabis they buy may be adulterated (harmful additives added) and the buyers have no idea of the strength
3. It's better if the money goes to the Government instead of street dealers. In Colorado for example so much money has been made from legalisation the citizens are to receive tax rebates.
4. Legalisation will help put the street dealers and the (often violent and dangerous) "underground" trading out of business.
5. In recent months and years, a number of US states and other countries are now choosing legalisation.
6. Like alcohol, cannabis can be consumed safely if used responsibly.
7. IMO, giving someone a criminal record (or worse, a prison sentence) for possessing cannabis will mess their life up far worse than the cannabis itself could ever do.

quote from PuffinsAreFictitious: "I was going to vote Green, until I read more about their desire to decriminalise men paying women for sex. How would you convince a Feminist floating voter to choose Labour?"

I would like to clarify it is already legal to pay for and to sell sex in Britain. However the current system (and also the Swedish model) puts women working together at risk of being charged with "running a brothel".

Hi Harriet, please could you tell us why there a need for a pink van specifically targeting women and what the main issues are, from your perspective, that women face in today's UK.

I am a socialist. I believe in social justice, in supporting those in society unable to support themselves. I am prepared to pay a load more tax in order to do this.

WHO AM I SUPPOSED TO VOTE FOR?

Labour is now almost identically positioned on the left wing versus right wing axis of the political compass to the Conservatives, and is apparently running scared of even the word socialism.

Seriously...who do I vote for?

Harriet, pink bus bad, women at the top of Labour party good. I will leave that thought with you.

In the meantime, here is my question. How could Labour reconfigure the Free Schools agenda so they actually represented something useful and democratic?

Cheers,
Boff

PS I queued behind you on holiday in Dalyan in 1997 or 1998 and resisted the urge to pester you with lots of questions abut education

In your equality policies and women's manifesto, how do you intend to support families where one parent has chosen to stay out of the work force to care for their children.

Ms Harman we have incredibly strict laws governing surrogacy and egg donation with good reason. However, people are able to flout the UK law and exploit poor women's bodies abroad have commercial surrogacy agreements and gain parental orders when they return.

Why is the UK facilitating the exploitation of womens bodies? And what do you plan on doing about it?

I normally have a passing interest in politics and am finding the current BBC2 programme on the inside workings of the Houses of Parliament fascinating. I feel it's giving the public a real insight into the work of MPs and exactly what they do and how it all works. However, I feel that they still have a huge PR mountain to climb after the expenses scandal and even today the argument over HSBC makes everyone involved look more suited to the playground. Is there anyway back for MPs to regain public trust and respect or is there still a certain arrogance to your role that will never be overcome?

Now that I've calmed down about the pink bus, I have a proper question...

What are you doing to change assumptions that issues such as childcare and social care are just women's issues?

Hi Harriet, we've got a few questions that our members over on Gransnet would like to ask you. Here they are...

This one is from Gracesgran:

"If Labour is in government (with or without another party), will they keep the triple lock on pensions?

This is the only way that the poorest of those who are losing the Pension Savings Credit will creep into the Pension Guarantee Credit. If this doesn't happen, yet again while pensioners with capital will benefit from the new savings bond for the over 65s, it will be paid for by those who are one step away from the poorest pensioners who are only getting 87p increase in pension payment this year and, it appears, for some years to come until they lose it all."

Another from Grannytwice:

"I'd like to know how on earth 'Granny Bonds', free bus passes, TV licences, winter fuel allowances, can be justified for all pensioners regardless of income? Will you continue with them all?"

And this one from weaselywood:

"I'd like to ask you about your role as chair of the Commission for Older Women. What did you learn from this role and what changes would you like to see implemented?

"Do you agree that older women often get a raw deal because of the way they are portrayed in/treated by the media?"

Hi Harriet, I want to know if your party has any thoughts on how to support or create any initiatives to help long term carers to return to full time or part time employment or education or training once their full time carering responsibilities have ended. For example some programmes that will help to bridge the gap of being away from employment. Carers meaning stay-at-parents or carers for relatives, partners and friends etc. Although the majority of carers are women this isn't just a gender issue but problems that many carers face inc young carers who may have their schooling disrupted. For too long I feel carers have been taken advantages of by politicians. While one is constantly engaged with carering for others it left very little time and money to voice his/er own current and future concerns . With the carering costs increasing and pension culture now is everyone should look after their own old age. I believe before long it will become obvious that more and more (mainly) women are going to live in poverty.

Childcare cost is a family financial issue. It should not be regarded as just a women issue.

Test

I'm angry about Rotherham.

I'm angry about the persecution of the disabled.