Labour leadership hustings - Webchat with Andy Burnham, Thursday 30 July, 2pm

[BojanaMumsnet]

Hello

We’re pleased to announce the final webchat in our Labour leadership hustings series. Andy Burnham will be joining us for a webchat on Thursday 30 July at 2pm.

Andy was elected MP for Leigh in 2001. In Government, he was Secretary of State for Health, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and Chief Secretary to the Treasury. He was also Shadow Health Secretary under Ed Miliband’s leadership (and in that role ).

During the heated leadership campaign, Andy has warned that Labour is becoming 'frightened by its own shadow' and has had to fight back against allegations of sexism, due to a row about remarks made by one of his supporters.

Please do join us on Thursday at 2pm if you can, or post a question for Andy here in advance if you can’t.

Labour leadership voting is open until Thursday 10 September and the ballot results will be released on Saturday 12 September.

Thanks

MNHQ

[IceBeing]

whoop we are under way!

[JustineMumsnet]

Andy Burnham's running a tad late but shouldn't be too long now before we get started.

[MissDemelzaCarne]

How will we re-engage North of Hadrian's wall?

[ImperialBlether]

Hi Andy. If you were PM right now, what would you do today about the people trying to enter Britain via the channel tunnel?

[MissDemelzaCarne]

Aaah, I'm going out soon.

[howtorebuild]

So Andy has to show up and do introductions yet. I am going to make some tea and biscuits.

[AndyBurnhamMP]

Hi everyone, thank you for all of your questions. I'll answer as many as I can over the next hour.

Let’s start with HPV vaccine - we’ve had a lot of questions on that. It was of course introduced for good reasons - cervical cancer is the second most common form of cancer for women under the age of 35, and this is a proven method of preventing it. But the adverse reactions which many of you have documented here cannot be ignored. There needs to be a further review of these issues by the experts and that is what I will be calling for.

[derxa]

.

[AndyBurnhamMP]

@ItsAllGoingToBeFine

Hi Andy,

You said that "we simply cannot abstain on this [welfare] bill"
You also said that if you were leader "Labour will oppose this [welfare] bill with everything we've got"

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/welfare-bill-andy-burnham-says-we-can-not-simply-abstain-on-this-bill-after-abstaining-on-the-bill-10403498.html

Yet you abstained in the recent vote on this bill.

I am very interested to hear your reasoning for the recent abstention, and your comments above.

You may wish to consider the words of Mhairi Black MP?

"Tony Benn once said that in politics there are weathercocks and sign posts. Weathercocks will spin in whatever direction the wind of public opinion may blow them, no matter what principal they may have to compromise. And then there are signposts, signposts which stand true, and tall, and principled. And they point in the direction and they say this is the way to a better society and it is my job to convince you why. Tony Benn was right when he said the only people worth remembering in politics were signposts."

Thanks ItsAllGoingtToBeFine, I was clear from the outset that a simple abstention on this Bill was simply not on. That's why I called in Shadow Cabinet for Labour to change its position and it did. It didn't go as far as I had hoped, but as a member of the Shadow Cabinet bound by collective responsibility, I was not prepared to resign, lead a rebellion and risk splitting the Party. Come September, I will change Labour's position on this Bill to outright opposition and will be expecting the full loyalty of Labour MPs behind this new position. Because of my actions, I believe I will be able to unite the Party and mount a stronger challenge to this Bill.

[JoeyRead]

There have been over 8000 adverse effects reported via the Yellow Book scheme including that of my friend's daughter who started having brain seizures after the vaccine. These are not being followed up by the NHS can you help us to persuade the NHS to do a follow up on every case?

[AndyBurnhamMP]

@ImperialBlether

Hi Andy. If you were PM right now, what would you do today about the people trying to enter Britain via the channel tunnel?

The first job is to restore a sense of order on both sides of the Channel. Things have been allowed to get out of hand. Next, it is essential that sufficient resources are in place to protect the UK border.

But what we must not do is inflame this situation by using inappropriate language like we have seen used by the Prime Minister today. These are desperate people and that should be remembered at all times.

[JoeyRead]

The above refers to the HPV Gardasil vaccine which has made a lot of girls very ill indeed.

[AndyBurnhamMP]

@Mjs17

Andy, what is an "aspirational socialist"as opposed to a "socialist"? So what are you socialist or capitalist?

I'm a socialist and I want to help everybody get on in life. Sometimes socialism is associated with wanting to drag people down, but it has never meant that to me.

