Webchat with Steve Hilton, ex-adviser to David Cameron and author of More Human, on Thursday 26 May at 1pm

[BojanaMumsnet]

Hello,

We’re pleased to announce a webchat with Steve Hilton, author of More Human: Designing a World Where People Come First, on Thursday 26 May at 1pm.

Steve was formerly senior adviser to David Cameron, working closely with him (on projects such as the Big Society, hugging huskies and the Nudge Unit) until 2012, when he left Westminster for California. He is co-founder and CEO of Crowdpac, a Silicon Valley political tech start-up, and a visiting professor at Stanford University. He has also recently come out strongly in favour of Brexit.

More Human: Designing a World Where People Come First argues that the frustrations people feel with government, politics, their economic circumstances and their daily lives are caused by deep structural problems with systems that have become too big, bureaucratic and distant from the human scale. The book proposes radical solutions, such as banning internet-enabled devices for children.

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

Thanks
MNHQ

@PirateSmile

How is your book any different to EF Schumacher's Small is Beautiful?

A lot of similarities, but I think it’s a bit simplistic. My argument is that the systems and structures we’ve built to run government and the economy are too big, too bureaucratic and end up dehumanising us all. Often, that is a question of scale, but not always. There are some things that are big but very human, that bring people together – an example I use in the book is AirBnB which is a big global tech platform that is making all sorts of amazing human connections possible.

@BoffinMum

Hello Steve,

It strikes me there are now so many 'disrupters' in UK and US society, (usually male, highly vocal, and of a certain age) that it sends out a pretty negative message about the steady, humble slog required of many women to keep any kind of sustainable order going within society at a day to day level. How do we know you are not just another bloke pontificating at us? How do we know if any of this has any kind of proper basis?

Cheers,
Boff

I really agree with that point. The heart of my argument is that we need to get rid of so-called experts who are telling people what to do. For me, the aim should be to put power directly in people's hands so they can make the choices that are right for them. I think you'll find that my book is very much focused on the practical day-to-day lives of real people and how we can enable them to flourish in which they choose.

@Mrscog

Hi Steve,

Do you really think it should be illegal for my 4 year old to have limited access to a few educational games on my iPad whilst supervised?

No, totally not. I'm really precise about this in my book and in everything I have written and said.

The thing I am concerned about is UNSUPERVISED access to the internet. I totally appreciate the value of technology and the internet as an educational resource, as entertainment for children and often as a vital help for busy and stressed out parents.

it's when it's unsupervised that I think there is a problem. And that's why I focus very clearly on what I describe as mobile internet-enabled devices (MIEDs).

@Corcory

I understand you are in favour of Britex. Can you explain why your views differ so markedly from David Cameron's.

In many ways, we used to have the same view about this. As I explained in my interview in The Times today, I haven't changed my views. I've always thought that we would do better as a country if we could make our own decisions about what's best for us. I think what's changed is that literally, his unique perspective as Prime Minister and a lot of that I think is based on his experience and relationships with other EU leaders to try and get things done.

@slug

Hi Steve. Who counts as human in your book? Given your attempt to remove maternity rights, consumer rights currently enshrined in European Law, are you really the sort of un-elected bureaucrat who should be lecturing us on Brexit?

I'm so pleased the maternity rights point has come up. That is totally, totally false. What I wanted to do was extend parental leave and equalise it to help set a social norm that men and women should share parenting equally. I also felt that the expectation set by the regulations that maternity leave could be up to a year was actually not in the interest of most working women because it harmed their employment prospects. Putting all that together the plan I actually proposed was to equalise maternity and paternity leave at six months.

@claig

Hi Steve,

Do you think proportional representation for general elections is a good idea for reflecting people's wishes more accurately or do you prefer fist past the post?

Honestly I haven't thought about it enough to give a clear answer. Every time I start to think about it I just get tired and give up.

Right now the way I see change happening is by getting more independent and independent-minded people elected, and that's partly why I started my tech start-up, Crowdpac - to help people crowdfund their campaigns so they can get elected without the backing of the big party machines.

You do know women don't have to take a year don't you?

So why reduce it?
Makes absolutely no sense
Some women may need over 6 months to recover from birth, what happens to them? Fire them?
Sounds marvellous for their career prospects

Steve the Leave Campaign is stalling I wish it would get across clear messages,

what will happen to current EU residents,

why on earth would we follow norway with free movement of people - when immigration is a huge issue for us - and wasnt for norway

can young students still travel to uni if we leave

and so on.

I am sick of the same old " we will HAVE TO FOLLOW NORWAY and accept freedom of movement" being trotted out.

Can you help with the leave campaign?

Also - you - the leave campaign need to make it clear - we WILL RETAIN OUR LAWS AND RIGHTS even if we leave- we are one of the most progressive - liberal nations ON THIS PLANET and we managed a good deal of this without the EU>

@SpookyRachel

Steve, how can we get more men to see that gender equality is an issue for them as well? How can we engage them in acting in solidarity with women?

I couldn't agree more with this aim - I try to live my lfie like that and I think that a lot can be done by people everywhere acting as good roles models. I also thought my friend and former colleague in government, Richard Reeves, wrote an absolutely brilliant piece in the New York Times about this not too long ago.

Here's the link.

And where is the evidence that offering a year of maternity affects career prospects?

I think you are looking through your male lens again

And btw I am the last person to be advocating SAHM but I certainly think reducing maternity is a step into the wiping out of the female experience

@Limer

Steve - to me the EU is obviously a partially completed project, and those voting Remain for the status quo may get a nasty surprise in the future.

What direction do you think the EU will take, what is the ultimate endgame?

(I will miss the web chat but will catch up later.)

