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

As a British manufacturer who already pays a proper living wage as their employees starting wage regardless of experience or age, because we believe this to be the correct thing to do; and as a result of Brexit, will have to also contend with changes in export and import duties as well.... how do expect us to continue to grow, develop and create further employment with your insistence on a £10.00 ph minimum wage and increase in corporation tax? The big boys will still continue as they are and we will suffer, is that correct?

On tuition fees: how is it fair that you are ploughing so much money into what is a middle class benefit - where is the matching money for the other 50% that aren't going to university?

You've committed a huge amount of money to an already privileged group at the expense of spending it on improving outcomes for the other 50%.

Hi Jeremy.

I'm just wondering what you and your party are going to do to protect the rights of women and girls. Is sex going to remain a protected characteristic under the equalities act?

I also find it disgraceful that women are expected to return to or be looking for work when their youngest child reaches three years old or risk loosing benefits etc, are things going to remain this way? Many mothers want to be at home with their children. How is your party going to ensure that mothers can themselves care for their children?

Thank yoy

Why do you think it is appropriate that a small percentage of the population who work rediculous hours meaning they have very few hours with their family should pay more to support families who some of are working none or very few hours. Very happy to support others that really can't work but we sacrafise so much for my husband to be able to do his job why she should we pay more?

Hi
Can you tell us how you think having a £10 minimum wage won't result in small businesses going under, or laying off staff resulting in more un-employed and more people on benefits.

Hi, I was disgusted by the Tory cuts to disability benefits designed to "incentivise" disabled people find work.

I was infuriated because a) disabled and ill people should not have to live in poverty, and b) there are thousands of sick and disabled people who would love to be working but employers don't want them due to concerns about time off, lack of confidence in working with people with learning disabilities, or unwillingness to make reasonable adjustments.

So my question is, will you ensure sick and disabled people are able to have a more acceptable standard of living financially, and what will you do to encourage employers to give such people a chance at earning a better life for themselves.

Jeremy

If you add VAT to private school fees how are you going to cope with the influx of children into an already stretched state sector?? You do know that all the parents have already paid tax on this money that they pay for fees, and pay towards state education???

Also how can you protect he safety of he U.K. when you seem to support terrorist groups (as long as the ends justify the means, as you seem to infer with your IRA relationship).

Would rather cut my arm off than ever vote labour or for you, but would love you to justify.

Nelson Mandela was regarded as a terrorist. Tory government then supported apartheid.

An end to PIP and the utter inhumane treatment of those forced to go through the assessment process is desperately required. Labour have been amazing in providing your manifesto in British Sign Language, so thank you for that.

How will you support Deaf British Sign language users forthwith? Deaf awareness training in the UK is absolutely diabolical. The NHS is failing terribly at upholding the Accessible Information Standard, and I'd like to know how this can be improved upon, please?

Can you explain why you think it fair to tax private school fees by adding vat to them. Parents already pay for state schools that they don't use through taxation. Then you want to tax them again! And I haven't even got any school age children anymore so it doesn't affect me. I'm not voting for you.

Just to be completely honest, I voted Owen Smith last year. But no hard feelings, still right behind the cause.

Question: we're not off on a good Brexit start and have managed to anger most of the EU. How would you approach the negotiations differently from May so we can reach a successful outcome?

Hi Jeremy. I love a lot about your manifesto but am concerned about the funding of it as the wealthy and big businesses are often skilled at minimising tax or having the ability to go overseas. If some of them go it would mean those of us not rich or able to relocate, left paying increasingly more in a slowing economy which could affect both employment and pensions. I am not far off retirement and my children are all in the early stages of building careers so both worry me
Can you reassure me that you have costed in variations like lower tax receipts and have plans to deal with them without hitting jobs, pensions and squeezing the squeezed middle again please?

I live in a safe Tory seat, down in the South West. We have dreadful public transport, you can't get between village without a car as the buses run on Tuesday or Thursday and are exorbitant anyway, and there are no train stations, let alone trains. I would really like all the money spent on the high speed thing between London and the north, to be spent on providing us in Devon and Cornwall with a sensible PT system. Would you do this?

Aside from this issue (and problems with schools, tertiary ed, NHS, and all the rest) I am likely to vote for whoever I think will do the least harm. Obviously, that won't be Tory.

Which party do you think will do the least harm?

Cardiac patient who was told he was fit to work has third heart attack 3 hours into his new job as a DELIVERY DRIVER.

