Webchat with Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, Tuesday 30 May at midday

[BojanaMumsnet]

Hello,

We’re pleased to announce a webchat with the leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn on Tuesday 30 May at midday.

Jeremy has been MP for Islington North since 1983, and has been Labour leader since 2015, having been re-elected when Owen Smith stood against him in 2016. Labour’s manifesto for the election on June 8 proposes ‘a Brexit deal that puts our economy and living standards first’, tax rises for the top 5% of earners, the renationalisation of the railways, free school meals for all primary pupils, the abolition of university tuition fees, and a £250 billion investment fund for infrastructure and the economy.

Please do join the chat on Tuesday at midday, or if you can’t make it, leave a question here in advance. Please do share the webchat on social - the more, the merrier!

As always, please remember our webchat guidelines - one question each, follow-ups if there’s time and please keep it civil .

(As we approach the General Election we will endeavour to offer you a balanced diet of webchats with politicians from different parties. More announcements coming soon.)

Thanks
MNHQ

Can you outline your defence policies please? And will the Labour Party be committed to NATO under your leadership?

Jeremy
This has been a very exciting time for you. If you could travel back in time to 1983 and speak to your younger self what would advice would you give him?

(also how are you going ensure that schools budgets are upheld in line with pupil intake)
Thanks!!
Best wishes for June 8th!

Your last Mumsnet web chat caused quite a stir in the media with your response to the biscuit question. Why are you anti sugar? Surely you should be supporting the British Sugar industry. What did sugar ever do to you that you are against it so much? Everything in moderation, my dear, and perhaps you ought to apply that rule to your policies.

Do you think that the Iraq forces would be gaining so much ground in pushing Daesh out of Mosul without the support provided by NATO allies?

Jeremy,

Conservative cuts to women's services and changes in benefits have resulted in the closure of many refuges, meaning that hundreds of women and children a DAY are currently turned away from them, unable to seek help when they're at their most vulnerable. Many years ago, a refuge saved - and then changed - my life, providing my daughter and myself with an immediate place of safety, then the support (emotional and practical) and guidance I needed to build a secure, happy new life for us both. The knowledge that thousands of women and children have not been able to access the help we received is heartbreaking and infuriating in equal measure.

What are your plans to reverse the damage done by the Tories, and safeguard/improve these services for the future?

Best wishes for the rest of the campaign and for the election itself - and thank you for giving us all hope

Unfortunately as a lifelong labour voter I won't be able to vote for you this time. 20% VAT on schoool fees will mean these schools will now only be open to the very rich. Existing children will be yanked out of their schools with considerable psychological impact and there will be a net cost to the state as all those children will need to take up state places. And all to ensure free school lunches are provided to children many of whom will have far greater disposable income than parents struggling to pay school fees. Well done.

Hi Jeremy,

I just want to say I think you will make a wonderful PM and believe that the Labour manifesto is full of hope and opportunity for the average UK citizen. I particularly like the support and opportunities offered for children and young people and strongly believe this to be the hallmark of a civilised and forward thinking society.

Also please do answer Seahorses and Piglet's joint question as it seems to be the crux of anti Corbyn / Labour sentiment on MN and it would be helpful for them [and others] to hear your response to this.

Otherwise I have previously worked within the NHS and have seen first hand the effect of the Conservative cuts to this essential service, both in the quality of primary, secondary and tertiary care and also in the low morale of NHS practitioners - at consultant level, nursing, hca, porters, etc.
Can you assure us that the NHS and social care will remain front and centre of Labour's priorities once in government after June 8th?

Thank you and good luck!

I am voting for you. Many people that have never voted before have signed up to vote because of you.

Good luck Jeremy

btw was the manifesto leaked accident on purpose ?

Hello Jeremy,

If Labour lose seats in the election (and end up with fewer seats) will you step down straight away. Yes or no answer please not babble about the party membership

Thank you

Hello Jeremy.

Why didn't you use your speech following the Manchester attack to address the real issues that lead to extremism & provide a strategy for the future?

Follow up question - what is your response to the IFS response to your manifesto?
That is: based on untruths, massive overestimation wrt the income estimate, a multi billion £ black hole in your costings & likely to make the poor poorer?

My DD is completing her first year at university. If you back date the T&Cs for the abolishment of tuition fees to cover all those students at university NOW then I may vote for you. Lovely, thanks.

When you lose the General Election will you resign?

Serious question. I have long been a Labour supporter and party member but left the party on the day that it decided that Ken Livingstone did not need to be expelled as a party member despite his Holocaust revisionism. I cannot be a member of a party that is happy for high-profile Holocaust revisionists to remain as members. I was already extremely concerned, as a Jewish voter, by the increasing anti-Semitism in the party (and no, Shami's whitewash of a report didn't give me comfort - somewhat the opposite as it made it it clear Labour wasn't taking the problem seriously, and was trying to hide it - evidenced again by your decision to suppress the Royall Report which showed that there was anti-Semitism at the Oxford University Labour Club).