None of us knows and that's really one of my main arguments for leaving. Neither side in this argument can predict the future 10, 20, 30 years from now so the question is what kind of arrangements will give us the best chance of handling whatever the future brings in a way that is best for our economy and society. I think the answer to that is a set up where we have maximum flexibility to respond to unpredictable things quickly and in a way we control rather than having to negotiate everything with a committee of 27 other (or more) countries with massively different circumstances.

I thought your book started well but then kind of tailed off into the usual disruption stuff really. Sorry Steve.

@Givepeasachance

You do know women don't have to take a year don't you?

So why reduce it?
Makes absolutely no sense
Some women may need over 6 months to recover from birth, what happens to them? Fire them?
Sounds marvellous for their career prospects

Of course and most can't afford to. It's the social norm particularly in business that's set by the fact that it's even in the regulations. I think that if parents do need more than 6 months then I think that there should be provision for an employer to be required to consider that but I think the fact that the one year figure is even out there, is generally unhelpful.

Steve I loved you on the wright stuff today and I totally agree about being in a flexible position to respond to any challenges that may come in the future, but this message is not getting out there.

People seem to stall in interviews, get spoken over - interrupted, cant get their flow back, the lady next to you on the wright stuff said " we will have to follow Norway"

that sort of statement needs shooting down!

leave campaign is flailing.

@MyDarlingYoni

Steve the Leave Campaign is stalling I wish it would get across clear messages,

what will happen to current EU residents,

why on earth would we follow norway with free movement of people - when immigration is a huge issue for us - and wasnt for norway

can young students still travel to uni if we leave

and so on.

I am sick of the same old " we will HAVE TO FOLLOW NORWAY and accept freedom of movement" being trotted out.

Can you help with the leave campaign?

Also - you - the leave campaign need to make it clear - we WILL RETAIN OUR LAWS AND RIGHTS even if we leave- we are one of the most progressive - liberal nations ON THIS PLANET and we managed a good deal of this without the EU>

Yes I agree. I think that Leave campaign needs to be 100% positive about how great life could be in this amazing country of ours if we were able to control the decisions that affect our lives. I think people are getting sick of this nasty, simplistic, ridiculous campaigning from both sides and it's not helping anyone to make up their minds.

@shitchef

God I hope it's a bit more enlightening than the Alan Johnson Webchat.

Like pps I want to know whether you consider yourself a feminist (and why) and what was the issue that tipped you over onto the Brexit side?

Yes I would.

I don't see it as having been tipped, this is what I have felt for at least some 20-odd years. I've always had this incredibly strong reaction against people or organisations who try to tell people what to do.

Steve people are scared the Tories will rip up all employment laws and send us to the dark ages.

Leave needs to be strong that no one can do that.

This thing about controlling decisions - which ones don't we control already?

I only ever hear about bananas

@BlueCupPinkCupGreenCup

I'm not around on Thursday. Very interested in seeing the world become more human though my DC would disagree with removing the internet from them -

Who do you admire?

At the risk of being cheesy, my wife. Michael Heseltine, Jamie Oliver, so many more and I may think of some as we go along but don't want to hold things up by trying to name them all now.

Of course and most can't afford to. It's the social norm particularly in business that's set by the fact that it's even in the regulations. I think that if parents do need more than 6 months then I think that there should be provision for an employer to be required to consider that but I think the fact that the one year figure is even out there, is generally unhelpful.

Unhelpful for who?

Hi,

What do people in power (not necessarily the Conservatives, just people in government) really think about doing face-to-face stuff with the public (and webchats ) - is it thought of as a massive boring chore or just a huge potential egg-on-face moment? Do any of them really enjoy it?

Thanks

@TresDesolee

Hello Steve

What did you think about the character on The Thick Of It who was supposed to be based on you? The scene in which Roger Allam resists 'your' attempts to make him take his tie off makes me howl every time.

And also (with grim inevitability) what's your favourite biscuit (do behavioural scientists who live in Silicon Valley eat biscuits?)

Well, of course I have to pretend to like it and be flattered but a) when I first saw it I thought 'Am I really that fat and old?' and b) although it made me laugh I was a bit annoyed that the character focused on exclusively on image etc as that was probably about 10% of my job. What I mostly spent my time on was proper policy work.

Last comment but I also liked your point on the WS about opening up Britain to the world, and getting the very best people in, rather than having to squeeze the non eu immigration side, purely due to the massive influx from Poland etc.

Again a point that needs to be pushed.

I believe every government has a responsibility to its own people and I dont think immigration as it started under Blair and as it stands today is in the best interest of the people of the UK, especially poorer people. Thank you. I hope we see and hear more of you in the lead up to the vote.

@claig

What are your views on the veracity of manmade climate change and do you agree with Cameron's alleged statement that "we have to cut the green crap"?

Well - I consider myself to be a strong environmentalist but what that means for me is protecting nature, conservation, ecosystems etc. I think that what's going on with the loss of biodiversity and species is a tragedy for the planet. We are losing things we don't understand and which can never be replaced. To be honest, I can't really get engaged in the, to me, rather abstract, discussion around carbon dioxide and climate change. I think we have much more urgent and immediate problems to deal with.

@MyDarlingYoni

Steve people are scared the Tories will rip up all employment laws and send us to the dark ages.

Leave needs to be strong that no one can do that.

I just don't think the public would accept that - I don;t think it's politically realistic. I actually think that it would be a good idea to have our employment laws be more like those in California, for example, because it is a big part of our economic success there. One of the really important but quite technical examples is the banning in California law of non-compete clauses. This really helps make employers care more about attracting and retaining their people and contributes to the general dynamism of the economy.