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!

Thank you, that might not be much in the big picture but to people like me it's a massive amount, can you explain what 'not having discretion' actually means please? Does it mean A you didn't have it to spend in the first place, or B that you had it but couldn't spend it. If B why not?

Sorry Dognado...perhaps I misunderstood your point. I am English and some of my (much-loved but totally disagreed with on political front) family who live south of the border have made precisely the points I was mentioning. I am hoping that under SNP influence, Westminster will need to properly reconsider a fairer deal for all of the UK.

We have a Labour/SNP council just now maman- not making as bad decisions as the SNP/Lib Dem coalition that went before. We lost 2 out of 5 schools in our cluster under the SNP/Lib Dem lot. Current council are throwing up prefab extensions in playgrounds.

Labour councillors/MP/MSP have been brilliant - SNP have been as much use as a chocolate teapot.

@CormoranStrike

I admire you and respect all you have achieved, and you are certainly less divisive a character than your predecessor.

However, I do not support independence or the national part of the SNP's name at all, and never will.

Why should I risk a #GE2015 vote for the SNP when, I fear, your may use another referendum as an ultimatum in any Westminster deal.

Surely I am safer keeping the SNP out of Westminster politics, and giving you a shot at continuing running Scotland (to be fair you are not making a bad fist of it at all)?

The SNP will not seek another referendum as a result of this election - no matter how many seats we win - I promise you that. This election is about giving Scotland a stronger voice at Westminster and I think that matters to many No voters as well as Yes voters. Better decisions at WM would also help the Scottish Government, given that those decisions affect our budget. I hope i can persuade you to give us your support on Thursday.

I hear you Maman, I think we're all in agreement that it should be fair for all, it's a difficult one.

@Nervo

Yay!

Nicola, I think you are marvelous.

[Crap question alert!]

I've always wanted to know how politicians keep going when they are absolutely knackered and have had very little sleep.

Adrenalin, belief and, in my case, a daily dose of Berrocca Boost!!

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius

Nicola - how will you distinguish between those SNP voters who vote for you but do not want another referendum (or don't want another referendum yet), and those who vote SNP and do want another referendum sooner rather than later?

In this election, I don't take anyone's vote as an endorsement for independence. That's not what this election is about. If the SNP was to propose another referendum in a future Scottish Parliament manifesto, people would have to vote for it in sufficient numbers to give the SNP a majority. The SNP can't impose a referendum against the wishes of the Scottish people.

@happyhighlander

Hello Nicola, I firstly want to congratulate you for being such a genuine, principled and inspiring leader. I hope may more women follow your lead and engage more in politics.

My question - how will the SNP make a significant impact at Westminster and shake things up, as is desperately needed?

Thanks for your kind comments. We will stand up for what we believe in and use our votes to win as much change as possible - in a hung parliament, there will be huge opportunity to do so.

One person cannot impose a Referendum or indeed Independence on Scotland. It would need to be proposed by a party (presumably SNP) for a Holyrood Election in their manifesto. Then the country would need to vote for that manifesto to give them a majority. Then Scotland would need to vote for Independence.

It wouldn't be democratic to rule it out for a set time or forever. And given that Scotland decides at every stage, why would you need to?

@CrispyFern

Hi Nicola. Can us English Northerners please join Scotland? Thanks.

My gran - who came from near Sunderland - would definitely agree with that!!

@BadgersArse

Nicola, please weigh into the Ultimate Hair Question that our other election web chatees have addressed.

Tristam Hunt suggested the secret to good hair was washing it at night.
Nicky Morgan and Yvette Cooper robustly disagreed and said first thing was far more preferable.

so

1. Evening or morning?
2. Any other hair tips for a busy working woman.

Lovely name, BA!!
I'm a first thing in the morning, in the shower, kind of girl - for hair washing purposes!!

I on the other hand am not a girl. I am a woman!

MrsJohnHamilton, a friend of mine has just got a new job working on the dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness. So it is coming! Don't know if anyone else already answered that - I wanted to respond before I forgot.

Fnarr fnarr, Thought we had a bit of an exclusive there!

@TheAbbessofBarking

How can you claim to be at the forefront of anti-austerity when the IFS says you'll spend less on public services than Labour or the LibDems would?

Unlike Labour, Tories and LDs, the SNP is proposing spending increases across the next parliament - not cuts. The IFS analysis - resulting in the graph you posted - didn't take account of the revenue that would be raised from SNP tax policies eg 50p top tax rate, or our plans to crack down on tax avoidance. They took account of these plans when doing Labour's calculation. it is also worth pointing out that Ed Miliband said that the IFS has underestimated the cuts Labour will make. Hope that helps.

Nicola very personal question alert I'm afraid, I know your a wee tad busy just now but is a family on the cards sometime in the future ?

That's a ridiculous Q - 3doors!

@Annie6677

Firstly thank you & well done. You have not just filled Alex Salmonds boots but outgrown them! You are both credible & admirable in how you carry yourself in discussion/debate.

My question (as a yes voter) - how can we convince opposers that a vote for SNP on Thursday is not a vote for another referendum & that you have, as I believe, genuinely got the best interests of all the UK at heart?

Even if we win every seat in Scotland on Thursday - which is not a prediction (!) - it is not a mandate for another referendum. It is about making Scotland's voice heard and then using that voice for better politics at WM - for Scotland and everyone else across the UK.

Far TOO personal, 3doorsaway

You aren't allowed to ask that of a woman in a job interview and I think the same should apply here. Invasive.

Hope that helps

I think she's a mumsnetter...

@Behooven

Fnarr fnarr, Thought we had a bit of an exclusive there!

Sorry to disappoint, Behooven!

3doors Are you an employer from the 1970s?

@Behooven

I really hope that it's not just the toadying comments that are passed on to her, what a waste of time that would be.

Don't worry, I see all the comments - for better or worse!!

I'm sure they balance each other out, some people go too far on both sides.

I would agree on the questions about children and appearance. I look forward to Dave and Ed being quizzed about their choice of tie.