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cardiac-patient-declared-fit-work-10522261#ICID=sharebar_twitter

i have said on here before that the way things are going we could well have a repeat of the Glasgow bin lorry crash.

What sort of a government does this HelenaDove? Thank you for posting that.

Hi JC, am a huge supporter of your personal style of political engagement; keep up the sterling work.

Do you have any thoughts on how House of Commons reform can actually be achieved fairly pronto, rather than John Bercow & others making noises about reform but not actually achieving much? ...because PMQs particularly is a demeaning shambles to watch, especially the nonsense emanating from the Tory side of the bear-pit. Chauvinism and general behaviour outside of the debating chamber is also a major turn-off to many decent people - especially women - who might be considering political involvement. Regarding PMQs, IMO Labour would do themselves an enormous service in the public's eyes if they kept a lid on the braying and showed more restraint and discipline, regardless of however long the Tories take to grow up.

Follow-up question if time: Would you consider swapping the roles of Tom Watson & Diane Abbott (currently Dep. Leader & Home Sec)? I think it'd be a better fit.

PS: I agree with others who've said you should've attended leaders' debates. Reckon you were badly advised on that.

Mr Corbyn,

I just want to start by saying that my family and I have been Labour supporters all our lives. When you were nominated for leadership, my heart burst with excitement and when you were voted leader, I cried. You embody the true spirit of the Labour Party and I have every faith that when you win the election, you will bring the stability and equality this country so desperately needs.
I have so many questions for you, it's difficult to pick just one! But I'm most interested to hear your plans for Early Years education. Early Years settings are in crisis, the EYFF brought in by the Tories is crippling nurseries and the 30 hours funding will do more harm than good. Add to that Theresa May's plans to introduce a nursery in every school (when she can't even fund the settings that are already open) and we are looking at the biggest threat to Early Years education we've ever seen. The pre-school I work in has just closed because we cannot continue to operate at a loss anymore. I know many other settings are in danger of closing too. So what plans do you have for the Early Years, and how does the Labour party plan to deal with the crisis we are facing?
Early Years education is vitally important, we work tirelessly to ready children for school, close the attainment gap between the richest and poorest children and meet the social, emotional and educational needs of every child. We desperately need a government who will fully support us in doing this.
Thank you

JC4PM

What cuts are you proposing to make to our already cut to the bone armed forces?

Heres an interesting thought Gold.

If he had had an accident how would the system have dealt with it. Would they have prosecuted him? How?

Because the system cannot say that he hid/didnt declare an illness when same system has told him that he is fit for work and that that illness doesnt exist.

Food for thought!

Dear Mr Corbyn
I am generally supportive of Labour and would like to vote Labour. I have read your manifesto and am impressed by my local Labour candidate.
I am somewhat concerned about the references to yourself and terrorists/the IRA. I've attempted to research this myself but the information in the media is condridictory and further confusing. It is the same when speaking to people about it, they are either passionately and defensively for you or the same against.
Can you please shed any light on the situation in your own words? It is a grey area that I would appreciate more clarity on, hopefully with an outcome of enabling me to more confidently vote Labour.

I already had a q but keep seeing people ask about early years education and nusery providers that are in crisis - surely a minimum wage of £10ph would finish them off? They can't feasibly put prices up and in any case much of the hours they provide are free - unless they become like nhs dentists.

I really like the candidate for Tatton, Sam Rushworth, he is brilliantly qualified to represent us, but I am worried he isn't doing enough to prevent another landslide here by the tories.

There are Esther McVeigh banners everywhere and the Conservatives are out in force, knocking on doors and holding rallies.

Can you give our local candidate some support and come up to Cheshire? (Just please don't send Dianne Abbot)

Watching PMQs I am so often appalled at the behaviour of the politicians. Many MPs could learn a lot from the youth parliament debates. My question is, as PM what would you do to tackle this behaviour?

Jeremy, as a mother of two boys, the Sure Start centres and the like have been an absolute life saver for us, can you make any indications as to whether the funding for these essential services will be increased. Over the last two and a half years I have seen services cut and the despondency of the staff who just want to help new mums is simply heartbreaking.
100% voting Labour.
Louise.

Not a question Jeremy.

You have just completely changed my mind in the televised debate, you weren't who I thought you were.

I have always voted Tory, even considered ukip, but you certainly won me over.

Even though some of your personal beliefs don't match my own I can see that you are willing to compromise and gain consensus, and that you want the best for this country.

Well done mate.