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

@RebelAllianceUK

Hi Nick - no question from me, I just want to thank you for speaking so clearly and forcefully about Brexit.

I am astonished that so many people sucked up misinformation and plain lies prior to the referendum (which easy enough to verify as false) and it troubles me deeply that this misinformation is still being further normalized through the silence of politicians who should and do know better.

Without politicians willing to stand up and call these lies out, democracy loses all value since voters are not expressing opinion based on reality. I'm truly saddened that this is not taken more seriously in this country, particularly on an issue which will affect future generations so profoundly.

Thank you for your continuing efforts.

Thanks RebelAlliance - I guess I'm beyond the point of caring about what Darth Dacre in the Daily Mail and others say about me so that always helps!

I like it when you say you want to see people voting for what they believe in. That is honest.
If you get the chance, would you reverse the tuition fee decision? Is there a chance a Labour/LibDem coalition could do this?

Thank you very much for your answer Nick. I agree that the loss of the 2011 electoral reform referendum was a kick in the teeth.

As an add on, I was wondering if you had any plans to galvanise support for electoral reform in the near future? As a population we need our politicians to lobby the government on important decisions and push forwards grassroots campaigns to support them! If neither of the largest political parties are ever going to bring about change (and, let's be honest, why would they?) we need strong politicians to keep important debates open.

Hi Nick

What do you think of Tim Farron so far? I was a little disappointed in his recent reluctance to speak on gay marriage considering the party played such a huge role in this. What do you think?

@Bookaboo

Similar to what other posters have said, I think it was unreasonable of people to expect you could have honoured all of your policies while being in a coalition.

Has Tim Farron made a mistake by ruling out any future coalition before he knows what might be on offer?

No, I don't think Tim has made a mistake because there isn't the remotest chance of Lib Dem MPs supporting either Theresa May or Jeremy Corbyn in Number 10 on June 9th. So we might as well be honest that Theresa May is overwhelmingly likely to be PM again - and that begs the question who is going to hold her to account, who is going to rein the Tories in, and who is going to stand up for a more moderate and sensible approach to Brexit? Tim is right to say that can only come about with more Lib Dem MPs in Parliament. When I was Leader of the Lib Dems prior to 2010, the exam question was whether we would be prepared to step up to the plate and provide responsible government. The exam question facing us now is different: are we prepared to step up to the plate and provide effective Opposition?

@bialystockandbloom

Hi Nick, good for you for coming on. My question is unashamedly shallow. If you ever leave politics would you ever go on Strictly? Please?

No. I absolutely love dancing. But my enthusiasm is only matched by my incompetence on the dancefloor. And my teenage kids find me embarrassing enough as it is.

You said there isn't the remotest chance of Lib Dem MPs supporting either Theresa May or Jeremy Corbyn in Number 10 on June 9th.

Can you please name top three reasons for this? One is obviously Brexit issue. What else?

Why did you allow kettling of peacful students, some aged 15, who were then frightened and pened i
n and could not get to water or even the loo,

Interesting and considered answers. I think the notion of doing what's right even though/if it costs you your position is pretty heartbreaking.

Darth Dacre though

Apologies for being a bit late in the day with this. I joined the LibDems a couple of weeks ago and went to a meeting the other day. I live in a very blue constituency and the overwhelming tone was frankly rather defeatist (I'm not entirely convinced the candidate didn't have a holiday booked for June 9th). What can I - in a true blue constituency - actually do??

Also a wave from my DS who came with me to see you talk in 2015 for Mumsnet. You did an excellent swerve to avoid being smeared by orange ricecakes. He very much enjoyed his first foray into politics!

The exam question facing us now is different: are we prepared to step up to the plate and provide effective Opposition?

Goodness knows we've been waiting for someone to. Westminster is like a pantomime at times.

@WinnieFosterTether

If you think British politics is between two extremes, how do you propose to bring those extremes together whilst basing your campaign firmly on one side of the polarising EU debate?

First, please read my book, Politics: Between the Extremes! It tries to give a full answer. But, basically, I don't regard maintaining Britain's long and venerable tradition of internationalism, and leadership in our own continent, as a polarising or extreme stance. In fact, it is based on a profoundly patriotic reading of our own history.

I agree with you absolutely on that last point about patriotism.

Nick,Enthusiasm for politics with our young people was high when you promised to be their voice in parliament, gaining their votes.Soon to be let down by allowing Cameron to stamp on your policy of no tutuin fees,destroying your support in the country, so Lib Dem's word is no longer trusted

Nick you probably wil not see this, but what do you think of Jeremy Corbyn?

