Webchat with Miriam González Durántez, Tues 21st April, 11.30 am

[JustineMumsnet]

We're very pleased to say that Miriam González Durántez - international trade lawyer and wife of Nick Clegg - will be joining us for a webchat tomorrow (Tuesday 21st) at 11.30am.

Miriam a couple of years ago, and has spoken a few times about how she was bowled over by the support of Mumsnetters when she was propelled into the public eye five years ago.

She's fitting in some campaigning for some women LibDem MPs over the next few weeks, whilst continuing to practise as Head of EU Trade and EU Relations at law firm Dechert.

We hope you can join us at 11.30 on Tuesday April 21 to talk to Miriam about careers, campaigning, Mumsnet, and the mixed bag that is being a politician's spouse.

(And before you ask... yes, we are working on having all the major party leaders on before the election, and we're not intending to go too far down the spouse route ourselves - but we know that Miriam and MNers are rather fond of each other and think her insights on the campaign might be interesting .)

If you can't make it on the day, do please post up your questions in advance here.'

Miriam,
would you support a change in the law to permit easier anonymous voter registration for those who request it? I am not registered to vote, despite being passionate about politics. I am not registered because I fear for my life and that of my young son. However I like many others have not been to court and do not have evidence of abuse that would satisfy the current registration requirements. I don't want my address publicly listed anywhere, but I want to vote. I am worried that a significant number of people are also in the situation where they don't want to be on 192.com and have themselves and their children, put at risk. I think this urgently needs to be addressed and publicised and would welcome your consideration of this issue irrespective of the outcome of this election.
thanks

I also think you are an excellent role model. I am often told I shouldn't be doing what I am doing (in terms of career and professional training) because I have a child and I should be putting my child first. Sometimes this gets me down. Do you have any tips on managing this negativity, other than avoiding it (not always possible)?

So your husband will be famous for making a promise he didn't keep, I have some questions around that. How do you feel about that decision? Do you discuss politics much at home? Does he take your advice?

Secondly I notice you have chosen the Oratory school do you have any tips for others who would like to get their children into that school? Aside from Religion (because there are many that fulfil those criteria) do you think there are certain things they look for as part of the application process?

Thirdly do you agree that in the interests of impartiality mumsnet should also invite spouses/partners of other political leaders?

Apologies for being blunt and brief but as a lawyer I am sure you have seen it all before.

What do you think is the most important issue in this election and what was the policy you were happiest to see in the lib dem manifesto this time?

Which is better - Suits or the Good Wife?

I think this webchat should either NOT talk about the election at all...

Or be boycotted as if we are presuming Miriam is being sent round the country to put a metaphorical plaster on a gaping wound, then ALL the WAGs should be coming.

I am a bit astounded actually.

Because she's not coming to talk about being a fabby hotshot lawyer or a Lib Dem woman is she?

She's coming to spin.

And it's one thing when the actual candidates do it. At least they are qualified to do so.

HQ: Did you approach the LDs or did they approach you? If the former, why haven't you approached the other WAGs? (and yes, I am using the term in a negative way. I want to hear what the candidates have to say about the election, not their family) If the latter, then, just wow.

I have nothing against any wife of any politican (even Mrs F) but this is really not on.

Maybe people would like to chat to her, not just talk about her husband. Just a thought.

Well, put it this way, I wouldn't be surprised if the respective PR teams at Decherts and Lib Dem HQ are in bright and early this morning to brief MGD on their carefully crafted anecdotes which just happen to make NC/MGD look terribly human and appealing (plus making sure that the party line at Decherts about equal opps for all not bourne out by female partner ratios is maintained)

Call me cynical.....

Ridiculous, I am so tired of family and wives etc being wheeled out to prop up Frankly lying politicians
and I mean that in a non partisan , non favourite party way !!!
Enough of this mn !!!

I can see why the fear is that this will be simply a puff piece for Clegg and the Lib Dems. Gosh, what's it like being married to Nick Clegg? Wow, Nick Clegg must be great to have landed such an amazing wife! Ooh, tell us how you juggle it all and how much Nick helps out.

