Webchat with Alan Johnson, MP and author, Monday 21 November, 9-10pm

[RachelMumsnet]

We’re very pleased to announce a webchat with Alan Johnson MP on Monday 21 November between 9 and 10pm. Alan is the Labour MP for Hull West and Hessle and held a number of cabinet positions in both Blair and Brown governments, including Health Secretary, Home Secretary and Education Secretary. Alan has joined us a couple of times previously at Mumsnet, most recently in May, to talk about the EU Referendum.

On Monday Alan is coming to chat about his award winning and utterly brilliant series of memoirs, charting his life from his improverished childhood in West London to his days in Parliament; This Boy, Please Mr Postman and the recently published The Long and Winding Road.

Please join us on Monday - to talk to Alan about his memoirs, his life, his thoughts on the out come of the referendum - and anything else. As ever, if you’re unable to join on Monday eve, please post up a question in advance on this thread. All those who join the thread on Monday eve will be entered into a draw to win a signed copy of The Long and Winding Road.

@lalalonglegs

Hi Alan - I also really enjoyed your books, especially This Boy (the description of the clusters of bluebottles on the ceilings during summer stays with me as does your description of trying to find a grammar school that would take a working class boy despite your having passed the 11+).

However, my question is about Brexit: I was a reluctant remainer but, since the result, I've become a passionate remainer and feel utterly let down by almost every parliamentary politician (who seem to feel that a 52% win is "overwhelming" and are allowing the government to pull off the biggest power grab in recent history under the guise that "The people have spoken"). Today there are reports that Tony Blair wants to step into the fray... who do you think can lead us out of this mess either by retaining membership of the EU or by negotiating a deal that won't be disastrous for the UK? Can you remember a period in your life/political career where the UK felt as divided as this?

Thanks for your comments about the book. I feel exactly as you do. There has never been a time in my life when the country has been so divided. The honest answer to your question about who can lead us out of this is that I doubt that it will be Messrs, Davies, Johnson or Fox. I hope it will be Theresa May in that I'd like this to be successfully resolved for the good of the country in the next four years when she'll be in power. I have a nasty feeling however that this will go on for at least 10 years and that the leader who resolves this mess successfully is as yet unknown.

@FernieB

Thanks MN for the copy of 'Please Mr Postman'. It's such a lovely easy read and the little details of life in the 70s remind me of lots of things/events from my own childhood.

I was wondering how your family feel about you writing about them? Do they proofread your text and make you remove passages?

I'm glad you enjoyed the book. I showed it to my first wife to make sure she was comfortable with Please, Mister Postman, which she was. I don't give my children any say whatsoever, but they don't feature that much, and whilst I don't mind censoring them I'm not too keen on them altering my text.

@user1479748652

Jeremy Corbyn has reduced me to a near-constant state of anxious, gibbering despair.

I can't imagine Britain needing a Labour government more than it does now, but things feel grindingly hopeless, and I can't see a way out. What optimism do you have for the future of the party, and what realistic path do you see back to government?

The Labour party exists for two things in my view: greater equality and the eradication of poverty. We remain the only plausible alternative to a Conservative government. We've been through dark times before, and come through. I'm certain that we will again.

@jammy388

I really enjoyed Please, Mister Postman but wondered how far you feel we have progressed in relation to the two causes you mention - the eradication of poverty and greater equality - and what is the way forward from here?

I think that we've made huge progress since my childhood, when poverty and insanitary housing were much more common. Discrimination was rife, whether on the grounds of race, sexual orientation, gender or disability. All of those things have improved immeasurably, and I'm proud to say that the Labour party has played a central role. My worry is that things could slip backwards, which is why we must be constantly vigilant in the wake of the EU referendum result to ensure that racial abuse and intolerance does not rear its ugly head again.

Oh dear, Alan, I was hoping you were going to say it was all much worse during blah blah blah but then things sorted themselves out and it was all fine in the end . Thanks very much for answering my question and best of luck with the new book - I really look forward to reading it.

PS I was really relieved to hear that Linda is still well and happy in Australia - reading about the death of her first husband was unbearable, it was such a shocking chapter.

@VanillaSugarAndChristmasSpice

Why don't MPs present their "human" side at Westminster?

Now that Ed Balls is no longer an MP, he seems quite endearing. Since July, George Osborne has had a personality transplant and is very funny and quite likeable in his recent spate of interviews & as a panellist (NEVER thought I'd say this!).

I have the deepest admiration for both you and Karl Turner, mainly because of your honesty, engagement with the public and because both of you don't appear to put on a "front."

So, what is it about Westminster that produces this change? Are the professional politicians partly responsible for the current mood of disenfranchisement? I have met various MPs at work functions and there is a clear distinction between MPs who have entered politics after a career (friendly, made me feel my opinion was valid) and those who haven't (always seemed to be on the lookout for someone more important to talk to).

Oh, and what's your favourite biscuit?

I know what you mean about Westminster seeming to demand that its residents speak a language that's different to the rest of the country. Believe me, there are loads of good, decent human beings amongst my 649 colleagues and they're not all on the Labour benches! It's something to do with the fact that they believe the way a politician should behave is consistent with an image they themselves have had imposed on them over the years. On the most important question of the night, my favourite biscuit is now the Wagon Wheel, which was prevalent in my youth and is no longer available at the same size, quality, and low price.

Alan has had to rush off again to vote (again!) He's promised to come back and answer more of your questions, so do bear with us...

@MardyMary

Hi Alan - I have just finished Long and Winding Road and absolutely loved it. I also loved the first two. I've read loads of political memoirs and yours are by far the best written, the most gripping and the most human. So thank you.

