Webchat with Conservative Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, TUESDAY 28 April at 11.30am

[RowanMumsnet]

Hello

We're pleased to announce the second of our three politics webchats this week with Nicky Morgan, who was Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities until Parliament dissolved earlier this month. She will be joining us for a live webchat on Tuesday 28 April at 11.30am.

Nicky is the Conservative candidate for the Loughborough seat. She has done a couple of webchats with us before; in one of them she made some headlines after saying that 'no option is off the table' when questioned about whether the Conservatives should consider all-women shortlists to improve women's representation in Parliament.

Since becoming Secretary of State for Education, Nicky has been perceived by some as taking a less combative approach to teachers and the education sector than her predecessor, Michael Gove. She has emphasised the importance of 'freedom' for schools, and has said that tackling unnecessary workload is a priority. There has been some controversy about her vote against the Equal Marriage Act; she has also announced plans to include issues like consent in sex education lessons.

Do join us at 11:30am on Tuesday 28 April to talk politics, education and other important issues with Nicky. As ever, if you can’t make it then, do leave a question for Nicky on this thread. And please remember our webchat guidelines.

Thanks
MNHQ

Sadly, Nicky Morgan seems to have stuck firmly to the party line as usual so no real chance of getting proper answers from her on many of the great questions asked by Mumsnetters today. I thought some of the unanswered ones were really good too and deserved a response, but I guess any she couldn't/ wouldn't answer just got neatly avoided.

No clearer in knowing who I'll vote for after these webchats, but at least I now know who I won't be voting for next week as, like Mrshuggybear, I don't feel Ms Morgan gave honest answers, just regurgitated statements and excuses.

@ZoeTedders

Thanks Nicky

RowanMumsnet why were some posters allowed to ask more than one question that were answered? E.g. ReallyTired had two questions answered. I thought that was against the rules of this webchat.

Apologies Zoe - tbh we didn't spot it!

And you're right, we do ask MNers to stick to one question especially on busy chats like these where there are lots of qs to be answered

I see she bottled answering my grammar schools questions - unless I missed the response

I agree Miniegglover. Ours is a marginal seat which is being heavily targeted by the Tories as it is seen as it is seen as a key seat for them. Nothing I see regarding Education in particular makes me want to vote for the Tories and I came on here to see if this would change my mind. Unfortunately it hasn't.

Maybe I should say fortunately.

Bottled my qu on Gove's influence and the shambolic new A levels too.

Bottled my qu on Gove's influence and the shambolic new A levels too.

can't believe the cover quote MNHQ are using to capture this webchat.

she might now vote in favour of gay marriage but she would also apparently vote in favour of religious discrimination....not exactly fully signed up to equality is she?

MNHQ can you confirm whether candidates read the question as posted, and write the response themselves, or do you paraphrase the questiion in a verbal interview like in the Tristram Hunt video? It would be helpful to know. Thanks!

Argh no response about wraparound care

I can't see any of them properly committing to sorting it out. I don't know why they all pretend to want to sort it out when they clearly have no plans at all to commit the necessary funding.

Just don't bother even mentioning it in your manifestos next time.

Totally agree CamelHump, I can´t believe she wasted time answering a question on her hair and avoided completely valid questions on schools.

Doesn´t do much for women in politics and feminism .

Boffinmum please advise how you know UK kids are almost a year younger than counterparts when sitting the Pisa test. Can you provide a URLs link

I wonder if anyone can help. I have shared residence of my 2 children and my ex having them slightly more is slowly taking all benefits from me. He is making it impossible to stay in the family home and just wants the money he paid of the mortgage which was inheritance given to him whilst we were together back. If I was forced out of the home I would get very little of the equity left and only working part time term time I wouldn't be able to afford full rent and need to know as I have the children around 40% of the time whether I would be entitled to claim housing benefit?

www.localschoolsnetwork.org.uk/2014/01/170-english-schools-took-part-in-pisa-2012-and-uk-pupils-didnt-take-the-tests-at-the-same-time-as-other-countries/