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

The Institute for Fiscal Studies have reportedly estimated that your costings in the Labour manifesto will have at least a 9 billion shortfall. Do you accept this position and if so do you have a plan b? (Voting Labour BTW and specifically voting for you as a man who I can see has acted with integrity and decency over a lifetime in politics, no mean feat).

Voting labour as is my dp.My 17 year old son would if he could and so would my 10 year old.We have all watched the prog with Paxman. I have many questions and cannot choose one.I find I have a kernel of hope which is unbearable.Hope Labour get in!

One of my dc is yr12 & wants to be a vet. This is 5/6 yrs at university meaning a debt of either approx £92500 or £112000 under current rules as dh and I earn just over minimum wage. He will be unlikely to ever pay this off.
You have said that you will scrap tuition loans but haven't said anything about living costs.
Another dc has dyslexia and under current education rules will be lucky to scrape a pass in English thanks to the new format. He is considering applying to the Army (following his dad and grandad). I have concerns about how the Army will fare with you as PM given your history and stand on IRA, Palestine and trident.

I am what should be a core labour supporter, working class, ex union rep (until I changed jobs) and someone who will stand up for what I believe is right. I should be knocking on doors for you!

My question is how can I trust you with the future wellbeing of my dc in their chosen futures, to ensure that they can confidently move into the next part of their lives without worrying that the rug will be pulled from under them?

Your answer may well make a difference to my votes and those I engage with. Thanks.

Sorry I'm working (nhs) until after tomorrow afternoon so will miss the chat but I'm looking forward to reading the replies.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2941906-The-horror-of-Universal-Credit

P lease explain the ira meetings, the rallies, the support. The telling them not to sign the good Friday agreement, the idea that the only change wad through violence.
And then the HUGE u turn since the electioneering started?

Labour should be my natural vote, but being in ni it's not possible and being the daughter of an RUC officer I can't support you, until I know the truth.

During the Paxman interview, a man asked you about corporation tax, zero hours contracts and VAT on schoolfees. You didn't answer his question but instead shouted at him because his opinions don't match yours. Is this how you will treat our country if you are elected?

Jeremy

Very excited that you have agreed to join us on MN

Thank you

Really hope you are our new PM**

What will be the first thing you want to do when you become Prime Minister?

Thank you

RTKM

BTW please do not give up being leader of Labour Party whatever happens

well that failed

What will be the first thing you want to do when you become Prime Minister?

Thank you

RTKM

Air Pollution. I appreciate the Labour Party's pledge to protect the environment (and to retain the protections that eminate from the EU). There are 40,000 premature deaths a year in the UK linked with air pollution - more than alcohol or obesity. The biggest culprit is road traffic.

Would the LP, if elected, tackle illegal air pollution head on; work sensibly to deter diesel use; invest in robust cycling & walking infrastructures (and encourage local authorities to do likewise) and invest, really invest, in pubic transport? I hope so! Thanks and good luck.

As per other previous posts I am hugely concerned about the proposals to restrict autism diagnoses. I have worked in SEN for 15 years and this would have a devastating impact on people awaiting diagnoses and their rights to have reasonable adjustments made for them at school/work. Please could we have some reassurance that under a labour govt diagnoses of conditions such as ASD won't be restricted?

Hi Jeremy. I like you and the labour manifesto. Mkt only doubt is that you have a weak cabinet. I see you are strong in interviews etc but when I see Dianne Abbot she come across as weak and clueless. This is very well worrying considering she would be Home Secretary. What can you do to reassure us you will have a strong team behind you to see through your manifesto, and to have a strong government?

Not a question, but a suggestion. Is there any chance Abbott and McDonnell could go down with 'flu until polling day? I think it would help you.

I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Tory supporter, but this time round I'll be voting for you. What reassurances can you give me that private enterprise, especially small businesses, will be encouraged and given conditions to flourish?

Hi Jeremy,

You couldn't say you whether or not you would ok a drone strike on a known terrorist.

Perhaps you could answer this question:

If our QRA are launched to intercept a passenger aircraft which has lost comms (happens on a regular basis) and it transpires that it has in fact been hijacked, weaponised & is heading toward London (as with 9/11) - would you give the go ahead for the Typhoon to shoot down the passenger aircraft to avert mass fatalities?

