Heads up - webchat with Jeremy Corbyn Monday 19th Sept @ 2pm.

[JustineMumsnet]

Hello,

We’re pleased to announce a webchat with the leader of the Labour Party (and candidate in the current leadership election) Jeremy Corbyn MP on Monday 19 September at 2pm.

Jeremy has been MP for Islington North since 1983, and before 2015 was best known as a rebellious backbencher and chair of the Stop the War coalition. His leadership of Labour over the past year has inspired enthusiastic support as well as attracting sustained criticism. Among other things, he’s taken a new crowd-sourced approach to Prime Minister’s Questions, opposed military intervention in Syria and proposed the renationalisation of the railways.

His last webchat on Mumsnet (alongside fellow leadership candidate in 2015, Liz Kendall) featured lively discussions about socialism, electability and the provenance of Jeremy’s vests (Holloway Road market, since you ask).

Please do join the chat on Monday at 2, or if you can’t make it, leave a question here in advance. If you know people who you think would like to ask Jeremy a question, do please share the link around on social media too.

(If you’re interested in our webchat with the other Labour leadership candidate Owen Smith, take a look here .)

As always, please do keep in mind our webchat guidelines - one question each, follow-ups if there’s time and above all, keep it civil [taps nose like that geezer Shaw Taylor in Police 5] (Horribly showing my age there).

"At least he turned up!"

Possibly the lowest bar set for a politician, accept perhaps Trump.

Tbh I think the problem may be partly down to JC believing his own press and thinking he just needs to turn up, do his own thing and people will think it's great.

I am disappointed that he didn't answer any questions about Momentum either. There is a faction of the party which is quite unpleasant, and it seems like Jeremy is unwilling to tackle it (probably because he wouldn't be where he is without them.)

Looking forward to tearing up my Labour membership card when he wins the leadership election.

Just watched bbc2 and saw the biscuit question discussed for 5 minutes, not a single other issue raised from the web chat.

Its a MN tradition ...
Its not about the actual biscuit, its about how he answered the question...
His answer shows that he gives deep and thoughtful answers, after careful, consideration to every question.

Its not deselection, no one supports deselection, its democratic selection and we all support democratic selection, don't we ... sorry brain wandered

Question 2c) needs looking at in that questionnaire - if you answer Yes to a) and b) then you shouldn't have to answer c).

I told my child that Jeremy doesn't approve of sugar. No junior Momentum membership occurring here!

It does rather show the spirit of Robespierre, I think.

Sugar free jam is stewed fruit, isn't it?

It is extremely irritating that once again the biscuit question made the headlines, and I would not be sorry to see it eradicated from future webchats.

But I do think Corbyn's answer was genuinely revealing - or at least reinforces what we already know. For "sugar" read political compromise of any kind. He'll take your shortbread if he has to, but let you know he disapproves. Just like he'll campaign for Remain if he has to, but won't say anything too positive about it, and will bugger off on holiday just at the crucial moment.

I think that with the prostitutes question we got a bit of a taste of what it's like to be an MP trying to discuss policy with JC - a superficially pleasant brick wall.

Any moderates see Tim farron's quite good speech today? The lib dem fortunes might be on the rise at this dismal labour showing

Yes I saw Tim Farron. It was a good speech.

Just read this through and could not believe how bad Corbyn's responses were. Also astounded at the blind devotion he attracts. Can his supporters not do basic arithmetic?

To form a government he needs to win a majority in the House of Commons. Labour used to be able to count on a huge number of seats in Scotland. Those have gone. Labour's only chance of winning is (a) to carry on winning its safe seats in England and Wales and (b) to win lots and lots of swing seats.

The referendum result shows that there are large numbers of voters in what should be Labour heartlands who are utterly fed up. They have the example before them of Scotland voting SNP and getting change and England voting Leave (following UKIP and the far right of the Tory party) and getting change. I don't think they will carry on voting Labour on autopilot.

As for the idea of winning lots of swing seats, on a manifesto which is going to promise huge increases in taxes to fund public spending? Good luck with that, mate.

It's a lovely thing to have principles but you can't change a blind thing in politics if you don't have power. With no effective opposition, the Tories will go on and on and on as they did in the 80s. The Labour party's policies have to be different from the Tories', yes, but not so far to the left that only a few hundred thousand people will agree with them.

Sky News Press Preview just now

Sorry everyone, #biscuitgate

Agree lib dems probably on the rise, but they're starting from a very low base.

Still, there are an awful lot of moderates out there with currently no meaningful representation. Something has to give.

