Webchat with Nick Clegg - Tuesday 9 May at midday

[BojanaMumsnet]

Hello,

We’re pleased to announce a webchat with Nick Clegg on Tuesday 9 May at midday.

Nick is currently campaigning to keep his seat in Sheffield Hallam, where he has been the MP since 2005. He was leader of the Liberal Democrats from 2007-2015, and Deputy Prime Minister in the coalition government from 2010-2015, overseeing the introduction of shared parental leave, the pupil premium for disadvantaged children, and equal marriage - as well as increasing student fees. He’s also been on the losing side of two referendums, campaigning to introduce the Alternative Vote system, and to Remain in the EU.

Last week saw the publication of the paperback version of his book Politics: Between the Extremes, in which Nick lays out his assessment of the British political landscape - ‘nationalism resurgent, mainstream parties in turmoil, stark new divisions and the centre ground deserted’ - and offers his prescription for ‘a new politics based on reason and compromise’.

Please do join us on the day - Tuesday 9 May at midday - or if you can’t make it, post a question in advance on this thread.

Please remember our webchat guidelines: one question each, with a follow-up to the webchat guest's response if appropriate; please don't keep posting 'what about me/please answer my question'; and please be civil/polite.

(As we approach the General Election we will endeavour to offer you a balanced diet of webchats with politicians from different parties - as ever, slightly constrained by their availability! Keep your eyes peeled for more announcements.)

Thanks
MNHQ

What's your favourite biscuit?

Your wife is a highly intelligent, talented and beautiful woman. No disrepect intended but - what does she see in you?! (on a serious note, thank you for Pupil Premium which is making a real difference to disadvantaged children)

When you were leader of the liberal democrats you aimed for the young person's vote by pledging to leave university fees alone.

Similarly, the liberal democrats are also appealing to younger votes by pledging a pro-EU stance.

Will the lib Dems betray the youth again or has your party discovered the location of its spine yet?

Sincerely, a millennial who wishes to personally thank you for adding a further £20,000 onto her tuition fees.

Your increase in tuition fees cost my family £24,000. Plus interest.
Do you seriously expect me to vote LibDem ever?

I'm canvassing in one of our target seats, and tuition fees still comes up - not that often actually, but it still does.

I'm going with the approach that it's not us they're punishing, it's the whole country, by giving the green light to 5 more years of Tory cuts and a hard Brexit.

Have you got anything better? Remember it has to be short enough to fit in that gap before they slam the door

I'm not going to be rude. However I am going to be honest.
You had everyone fooled back in 2010 making out you were all for the poor and disadvantaged. Yet you formed an alliance with conservatives. Whose policies lead to sanctions austerity, Cuts to services.
People having to use food banks. This is the 21st Century. I could go on, Oh and not to mention your broken promise on university fees.
You can hardly blame the British people for not trusting you, Nick.

As a former constituent of Charles Kennedy we are really hopeful that the LibDems will put up a candidate who will help us to go past peak Nat. Do you have any advice for those of us who are pro-Union and traditional centrist voters? It feels rather like the Nats have taken it for granted that they are the anti-Brexit party. What will the LibDems be doing to fight back in traditional strongholds such as Lochaber?

We were so, so upset about the loss of such a strong local candidate. Please do what you can to influence HQ to try to find someone local of equal calibre.

I am going to miss the Web chat as I am on holiday tomorrow. I am a Lib Dem.member who joined after the last general election.

Mental Health policy is a vote winner for me. Can you tell us your views on what the Tories are calling a review, which would lead to the scrapping of the Mental Health Act.

Does anyone else find him a little bit sexy?

When I spotted 'Webcam chat with nick clegg' it gave me some...images...

I will leave now and hang my head in shame.

Thanks for coming on here to chat.

I was so hoping for a stronger anti-Brexit stance of the LibDems in advance of the coming election. Could you explain why the party is not positioning itself more forcefully in this direction? I've seen the website etc but the message isn't coming through very strongly in the media.

It seems like no-one wants to cater for the many remainers who are still angry about the referendum. If the LibDems promised not just soft Brexit but to do their best to still avoid Brexit after all it'd be an easy choice for me - and there must be many who feel the same? Plus, what does the party have to lose...

YY to Ellie555's question. I would like a strong anti-Brexit party to vote for.

I support the lib dems - why are you ruling out any future coalition? I understand the last one didnt end well for the party but it seems the best chance if forging a left of centre government or curbing the worst of the tories

Can you remind us of your achievements whilst in Coalition and do you feel it was a successful partnership with the Conservatives?

There's been a lot of discussion concerning progressive alliances and tactical voting in this election, showing that for many first past the post is not a viable electoral system.

Do you think this will re-open the debate over electoral reform in this country? Do you envisage the liberal democrats furthering the campaign for a system such as the single transferable vote?

2nd Brexit referendum. What question would you ask on the ballot paper?

Can't you get us back into Europe?

I'd like to know what steps the LibDems would take in order to protect The Human Rights Act?

Again similar to Ellie's question how can the lib dems help get us out of this brexit mess, or at least steer us away from a hard brexit.

And how does ruling out a coalition with labour help?

Had anyone said "I agree with Nick," lately?

Nick, what do you think the impact of Macron's election in France will be on Brexit?

I know you probably can't/won't answer this now but..

What's the worst thing that the Conservatives wanted to do, but were restrained from doing by being in a coalition withe Lib Dems? (no doubt they've done it now anyway)

With Labour in disarray, is now the time for a reorganisation of the centre-left like the one that created the Lib Dems?

Actually, whilst I don't in anyway like tuition fees, I get that the libdems probably tempered the worst of the Conservatives.
So my questions...
Why does austerity seem to be a mainstream political ideology when it has little foundation (if any) in economic theory?
And what can be done about education funding? I am in the poorest funded county in the country (it seems to be historical not reasoned - the lowest funded counties and boroughs are all Tory safe seats). We were due to get more funding but this has been withdrawn because better funded counties have been lobbying not to loose any. We will now have cuts in 2018/19, which means our nearly full one stream entry village primary school should make two teachers redundant to return a balanced budget that year.

Would you agree with the current perception that the Lib Dems are a one policy (anti-Brexit) party and ask why you think it's acceptable for that one policy to go against the majority who voted to Leave in the referendum? Don't you believe in a democracy - one person, one vote?

Obviously the answer is no since your party prefers to pander to the whining of the minority who voted Remain. Not that it will change anything. The Conservatives will win with an increased majority and take us out of the EU with or without your help.