@katand2kits

Hi, I would consider voting Lib Dem due to your pro EU stance. However, I cannot do so whilst your party supports the decriminalization of prostitution. In Germany, this has led to an increase in demand, an increase in men buying sex, an increase in the exploitation of women, and cut-price all-inclusive mega brothels in city centres. I cannot vote for a party that sees women as a commodity. Can you explain why you have not chosen to support the Nordic model, given that prostitution-related violence against women has been shown to decrease in countries that have adopted it?

According to a working group established by the Lib Dems to look into the evidence from other countries - including the so-called Nordic and Merseyside models - decriminalizing sex work is the best way to safeguard the human rights of sex workers. The great risk of making payment for sex illegal is that it simply drives the industry underground and makes many women in the industry all the more vulnerable.

Crucially, decriminalizing sex work does not mean that we would change the law as far as coercion, abuse and exploitation is concerned. In fact, one of the principal objectives would be to protect women who work in the industry whilst hitting the pimps and unscrupulous traffickers much harder.

Do you think Armando Ianucci could have made up the events of the last year in The Thick of It? Do you think we would have watched it and thought "This is going too far..." or did you see it coming a mile off?

Don't be daft, Robin.

@justgivemethepinot

Hi Nick

What do you think of Tim Farron so far? I was a little disappointed in his recent reluctance to speak on gay marriage considering the party played such a huge role in this. What do you think?

I think Tim is doing a great job - he comes across as by far the most authentic and real party leader in this otherwise listless and joyless election campaign. I'm immensely proud that as deputy Prime Minister I was able with Lynne Featherstone to get equal marriage, finally, on the statute book and as you know Tim whole-heartedly voted for it.

@TresDesolee

Hi Nick. What was the first word or noise out of your mouth when you heard Trump had won the presidency? (I think for me it was 'fuuuuuuuuck')

Did your cigarette consumption rise markedly during the second half of 2016?

A long, anguished groan. Followed, I must confess, by a sorrowful cigarette.

I don't think it's daft, Imperial. Plenty of my generation refuse to vote Labour after they brought in and then increased our tuition fees, then changed the terms of our repayment.

'According to a working group established by the Lib Dems to look into the evidence from other countries - including the so-called Nordic and Merseyside models - decriminalizing sex work is the best way to safeguard the human rights of sex workers. The great risk of making payment for sex illegal is that it simply drives the industry underground and makes many women in the industry all the more vulnerable.'

Hmm, I think with respect, Nick, it would be a good idea if you looked at the evidence of what is now happening on the ground in Germany and New Zealand.

I'm not sure your working group got the full picture - time to revisit that one, perhaps.

It's daft to think the Lib Dems had any choice. They were the minor party in a coalition - what choice did they have?

@Theworldisfullofidiots

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.

On education funding, one of my many regrets is that I tried but failed to raise the alarm about the cuts to school funding in the 2015 election campaign. I remember trying to expose the shortcomings in both the Labour and Tory manifestos - the former promised that funding would keep pace with inflation but not pupil numbers, whilst the latter promised it would keep pace with pupil numbers, not inflation - but I guess I was so beleaguered by that point that people didn't want to listen.

The harsh truth is that both Labour and the Conservatives were committed to big school budget cuts at the last election. That has now been made a whole lot worse by the NI, pension and apprenticeship levy costs faced by schools, by the Tory obsession with Free and grammar schools, and the unforgiveable decision by this Government to cancel the Education Services Grant worth approx £800m. I am particularly incensed because these cuts mean that schools are now having to divert money from the £2.5bn Pupil Premium, which is one of the things I am most proud of introducing.

Finally, it makes no sense to introduce a National Funding Formula as proposed by this Government if all schools are having to cope with less money at the same time.

According to a working group established by the Lib Dems to look into the evidence from other countries - including the so-called Nordic and Merseyside models - decriminalizing sex work is the best way to safeguard the human rights of sex workers. The great risk of making payment for sex illegal is that it simply drives the industry underground and makes many women in the industry all the more vulnerable.

Clearly your working group got things pretty wrong.

So you expect to be able to appeal to women voters, while promoting prostitution as a viable job option to our daughters?

Your argument seems to be very much in line with Amnesty's position - here is a link to a well researched and supported analysis of why Amnesty's position fails at every turn:

Amnesty International's Empty Promises: Decriminalization, Prostituted Women, and Sex Trafficking digitalcommons.uri.edu/dignity/vol1/iss1/6/