GASP - I know I've been wondering at the cognitive dissonance being displayed by Corbyn supporters concerning the electoral realities. Even worse for his general election chances is his support for a Norwegian model agreement with the EU post Brexit. The only way we would get a Norwegian model agreement is if we agree to unlimited freedom of movement - the very issue that drove a significant number of Labour supporters to vote leave in the first place. Does he think they'll suddenly stop caring about that issue? No, they'll vote for Ukip of course!

*Yesterday 16:02 mathsmum314

Just watched bbc2 and saw the biscuit question discussed for 5 minutes, not a single other issue raised from the web chat

Which just goes to prove that these web chats aren't taken that seriously ( by anyone )

Except women on mums net.

Which just goes to prove that these web chats aren't taken that seriously ( by anyone )

Tbf he dodged most questions and those he did answer where just flimsy stock sound bite responses, so they really didn't have much to report on.

Web chats can be good. This was just awful.

Wouldn't you think that was news in itself, though? If Theresa May came on here and dodged all the hard questions, I'd expect the political journalists to pick up on that. I hear a lot of moaning from Corbyn supporters about how the media is biased against him. After seeing his performance on this webchat, it seems to me they've given him an easy ride.

When it comes to the election, he will face the general public in a televised debate or Q&A session. If he dodges the hard questions there and comes out with the meaningless waffle we've seen above, the electorate will see it and draw their own conclusions about whether he's up to the job of representing the UK on the international stage. Corbyn debating with Putin or Clinton/Trump or Merkel and holding his own? No, can't see it.

Just read an article in The Guardian where a Labour MP complains that Corbyn never says anything political, that couldn't fit on to a t-shirt. Lots of vague political phrases, but nothing meaningful. That is what this web chat felt like.

I read the webchat at work, it was fine I handled it between calls but didn't have time to comment after it. If you object to a 2pm slot, submit your question early and read all responses after it ends. This morning i have some time and a couple of things struck me.

Lots of women unhappy with no mention of antisemitism. Ok, so antiblackness or misogynoir were not mentioned specifically. Does that mean that no shits will be given about black people and black women? What about islamaphbia or xenophobia or the rise in hate crimes? If he doesn't drill down into each one does he not care? Why is the word racism not enough? Protected characteristics relevant are defined as race (colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin) and religion, belief or lack of religion/belief. Maybe I am being too generous in my reading of his answer but to me it certainly implied he didn't tolerate any kind of discrimination or bullying.

I get the prostitutiom answer was vague. But labour don't have a stance on it. There is no policy. Nor is there with the Tories. It would be nice to know his personal views but he doesn't single handedly write the manifesto. I'm more interested in who will be driving any policy change on this issue, when it will be decided on, how and by whom.

Also I took something from the biscuit question and the book choice. Glad they were asked and answered. Shoving high sugar, high fat food at kids (and adults) because it is cheap and filling is one of the reasons why health inequality mirrors class in the UK. Working class people are being poisoned by refined sugar because we're skint. I'm glad the Labour leader will actually say yeah I think sugar is bad for me instead of oooh I love Jaffa cakes. Everyone loves Jaffa cakes even if they're so bad for us, that would have been a non answer. And if folks haven't read it or heard of things fall apart maybe mumsnet isn't as post colonial as Corbyn's choice of paperback.

"Someone is having a fucking joke at our expense.

He is currently rereading a book called 'Things That Fall Apart'

Not enough things falling apart during your day job Jeremy?! ?! shock"
Just yeah erm I don't know what to say on this. Things fall apart is one of the best books I've ever read and should be on the national curriculum so that every child today gets the opportunity to learn from it and challenge themselves. It's not really just a handy line to have a dig at a politician you don't like 😒

I hear a lot of moaning from Corbyn supporters about how the media is biased against him.

Yes, including those Trotsky entryists at the London School of Economics and those communist lickspittles at Birkbeck.

Just because you don't like it, doesn't stop it being (proven by research) true

Lots of vague political phrases, but nothing meaningful. That is what this web chat felt like.

Absolutely agree Brasty. I am a left-winger, and that is my worry with Corbyn.

Corbyn says crowd please stuff

I want against sexism
I'm against racism
I want peace not war
I want to save the NHS

And he supporters cheer like this is some new revelation never been thought of before or no other MP has worked hard at fighting these issues

Watching the Despatches and Panorama was worrying Corbyn & Co know all this is happening but they don't care

Non Corbyn Labour supporters are going to have to work together and behind someone who can win a leadership contest and win an election or its Tory rule with a large majority for many years to come

Maybe I am being too generous in my reading of his answer but to me it certainly implied he didn't tolerate any kind of discrimination or bullying

Yet it is still continuing....

As for why 'anti-semitism' well there is a report whitwash about this happening within the party