[AndyBurnhamMP]

@TheStandard

Andy, thank you for supporting Mumsnet's miscarriage campaign, it's a very emotional issue for lots of MNers.

It feels like there are lots of patient groups trying to make changes to aspects of the NHS and a lot of the issues are around basic qualities like empathy and compassion.

If you were a campaigner trying to change attitudes in your local NHS services, what's the first thing or the first few things you would do? What are your tips for getting the NHS to sit up and take notice of 'soft' care issues like this?

This is a brilliant campaign and I was proud to support it. As promised, as a result of your work, a commitment to improve miscarriage care was included in the Labour manifesto. In terms of local campaigns, my advice would be to read the NHS Constitution and then challenge local health bodies about whether they are really implementing its commitments to full consultation with patients and local people.

[SauvignonBlanche]

May I ask what you will do to shorten Transplant waiting lists?

[wannabehamster]

I think part of the apathy that UK citizens feel towards politics is due to the feeling that the House of Commons doesn't really notice what goes on outside Westminster. The Scottish independence debate raised some interesting points, Wales is to get even more devolved power. There was a view that if the rest of the UK could just secede from South East England, it would be a much better place.

How would you start to tackle this issue? Further devolvement to areas such as Yorkshire (whose population is greater than Scotland and Wales combined) or would seek to reunify the UK? And if so, how?

[AndyBurnhamMP]

@pastaofplenty

Hello Andy

You make a lot out of your working class roots but as far as I can see once you left Cambridge you followed the same path as others. What would you have done had you not been a career politician and how do you feel about Oxbridge politicos with no experience being parachuted into safe labour seats?

I did once do a real job, honest! I was a journalist - does that count? But if I hadn't have been in politics, I would have probably been a teacher like both of my brothers.

I really don't like the idea of Oxbridge politicos with no experience being parachuted into safe seats as it deprives those areas of an authentic local voice and looks like it's taking them for granted. I'm proud to represent the place where I grew up, and have never needed a parachute to get there.

[TheStandard]

Thanks for the answer on NHS campaigns. NHS Constitution for my weekend reading then.

[ImperialBlether]

Thanks for answering my question.

I agree about the language used by DC - dreadful.

However, once order is restored, what should actually be done about people who are trying to get into the country? Do we let them in? Ignore them? We can't send them back home if they have burned their passports. I think a lot of people are very concerned now about what happens to people who are aggressive in their attempt to enter the country. Shouldn't they seek asylum in the first safe country they come to?

[AndyBurnhamMP]

@Tiredemma

I really need some clarification on the reason for abstaining the Welfare Bill. I have heard your comments post vote and they really do not make sense.

I am a Labour supporter but I am underwhelmed, seriously. How are you now any different to the Tories? (as if you have been anyway for the past 13 years)

I've just written a reply on the Welfare Bill, but I want to reiterate that as Leader I would change Labour's position and oppose this appalling Bill.

I disagreed with Cameron and Osborne on practically everything. I believe in an NHS based on people, not profits; a truly comprehensive education system which leaves no child behind; and a fair tax system which doesn't prioritise tax breaks for the wealthy over support for those with the greatest needs.

But I understand when people say "there's no point in voting because you're all the same". I am standing in this election to change that. Have a look at the speech I made on Tuesday where I say more about this: medium.com/@Andy4Leader/recapturing-the-ebd0d43f4ee2

[AndyBurnhamMP]

@OmNom

Hello Andy

All the other candidates think that Liz and Yvette have been on the end of damaging sexist attitudes during the leadership contest. Do you agree?

All candidates should be considered on their individual merits, and gender should have absolutely nothing to do with it.

Comments about weight or lack of children have no place in any political election. One way of challenging these outdated attitudes is to have a more representative Parliament and political system. That is why I have committed to a balanced Shadow Cabinet (50/50 men/women) and will appoint a woman First Secretary to shadow George Osborne.

[IceBeing]

gosh this is too slow going to answer the same question twice!

Is Andy getting his responses vetted?

[HowD]

Andy has signed the same petition I did then

[AndyBurnhamMP]

@dangalf

are you in favour of a Land Value tax? If not, what other ways would you look at taxing wealth/rentierism more fairly?

Good name dangalf!

I think there is a strong case for rebalancing land and property taxation to make sure larger, vested interests pay their share. So yes, I am committed to looking at a Land Value Tax potentially to reduce business rates and council tax and ensure large property interests have the right incentives to use their land productively.

[jelliemint]

Don't feel I'm learning much to be honest. Would like to know what you are proposing to do Andy, not just what you believe in.