Webchat with Yvette Cooper, Labour shadow home secretary, WEDNESDAY 29 April, 11am

[RowanMumsnet]

We’re pleased to announce that our third and (probably) final politics webchat this (next) week will be with Yvette Cooper, Labour candidate for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford, and Shadow Home Secretary, on Wednesday 29 April at 11am.

In the last Labour government she served as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Housing Minister. Yvette recently launched Labour’s Women’s Manifesto with Harriet Harman and Gloria de Piero, featuring the infamous 'pink bus' (or 'magenta bus' if you’re that way inclined). She has been involved in policy debates on issues ranging from violence against women and compulsory sex ed, to immigration, policing and national security.

Yvette will be joining us for a live webchat at 11am on Wednesday 29 April. Do join in or leave a question on this thread if you can’t make it on the day. And do please remember our webchat guidelines.

Thanks
MNHQ

Hello Yvette,

Lots of people who would like to vote Labour are a bit disgusted with your position on immigration. I think we all appreciate the need to avoid exploitation, but do you understand why the 'limits on immigration' language unsettles so many people who would otherwise support you? NB I'm asking whether you understand why it upsets people, not whether you agree with them.

Thanks.

Hi Yvette,

I'm sure I'll think of a serious question later but I'm really intrigued to hear how Ed is dealing with his new found sex appeal?
what does Ed make of the Milifandom stuff ?
Personally, I don't think he's a patch on Ed Balls but horses for courses and that

Do you think this detracts from the serious election agenda or is all positive commentary on Ed good for Labour?

Have you met Nicola Sturgeon? Do you think she's someone you could work with? I don't mean in coalition or formal deals as I know you've ruled that out. But just in general, do you think it would be possible to work constructively with her as SNP leader if you were in government - or would it be a living nightmare?

Could you say one nice thing about each of the other major party leaders: Cameron, Clegg, Farage (ok maybe I'll let you off that one), Bennett and Sturgeon? Things you think they're good at, nice qualities they have, maybe they smell like fresh laundry That sort of thing

Hi Yvette,

I would love to see more women in Labour's cabinet and generally think more of the team needs to get out there and share Labour's message as relying on one personality (the leader's) is not representative of all Labour can offer.

Would you agree that more women should be involved in politics? And would you consider standing for leader in future (especially in the light of how well Nicola Sturgeon is doing)?

Ed Balls day... let's be honest, it's wearing a bit thin now. Do you wish it would just stop? Have you explained it to your kids yet?

Do you agree that MPs’ pensions should also be directly linked to the experience of the average private pension saver. If so, how will you achieve such an outcome?

Hi Yvette,

Do you agree that issues of particular importance to women are relatively neglected in politics? As an example maternity care seems woefullly under-resourced, especially post-natal care, but all of it really.
The education of our children is kicked around like a political football
Domestic abuse is only beginning to get the recognition and resourcing it deserves.
I could go on ....
So - the related question - do you feel you will be able to make a difference in women's lives if you become Home Secretary on (or just after) May 7th?

Hi,

How do you feel by rejecting one of your constituents, a uni student, looking for work experience, currently studying social policy and government? Apparently you were too busy and it was too inconvenient security wise. Lucky not all MP's feel the same way. Surely you should be encouraging the youth of today? Or do you think the Labout has the young vote "in the bag"?

Hi Yvette,

You have done and championed some fabulous research on how cuts disproportionately affect women. Do you think the message got through to the voters? And other than the pink bus do you think Labour did enough to "get the female vote out" and increase participation?

Now Yvette,
YOUR HAIR IS AMAZING. I do love a gamine crop, but tell me, how do you keep it looking 'done' rather than just 'hair', iykwim?

And where do you stand on the when to wash it? Tristram Hunt advocates BEFORE bed, Nicky Morgan says that is so so wrong.

Will you reopen the Forensic Science Service (FSS) after the current government closed it down? Failing that, do you think it would be a good idea to create a national institute for research into forensics? When the FSS was closed a lot of the researchers left the country, and an area in which we were international leaders has been lost to us. It would be great to re establish this national asset. It would cost peanuts in the context of the welfare bill for example, and would provide new technologies for the police.

Hi, Yvette.

Given the subtle moves towards a more cooperative, less tribal style of political debate and discussion, when you've finished ripping Theresa May a new one, in the Commons, do you then sit down and discuss matters over a cup of tea and a piece of cake ?

Hello Yvette

Is is better to vote for a hard working MP who tries to build cross party support or to base my vote on National policies?

Hi Yvette
may I have three?
which department you would like to run other than the Home Office?
Who are the up and coming Women MPs who you are hoping to work with?
What do you think of the Liberal Democrat's proposals around improving access to mental health services to try to reduce crime?

Hi Yvette

I don't begrudge Scotland having so much autonomy, plus free prescriptions and free University tuition, but I do think it's very unfair that England has none of those advantages. How would you make things fairer?

Hello Yvette. You must have been pleased to see three out of the five leaders on stage in the BBC opposition debate were female - was that a significant moment, in your opinion? And what did you think of the women choosing to have That Hug?

Hello - Nick Clegg seems to have been making up constitutional law (around coalitions) as he goes along for the past couple of weeks - how angry does this make you?

Thank you for coming on Yvette.

I want to know why Labour are not building council homes? As a Socialist party, supposedly surely Social Housing should be somewhere in your manifesto? I see you are going to build homes for 'people to live in' but homeownership is now an unattainable dream for most people.

I'm in London we are desperate for Council Houses - what is Labour's policy? Oh and please don't mention 'Affordable' housing!

If Labour get in what are you going to do to sort out the VIP child abuse? Establishment paedophiles should not escape justice, I don't care how old/ill they are, or how important.

BTW I remember you have suffered from CFS. I have been ill with CFS for over 30 years. In Norway drug trials using cancer drugs are successful for 2/3rds of patients. But to do a UK trial patients are desperately trying to fund it ourselves, I know it's not the job of the Home Sec, but would you take an interest in this?

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I have nothing particularly intelligent to add.

I would like to say though that in our local area the number of graffitied Tory boards is much higher than the number of graffitied Labour boards. Plus the Tory graffiti is much wittier than the Labour stuff. Thereby proving Labour graffiti artists are much funnier than their Tory counterparts.

Our Tory MP is now replete with a devil beard and horns in a good 70% of his promotional boards. Also proving Labour voters are hardworking people who aren't afraid of getting the job done

I live in a marginal Lib Dem seat, Conservative looking to get in this time and probably will if the polls are right. Labour get very few votes.

Do you think I should vote Lib Dem which is my current preference or vote Labour (and waste my vote and let the Conservatives back in)?

Hello Yvette

Does it depress you that we'll most likely get a hung parliament again? I personally can't see a majority government being a realistic option for many years to come, as the SNP and Plaid Cymru look to do well (we'll say nothing about UKIP).

Do you think we'll ever go back to a (mainly) two party system so a majority government is more likely?

P.s. I live in your husband's constituency and will be voting for him. From what I've seen he's been a good constituency MP.