London Mayoral hustings: Webchat with Zac Goldsmith MP, Conservative Mayoral candidate, on Wednesday 27 April at 9am

[BojanaMumsnet]

Hello

We’re pleased to announce a webchat with Zac Goldsmith MP, the Conservative candidate for London Mayor, on Wednesday 27 April at 9am.

UPDATE FROM MNHQ: The time of this webchat has now been changed to Wednesday 27 April at 9am.

Before entering politics, Zac ran The Ecologist magazine. He has been the MP for Richmond Park since 2010 and says he has been ‘focusing on local issues, such as free parking on local high streets, funding for Kew Gardens, and fighting against the expansion of Heathrow Airport’. According to his campaign, his plans for London include ‘working with the government to secure the funds and powers to deliver his action plan for Greater London: more homes, better transport, cleaner air and safer streets’.

Please do join the webchat on Wednesday, or if you can’t make it, please leave a question here in advance. And do remember our webchat guidelines; one question each only (follow-ups allowed if there’s time) and please do be polite.

The London mayoral election will be held on 5 May.

Thanks
MNHQ

@RortyCrankle

I would like to wish you success in the mayoral election. I no longer live in London but you would get my vote if I did. Just in case you didn't know, Mumsnet is predominantly left wing so you will be getting a rough ride on Tuesday but I'm sure you will cope admirably.

Seems alright so far!

@BeautifulMaudOHara

Zac, I think you're a dead ringer for Rupert Campbell-Black (a Jilly Cooper hero): he's handsome, rich, upper class and an MP.

Do people ever remark on the similarity between the two of you?

@merrymouse

How has funding been found for the Garden Bridge (in the middle of one of the most open, leafy bits of London) when funding cuts are being made to parks run both by local councils and the Royal Parks and Kew Gardens?

I am sure that as the MP for Richmond Park you realise how amazing and brilliant London's parks are, but the Garden Bridge - just why?

I know there are local concerns and i have met with campaigners against it to hear their arguments. But I do think it will be an iconic design for london. In years to come, I think people will value and appreciate it.

Follow-up questionI find it interesting that you say that you have never suggested SK has extreme views, and that you never brought race, religion, or background into this election

Given that this campaign has been a kind of political napalm - in that it destroys the ground of those coming forward in the future to get involved in politics - I suppose I would like to ask: How much responsibility and input did you have in, and do you take for, the wider devlopement of your campaign? The placement of media stories? The tone and content of leaflets delivered to doors - and what they might concentrate on? The denunciation of associates of SK - and yourself - in parliament by our PM?

I have a question for the editorial team at Mumsnet - when the other devolved mayors come in in 2017 (Greater Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Yorkshire), will Mumsnet give a similar platform to the leading candidates in those elections to the ones given to the London Mayors?

Will there be similar webchats with the leaders of the parties in Scotland and Wales who on the same day as Zac and Sadiq are running for the top jobs in those countries?

Or is Mumsnet just another example of the London centric, middle class media that we are all fed up with?

@DMHM

Hi Zac

Would you be able to point to any policies that you have that might help those of us who will never qualify for state supported rent/housing but aren't able to just buy/rent a property easily in London near our jobs?

Better transport? Private rent controls?

Thanks

In today's market, if you don't qualify for social housing - where the list is already 360,000 long, or if you aren't extremely well-off, then you have been priced out of the housing market. That goes to the heart of the crisis, and my housing policy is designed to help Londoners earning average salaries get the keys to their first home - or access to a rental home where they have a chance of saving up.

Thanks for answering my question Zac. I think I'm allowed a follow up so it is this. Running a city as big as London is a big job can you point us to things you've achieved as an MP that show you'll be able to tackle it? As far as I am aware (and I may well be wrong in which case sorry) you haven't held any executive positions in government before.

Zac, you were known as one of the UK's most decent politicians and had respect from across the spectrum before this campaign, which many think has been incredibly ugly and racist. Doesn't that change in perception worry you?

And (just to be fair) do you think the Labour Party has an antisemitism problem?

can you answer the questions about Esa please

@FrikkaDilla

Zac good luck with this podcast as another poster upthread said it's rather lefty here! I'm voting for you and I'm making my DH do so too! Bit disappointed that it took so long to join the London cycling campaign. It did seem you jumped on the bandwagon after S.K. How can you convince us that you would try to expand cycling throughout London? Would be great to get more vehicles off the roads.