Would you sacrifice the few for the many?

Did you think the Jeremy Paxman questions were fair?

Hi Jeremy.
I've always voted Labour and what you propose is great however I have one issue I'm hoping something can be done about.
I'm a carer for my my mum and I have 3 children also. My partner doesn't earn a great wage and earns below the cut off for help with NHS and certain other benefits however because of me caring for my mother it's taken into account as a taxable income with tax credits. I get £62.70 a week not alot for over 30 hours of care would cost more if a nurse had to do the caring. This takes us over the limit which is so we can't get help with NHS costs can anything be done about this? It costs me more than £40 a week in just petrol alone just to get to my mums. Seems unfair my partner earns less than the cut off and I've had to put my life on hold to be a carer so we now have to pay all prescriptions, dentist costs and dinner money it's taking a great strain on us. Thank-you

An MP earns £74k. You are going to increase the tax rate for those earning over £80k. Well, that's convenient. My question: I want you to prove how you are not fleecing those slightly better off than you, whilst protecting your own.

Hi Jeremy,

I'm a primary school teacher. In my class along side the usual variations in ability and behaviour a third have significant SEN. These children get no support as there are no TAs. This sadly has an effect on whole class teaching.

They are trying to learn all their ICT on a limited number of iPads as there are no computers.

They only have enough pencils and whiteboard pens because I have bought them out of my own money.

I haven't had my annual increment this year which means a real term pay cut can't complain because other staff were made redundant.

I am also a mother, and despite money being tight, am happy to make my children healthy packed lunches. School meals may be nutritionally balanced but they are a terrible introduction to food. If your only experience of vegetables was what you were given in school then you would never choose to eat them as an adult.

Which leads me to my question: If parents choose not to use the free school meals, will that money be diverted back to the school? The cost of feeding my children for a year would buy them a PC for their classrooms.

Best of luck for June 8th, you have my vote.

Hi Jeremy. I live in the Netherlands, and so I've already voted by post (for Labour). Bit of a tactical vote, as I was really keen to vote for an anti Brexit party (right now, that would be Green or Lib Dem) The main reason I voted Labour is that I think they stand the best chance of beating the Tories. Is there any chance at all that Labour might offer a referendum on Brexit terms? I do think many of your supporters would be in favour of that.

I'm very interested in you scraping the current capability to work policy. It's ridiculous.

Do you intend on replacing it with something that recognises people who have lifetime disabilities, therefor making it so they won't have o fill these ridiculous forms in every three years?

My SIL, for who I a carer and recognised appointee for, has multiple physical and mental disabilities and I have just had to do a capability to work form for her, also moving to PIP from DLA. We have been told that she is likely to need an interview for both, which has me stressed to hell. Something on the DWP system advising that she has a lifetime disability that won't change, and likely to worsen, would be perfect for myself and families in the same situation.

I also have a child with disabilities who is likely to live at home in adulthood and likely to not be able to work, so a change now would hopefully mean less stress in the future.

Considering a huge proportion of people on minimum wage work in social care and child care services, employed by SME's already struggling to deliver affordable services and maintain modest profits, how are they going to be able to stay in business and cover the £10 ph wages? Whilst this wage could be life changing for so many women, these businesses are also often run by women, and services needed by women... how will you prevent women bearing the brunt of this policy somewhere along the line?

Jeremy,

I'm currently a Student Parent completing my MA. I feel really let down by the support my university has given to me- I feel as a student with a child that I am not as valued as those who have come straight out of college; I also have dyslexia and feel due to these things I am more 'complex' student. What do you feel the Labour Party can do to help and support students like me in their university studies?

Hi Jeremy, I thought you came off the best on tv last night. I liked that you answered questions rather than just giving soundbites which featured one word from the question like the PM did...

Anyway. I really like your policy about grassroots football. I'm curious, would you include the women's game in that too? How can you see it improving overall? (and I'm guessing you'll be an Arsenal Ladies supporter...)

Thanks!

Why do you want to abolish zero hours contracts? For some people the flexibility is brilliant