I would love to be able to support Labour again but like pretty much all Jewish voters I know, I feel completely alienated from a party that is prepared to tolerate those who accuse Jews who were murdered by the Nazis of being 'collaborators' with their murderers.

So my question is - How do you plan to rebuild Labour's relationship with the Jewish community?

This may not seem a bit deal to you, after all there are not that many Jews in the UK, and we're not a big electoral force, but it is a big deal to me. I was very, very sad to leave the party. But I couldn't stay, and can't vote for a party where I literally don't feel safe any more. If the Labour party is going to be a potential party of government, it needs to regain its moral purpose. Tolerating anti-Semitism and Holocaust revisionism is the opposite of that. What are you going to do about it?

Hi Jeremy,

Many Early Years providers are being forced to close due to chronic underfunding. A fifth are refusing to offer the Conservative 30 free hours entitlement.

How will you ensure that your pledge of 30 free hours childcare will not be at the expense of the childminders and nurseries providing it, and do you see a future for these settings under a Labour government?

Hello
I would like to know if you have any reassurance for parents of potentially autistic children, in light of the recent news of the plans of certain boroughs in S London to stop autism assssments unless a child has co-occurring mental health problems (which ironically will be far more likely without timely identification and support).
I know at this stage it's not set in stone, but under a Tory government these announcements are far more likely to be a regular occurrence.
Under a labour government what would be your plans for your autistic constituents?

Hi,

In the recent interview with Andrew Neil he said that both Sean O'Callaghan (ex IRA terrorist leader) and Seamus Mallon said that you took no part in the peace process in Northern Ireland and that you were on the side of the IRA - you deny this - what would they gain by saying this about you if it isn't true?

You have said in your manifesto that you intend to help make things better for tenants in private rentals. And that would be great because in many cases they are treated appallingly. But equally there are some good private landlords.

However the elephant in the room is housing associations. There are good ones but there are bad ones too. But the rhetoric seems to be ....all private landlords=bad ...........all HAs = good but its not as simple as that.

Many HAs are behaving in the same way as private landlords but are getting away with it due to not being regulated properly. Social housing tenants are left with nowhere to turn and a lot of frustration stress and disrepair. Why is this being ignored by all parties?

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2901354-Housing-associations-Are-you-having-problems

Dear Jeremy,
The Tories promised to change the legislation which disenfranchises British citizens who have lived abroad for more than 15 years. This promise has been broken, meaning that 3 million Brits will be prevented from exercising their democratic rights on 8 June.
What is your stance on this? How does the Labour party plan to ensure we have proper representation in the run-up to a Brexit that we did not vote for and have no say in, although we are among the most affected?

I would like to know how you can say someone living around London even earning £100k is rich?
We live in Hertfordshire with husband commuting in London and with twins we cannot even afford for myself to go to work due to high childcare costs where we are. I was going to return to teaching in September however I cannot afford to now as due to my husband's salary we are not eligible to the 30 free hours child care. How is this fair that my kids are not entitled to the same early years education as those whose parents earn less?
I'm sure you can see the net income £100k brings and the surplus each month we have, after £2800 of that going on mortgage where we are. (On a 3 bed semi detached 1930s house which is crumbling, not exactly a mansion) and commuting costs of almost £500 a month. Yes, we are fortunate not having to use food banks, however we are not 'rich'. Our car is falling apart (yes one car) and we cannot afford a new one. Why not tax those that actually are and can live comfortably? If you are interested we have just over £1k left over after bills excluding food. That would not cover one child's childcare never mind 2, yet we are not entitled to the 30hours if I worked. And my teacher's salary barely covers one child's cost around here. Even if my husband worked extra hours, do you see how much you are taxing in the next band? (Under your policies would take home ~30% of any extra after that up to around £121k)

Where's the incentive to work? Are you trying to drive people out of London? Why not tax everyone 1% extra which would bring in much much more revenue which would be fairer or actually tax those that actually are rich?

How much poorer will 'hard-working' families have to get before we call Brexit off?

How are you going to protect the poor whilst making work pay?

I'm just trying to break out the carers benefit trap by starting my own business where I'm worse off earning than on benefits. Its really painful but the benefits to me and my family are far more than just financial. Its so nice to have a purpose of my own.

Whilst I agree we all need to pay our fair share I'm so scared of some of the labour statements coming out about taxing businesses more.

I'd already be financially better off on benefits if the gap gets any bigger I feel like life would be over. Caring is trapping and depressing enough without completely financially handcuffing me too.

Why did you not give your full support to the campaign to remain in the EU when (as your apologists are always telling us) the majority of Labour supporters were pro-Remain?

Do you think it is important to get elected?

Hello, Jeremy,

Do you want to re-think your previous biscuit answer?