Webchat with Nicola Sturgeon - 1pm Tuesday, 5th May

[JustineMumsnet]

We’re pleased to announce that Nicola Sturgeon MSP, the First Minister of Scotland and leader of the SNP, will be joining us for a webchat at 1pm on Tuesday 5 May - just two days before the General Election.

Nicola is the MSP for Glasgow Southside. Before becoming an MSP she worked as a solicitor at the Drumchapel Law Centre. She has the distinction of having been called 'the most dangerous woman in British politics' by the Daily Telegraph (among others).

Whatever your hopes for the outcome of the election, there’s no doubt that the SNP’s surge in Scotland is one of 2015’s biggest stories of this election, with, most likely, big ramifications for UK as a whole.

So we hope you’ll join us and put your questions to Nicola on Tuesday 5 May at 1pm - and if you can’t be there on the day, please post up your questions in advance.

Please remember our webchat guidelines - do be polite/civil, and only one question each please as we reckon this is going to be a busy one!

On the question of spending 100 billion on something other than Trident my DS (13) agrees with this and said for 100 billion you could get rid of all the nuclear weapons in the world!

I don't know if he'd be right on that - but 100 billion should buy a fair bit of expert diplomacy and negotiation which could go a long way.

And you can't knock the hope and passion of youth can you?

' The SNP can't impose a referendum against the wishes of the Scottish people.'

WE VOTED NO. WE VOTED NO. WE VOTED NO.

@Roseformeplease

As both a teacher in Scotland, and a parent of two High School aged children, I want to know how you propose to deal with the huge inequalities in Scottish Education - most clearly demonstrated under Curriculum for Excellence where, in some areas, pupils take 8 National 5s at the end of S4 and in others, they take only 6?

How is this equality?

I am determined to tackle inequalities in Scottish education. I believe passionately that every child has a right to a good education - it's the foundation on which everything I've achieved in life is based. I recently set up a Scottish Attainment Challenge backed by £100m investment to help close the gap in attainment. The issue you raise about exams will be one we look at as part of that.

JugglingFromHereToThere - introduce your son to Putin. Perhaps naivety and innocence of youth??

I would still like to know why Scotland should have a stronger voice at Westminster when we already have 59 MPs there and will have 59 MPs after Thursday too. We are already represented at Westminster by whoever we have chosen to vote for.

I pay more tax than my neighbour. Does this mean I should get more back, even if I dont need it? Why should putting more in mean getting more out?

RubbishRobotFromTheDawnOfTime...because some of them currently work in a branch office...till Thursday

Nicola
Could you give a clear answer on full fiscal autonomy for Scotland, and if you are in favour, what do you say to the reports that we will be facing an £8bn hole in our finances. Aiming to grow the economy is too risky an answer for my tastes, just as hoping for rises in oil revenue was/is.

@Justusemyname

How do you feel about the fact you come across as power hungry and a bully imo? Not that I expect anyone to think my opinion is important!

I very much hope that's not the case because nothing could be further from the truth. I believe passionately in the policies I put forward and in the principles of fairness and equality. If I do ever come across like that to you then I'm sorry because it's genuinely not me.

Providing services in Scotland I;'m sure is nothing comparable to England eg less transport infrastructure, smaller communities further away, less able to take advantage of ecoonomies of scale. Of course things are going to be more expensive and so need more spending than England per head.

Nail on the head, rupertsgirl!
From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.

Well some of us currently have a 'branch office' MP who will speak out against party policy and value that maman. Some of us don't want an SNP identikit MP who has signed up never to step out of line.

If I end up with an SNP MP I will have far less of a voice. It will not be worth me contacting her.

I just know he said you can buy anything for 100 billion - and you have to admit it is a lot of money - maybe put 1 billion towards diplomacy for peace and save the other 99 billion for schools (maybe early years/childcare too) and hospitals

@FannyFifer

Hi Nicola, you are doing an absolutely amazing job, we are so lucky to have you as our FM, nearly there now.

Who is your female role model & what other Scottish female parliamentarians do you admire?

My mum. Although I don't agree with their politics, I think Ruth Davidson and Kezia Dugdale and good examples of talented women in politics.

WE VOTED NO. WE VOTED NO. WE VOTED NO.

I voted Yes. Quite a few others did too.

justusemyname
That is quite rude, and imo absolutely not true. I don't agree with the SNP's policies, but don't think I've ever heard anyone say that Ms Sturgeon is a power hungry bully. She comes across as a genuine person who is doing what she thinks is right for the country.

Thank you for partially answering my question about having aims in common with the green party.

Could you explain what you mean by,"Scotland benefits fully from our natural resources."? Oil?

@tabulahrasa

"Best stick to shortbread."

I was quite disappointed when during the run up to the referendum, Alisdair darling and alex salmond both picked very scottish buscuits...it seemed like they were doing it just to make a point about Scotishness.

Not that I overanalysed their biscuit choice at all, rofl.

It's an easy choice for me - Tunnock's caramel wafer!

@chelseabuns2013

As a women I feel your public image in England at least has been very much focused on your gender. Why is a strong, articulate, principled women being portrayed as such a threat to British politics, and how do you overcome this mysoginism ?

Firstly, women like me who are already in politics have to stand up and not be intimidated by it. Longer term, we need to change these attitudes and the way to do that is to get more women into politics so that it becomes more par to the course. I passionately want to see a day when women are judged on their talents and not on how they look.

FFA is never going to happen regardless of Nicolas opinion on it as the other Westminster parties won't vote for it.

On oil Brent is up at nearly $70 a barrel and has risen in price by 41% since mid January.

I don't agree with us all going our separate ways and breaking up the UK but I think Nicola Sturgeon has as a person come across very well in this campaign.

Every politician seeks power.

Ah, a Tunnocks!

Downton funk...the majority voted NO. The majority voted NO.

Hi, if there's time please answer my question about last years underspend of the budget. I'd particularly like to know what that money had been originally earmarked for and where it is now.

The Q was asked at the leaders debate, you didn't answer it then.

Thanks