My actual question is, on what basis was Chris 'Lord' Rennard threatening to sue the Liberal Democrat Party and how do you feel about so many talented women leaving the Party in the wake of the Rennard scandal?

Oh, I missed Rowan's answer that "if the others reached out to us"....so it was the LDs "reaching out".

I sense the whiff of quiet desperation.

missorinoco- there are MNers even standing for election....

Do you really think we are all at home with our pinnies on? (as Gobbolino said, now't wrong with that if it floats your boat, but please don't assume that's what MN is about)

I saw that drank - I still think the correct approach would be for MNHQ to say "thank you for reaching out to us bleurgh We are a non-political site therefore we will need to extend an invitation to all other partners of party leaders and make it clear to posters who agreed and who declined to take part before we can have any webchats".

Rather than being used as a stage for a party political broadcast by the Lib Dems by proxy.

Absolutely.

Maybe the other WAGs have more integrity.

Sorry, unfair, I imagine Miriam has been put in a difficult situation given her husband's performance and reputation.

Can't help thinking it's going to be a bit of a Louise Mensch/Tony Benn moment.

I do have another question:

Miriam, what made you decide to "reach out" to Mumsnet and its many posters at this particular time? Will you be "reaching out" to any other websites? If so, what ones?

Hello Miriam.

Are your children bilingual? How does the trade-off between languages work in your household? Do your children feel more English than Spanish (or vice versa)?

What did you think when promises in the last libdem manifesto were broken and other, opposing policies were implemented?
In particular the tuition fees being raised and Surestart centers being closed _ over 500 so far.
Will your husband do anything to stay in power?

Hi Miriam

Can you comment on today's story that Rupert Murdoch has told Sun journalists to go even harder on Ed Miliband, because a Labour government would mean the end of News Corp? This looks like rank journalistic corruption to me, and deeply anti-democratic. We basically have a billionaire Australian telling UK journlists to tell lies about a prime ministerial candidate. What do you think about it?

I like Miriam, so there.

Miriam, it seems like election campaigns demand weeks of lack of sleep and ridiculous levels of activity and no down-time, and then - last election and probably this one too - sleepless, knackered politicians are asked to stay awake for four days straight to conduct coalition negotiations.

The whole thing seems mad to me and surely can't lead to good decisions. The Channel 4 drama about the coalition negotiations showed Nick protesting about not having had enough sleep when he was asked to attend an early meeting. Was this true to life? Do you try to insist that he gets some rest?

I know it seems like a trivial issue, but given that lack of sleep has the same effect as being wildly drunk I genuinely worry about the quality of the decisions that get taken!

Hi Miriam,

I was very encouraged to see this in the Lib Dem manifesto:

Carefully monitor the growing evidence base around electronic cigarettes, which appear to be a route by which many people are quitting tobacco, and ensure restrictions on marketing and use are proportionate and evidence based. For example, we support restrictions ton advertising which risks promoting tobacco or targets under 18s, such as those introduced in 2014, but would rule out a statutory ban on “vaping” in public places.

As Nick is (or was?) a vaper, I imagine this is a topic close to your heart. However, I'm not sure what the point is of this promise when the TPD threatens to outlaw all effective ecigs next year.

As an expert on EU law, can you see any way that Article 20 of the Tobacco Products Directive could be brought in in 2016 without it being a de facto ban on vaping? Is our best bet Totally Wicked's legal challenge to the TPD or is there something we can ask our candidates to actually do to mitigate the worst effects of this legislation?

Plenty What an excellent question. Thank you for that one.

What one thing has Nick achieved in government that you're genuinely proud of?

@magimedi

I am also with Goblino - it is wrong to just have one 'wife'.

Pretty poor thinking, MNHQ.

Hello,
Absolutely take your point and we would, as Rowan said, certainly have other "wives" on should they approach us as Miriam's camp did - and the various camps will no doubt be aware this is happening. But we are still in the process of trying to get the leaders on so we are wary of interfering with that iyswim. It's not that we are not keen to get them on, just a question of timing.