My question is this - reading about your time in Government reminded me of the many things achieved by the then Labour Govt. That legacy seems to have been well and truly forgotten now in the public's consciousness. Why do you think that is and do you think there is anything that can be done to resurrect it or is it lost for good?

Thank you for your lovely words about the books.

This is an obsession of mine. Whilst I accept that our political opponents will try to suggest that nothing good happened during the thirteen years we were in government, what concerns me is some Labour supporters seem to have forgotten what we did so quickly, from the National Minimum Wage to Sure Start children's centres; from creating the Education Maintenance Allowance to raising maternity leave from fourteen weeks to nine months; from helping bring peace to Northern Ireland to lifting children and pensioners out of poverty: we were a good government. Not perfect, but certainly not consistent with the characterisation that I hear all too often at Labour party gatherings.

At lunchtime on my first ever day of school, I swapped my apple for a Wagon Wheel. An apple for a Wagon Wheel! 37 years later, I still remember the joy.

So glad to have just made it on time!

Thanks for doing this web chat.

Do you think the Greenham Common peace camp mattered? I've been researching it today, and I went there briefly during the 80s to protest.

I got 'About a Boy' which I found a fascinating read. I was wondering who or what would say was the single biggest influence in your life?

@RachelMumsnet

Alan , Can we put to you the questions from Mumsnet HQ that we always put to our authors?

Which childhood book most inspired you?

What was the last book you gave someone as a gift?

What was the best book you have recently read?

And finally can you describe the room where you write your memoirs?

Which childhood book most inspired you?
Shane, by Jack Schaefer

What was the last book you gave someone as a gift?
The Long and Winding Road, to several people that I mentioned in it!

What is the best book you have recently read?
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout

And finally can you describe the room where you write your memoirs?
A small, back bedroom with a desk and a view over the backyards of Crystal Palace.

@vikegirl222

I got 'About a Boy' which I found a fascinating read. I was wondering who or what would say was the single biggest influence in your life?

The Beatles.

@SpitNolen

Hi Alan, I was lucky enough to get a free copy of This Boy and really enjoyed it (thanks Mumsnet). I had to go straight out to buy the second book as I enjoyed it so much and The Long and Winding Road is now on my Christmas list. The books are so honest and such an interesting reflection on London and the suburbs throughout the 60s/70s and 80s.

We need more politicians like you. Honest, intelligent and who genuinely understand what it's like to be poor. Did you not consider standing for Labour leader? And if not why? Would you not reconsider?

I'm so pleased you enjoyed the books. I knew this question would come up but quite honestly I've done it to death. I did consider standing once in 2010 when there was a hung parliament and it looked as if we may go into coalition with the Lib Dems . Their condition was that Gordon would stand down (which he would have done anyway), and it needed someone to steer the thing through for three years. After that moment went, I never considered it again, and never would.

We're really sorry that Alan has to get off now. Thanks so much for all the questions - and massive thanks to Alan for joining us tonight. We'll be announcing the winner of the signed book first thing tomorrow.

@Lucretia12

I worked for Royal Mail as a coder at Brighton and remember seeing you there quite often. I have two questions - did you ever think then that you would achieve so much in your career or were you always politically inclined. Also how hard was it to write your life story - did you go it alone or have help?

It's good that there are still coders at Brighton.

I was always interested in politics, for reasons described in Please, Mister Postman, but never expected to become an MP, and have been very pleased and privileged to have served in five cabinet posts. I love writing, much more than I've enjoyed anything else I've done in my life, and I'll carry on doing it until I become a rock star. (Which I feel is inevitable, given my talent and good looks.) Thank you for what you said about the books; I wrote them alone, so any criticisms are for me alone.

@Lucretia12

I worked for Royal Mail as a coder at Brighton and remember seeing you there quite often. I have two questions - did you ever think then that you would achieve so much in your career or were you always politically inclined. Also how hard was it to write your life story - did you go it alone or have help?

It's good that there are still coders at Brighton.

I was always interested in politics, for reasons described in Please, Mister Postman, but never expected to become an MP, and have been very pleased and privileged to have served in five cabinet posts. I love writing, much more than I've enjoyed anything else I've done in my life, and I'll carry on doing it until I become a rock star. (Which I feel is inevitable, given my talent and good looks.) Thank you for what you said about the books; I wrote them alone, so any criticisms are for me alone.

Always a pleasure to be on Mumsnet. This is the first time I've done it away from MNHQ. It was great to have Rachel, Ursula, and Finn helping me. We've now formed a band and we're just talking about when to release the first single.

Thank you, Alan - you are a legend. And a lovely legend swoons

Thank you, Mumsnet, for the opportunity to join this discussion tonight. And, of course, sincere thanks, Alan, for your gracious replies to our many questions. Wish you the very best of luck for the future.

I'm delighted I received Please, Mister Postman, which I couldnt read yet.
My question is about your views over my worries around the extreme right getting the power nearly all over the world. What do you think about it? Are we heading to WW3?

Yay - he answered my questions. ponders back in fond remembrance to when there were sure start centres everywhere

Congratulations Walkingtowork. Your name was selected to win the SIGNED copy of The Long and Winding Road. We'll be in touch via personal message to let you know how you can claim your book.

Thanks again to all those who posted up questions for Alan.

Thank you for answering my question. I have fingers crossed for better transport links.

Olive Ketteridge was a surprise but I don't know why I think that. I enjoyed it too.

Thanks for this webchat Alan this was really interesting - look forward to reading the book.