Thank you. I will protect investment in cycling, grow the network of cycle routes, get HGVs off the roads wherever possible, untangle the most dangerous junctions and roll our Boris bikes and Brompton bikes. If you look at my manifesto you'll see that everything adds up! And if you look at my record as an MP, you'll see I don't make promises I can't keep.

To be explicit: I am horrified that someone who wishes to stand as our Mayor is STILL not taking the opportunity to denounce how this campaign has played out.

@eeyoresgrumpierfriend

Thanks for answering my question Zac. I think I'm allowed a follow up so it is this. Running a city as big as London is a big job can you point us to things you've achieved as an MP that show you'll be able to tackle it? As far as I am aware (and I may well be wrong in which case sorry) you haven't held any executive positions in government before.

Getting a job in Government isn't always a sign of talent! Quite often it's a sign of obedience. I turned down promotions early on so that I could continue to hold Government to account on some key issues.

It is embarrassing that you are quite clearly ignoring the questions about your campaign.

@PuttingouthefirewithGasoline

I prefer events to be mixed but like the Prime Minister and Zac Goldsmith, sometimes attend events at synagogues, temples, gurdwaras and mosques where there are separate arrangements for men and women

This is what Sadiq said today in the web chat. How do you feel about segregated meetings? How can we promote our values in the UK if there are Nations within Nations? What is the difference between segregated meetings and segregation based on sex or colour?

I would implore all groups to have mixed public meetings. When it comes to Mayoral funds for public events, I will make sure they pass an integration test. We have a - mostly - harmonious city and we need to protect that.

@angemorange

Why exactly did you vote to cut £30 a week ESA from the pockets of sick and disabled people?

Can someone like yourself with such tremendous wealth ever really understand the hopes and fears of anyone trying to live on £65 a week?

I do strongly believe that the best way to help people is by helping them back into work, and as part of the reforms, the Government is creating a £100m fund to do just that. As a constituency MP I helped create a social enterprise that helped more than 100 people with learning difficulties get jobs and am proud of that. But of course there are concerns that people who are not able to work will be wrongly deemed able to work, and I will guard against that whether as MP or Mayor.

Thanks all. Apologies for not answering every question. For the record my favourite biscuit is normally a chocolate digestive, although I am eating a lot of Pret Cookies in this marathon campaign.

kirinm: It is embarrassing that you are quite clearly ignoring the questions about your campaign.

This is important, Zac.

As a Mayor, you will be our public face. You will be representing us through the wider media.

Is it the case that you haven't seen how this campaign has gone? That you were not able to control it?

How will you control future media coverage? Will you be powerless to portrayals of London as a city potentially riven by racial/ethnic issues? Will you be powerless to control the image of yourself as not in control?

Follow on question. Do you believe th best way to do that is to impoverish them

We didn't ask about the biscuit.

We asked other stuff.

I thought he did well, probably not as well as Sadiq although Zac's questions were probably tougher (at least he wore a tie though).

I would like to make my point again though about Mumsnet ignoring the big, important race in Scotland and Wales, especially as the three party leaders in Scotland are women!

Zac chose not to answer my question:

Can you please explain why you have consistently voted for cuts to support for disabled people? The latest example being cutting support by 30% which will leave disabled people just £73.10 to live on. Could you manage to do that Zac?

In case anyone is wondering about the numerous cuts to support for disabled people Mr Godsmith voted for - there's a list here:

loopys-rollingwiththepunches.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/iain-duncan-smith-legacy.html

I wonder if he is left-handed? He started from the last page and worked backwards, ignored page 1 and most of 2.

He did nothing to persuade me that he even cares about how his campaign has been interpreted. Perhaps he realises he isn't going to win those of us who have been disgusted by it over and simply can't be bothered.

I didn't think I wanted him as Mayor before today and now I'm certain of it. He has nothing of substance to say.

He did nothing to persuade me that he even cares about how his campaign has been interpreted. Perhaps he realises he isn't going to win those of us who have been disgusted by it over and simply can't be bothered.

I didn't think I wanted him as Mayor before today and now I'm certain of it. He has nothing of substance to say.