Webchat with John McDonnell, Shadow Chancellor, Friday 6 December at 12 midday

[AnnaCMumsnet]

We’re very pleased to announce a webchat with the Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell, this Friday 6 December at 12 midday.

John has been Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington since 1997. Born in Liverpool, he studied at night school while working before going to university. He went on to work as a union official and in local government at the GLC and at Camden Council. He campaigned for Jeremy Corbyn to win the Labour leadership in 2015 and has been Shadow Chancellor since then.

Labour’s economic plans have proved a talking point during this election; the manifesto includes plans for free nationalised broadband services, increases in NHS spending, an increase in the minimum wage, freezing the state pension age at 66, and a ‘Green New Deal’. John has said the plans will tackle rising living costs; the IFS has said that Labour’s spending plans don’t add up (it says the same about the Conservatives).

Labour’s pledge to compensate WASPI women with an average £15k payout has caused a huge amount of conversation on our sister site Gransnet, so we’ll be taking questions from GN on that (and other topics) too.

Please do join the chat on Friday at midday, or if you can’t make it, leave a question here in advance. Please note John won’t be able to do the full hour because his time is pretty over-committed but we will detain him as long as we can!

As always, please remember our webchat guidelines - one question per user, follow-ups only if there’s time and most questions have been answered, and please keep it civil. Also if one topic is overwhelmingly dominating a discussion with a guest, mods might request that people don't continue to post what's effectively the same question or point. (We will be taking action on this, including suspending the accounts of MNers who continue to heckle after we've posted to ask people to stop, so please take note.) Rest assured we will ALWAYS let the guest know that it's an area of concern to multiple users and will encourage them to engage with those questions.

Thanks

woohoo. hi John.
You know that 90% of the questions would be about self ID and upholding single sex provision, plus USING THE EXEMPTIONS to preserve them if we hadnt been asked not to submit any more!!

To be honest, like a huge number of women, our pens are poised over the Labour box as a result of this

(plus a thank you, as an autistic woman, with 2 autistic children, for what you are doing for neurodiversity)

Hello, John. Looking forward to reading your responses!

We're joined by John McDonnell. We'll be getting started as soon as possible.

@LaraGransnet

Question from Gransnet user granoffour

I want to know why the WASPI pledge wasn't important enough for your manifesto? It's not in there, is it?

Great question. It was in the manifesto. In the manifesto we said that we would commit to bringing forward a scheme to compensate the 1950s women and to tackle what is a historic injustice. So I brought forward the details of the scheme a few days later. I want to attract as much attention as possible to the scheme. One of the problems we had in the past were that people just weren't aware of the policy and I wanted everyone to know what the proposals were. We've been working on it for over eighteen months consulting different WASPI groups and others and drawing upon an expert pension actuary. We put forward a range of options we consulted on and this proposal is the easiest to implement and I think the most effective at addressing this historic injustice. I feel very strongly on it. I know that I've been attacked by the Conservatives and others about the cost of the scheme but the reality is that if we are to compensate people properly it will cost a large amount of money but as one WASPI woman said to me "the government has given away a hundred billion in tax cuts to the corporations and the wealthy and when the bankers wanted the government support it was hundreds of billions so this is only fair. It was a historic injustice and I stand by it

@Walkingdeadfangirl

Hello John,

I would like to know, why are you planning on giving very wealthy women born in 1955 tens of thousands of pounds. But you are giving minimum wage working class women like me, born in 1956, NOTHING.

You claim to be for the many but it sounds like you are the party for the rich and will hammer the working class.

In the past I have voted for Blair but its very unlikely I would ever vote Labour under Corbyn (I just cant afford to).

Thank you.

This scheme will apply to everyone because everyone who qualifies suffered an injustice and let's be clear - when people receive the compensation, for those earning higher sums, they'll be taxed in the normal way. So it's fair - but I want to make it clear, this is not means tested and it will not affect people's pension credits. So it will help the lower paid and it will be fair to everyone.

@LaraGransnet

Question from Gransnet user petitpois

Hello John,
I think the main thing everyone wants to know is where the WASPI payback money is coming from?

We are dealing with the compensation in the same way every government has in the past. When, for example, they have lost a court case and when they've had to address an injustice. It's a contingency. So this money, 58 billion maximum, will be paid for either from the existing government resources or by borrowing over a 5 year period. With interest rates very low the government can borrow very cheaply. So we're dealing with it in the same way, for example, when the government lost its court case over the bedroom tax. When the government has committed an injustice against people it has to find the money and that is exactly what we're doing in this case. It's called justice.

What's in the papers in front of you, John? Are they questions submitted in advance for you to select? Or just some notes to help with the answers? Always wondered how these web chats work!

@WorkingAsHardAsICan

Hello John

In many ways we have similar backgrounds, I grew up in one of the poorest cities in the UK, I left my comprehensive school at 16 and worked as I didn't want my family to have to fund me through A levels on their pensions. I got qualifications to go to university at the local night school. I moved to the South of England after university to get a job and have worked every since. I was the first person in my family to go to university and now work long hours and have a salary which fairly high.

I feel looking at the Labour manifesto as if you now think that someone like me as on the outside just because I might earn a certain amount of money - "the rich" or "the few", whereas actually I am trying to contribute to society and not be reliant on Government. I have tried to stand on my own two feet since I was a teenager.

Is Labour for someone like me? As at the moment, I feel as though your policies look at people like me as a problem.

Labour is exactly for people like you. I pay tribute to people who are on higher wages and pay their taxes and contribute so much to our society. Let me personally thank you for what you do. What we are doing in this manifesto is saying that with a fair taxation system we can afford decent public services and end austerity and we can invest in growing our economy but also in tackling the existential threat of climate change. Yes we are asking people earning above £80,000 to pay a bit more - the rate will go to 45p at £80k and 50p at £125k - but the bulk of our tax proposals are aimed at reversing some but not all of the tax cuts to corporations, asking the City of London to pay a bit more by closing down some of the stamp duty loopholes, and tackling tax evasion and avoidance which some have described as being on an 'industrial scale' in parts of our economy.

@MatildeHidalgo

What's in the papers in front of you, John? Are they questions submitted in advance for you to select? Or just some notes to help with the answers? Always wondered how these web chats work!

Hi Matilde, it's a print out of the questions from the thread grouped by theme up to the point where the chat starts - we provide these for all guests.

@Byebyebicycle

Hi John. I asked the same question on the webchat with Phillip Lee: How are Labour planning to tackle the recruitment crisis for NHS workers? Thanks

We now have 100 000 vacancies in the NHS. Yes this means we've got to spend more to recruit more. We need more GPs, nurses, paramedics, staff overall, and so that is why we're putting into the NHS 4% growth every year. In addition, we are reversing the governments' policy that scrapped the nurses' bursary - this has put a burden on nursing trainees and has put many women, particularly maturer women, off going into nursing. We also have to recognise that many of our health staff come from the European Union and therefore we should not undermine the ability of those staff to join us in supporting our NHS. That is why when we negotiate our new relationship with Europe we will protect this element of free movement.

@EmpressLesbianInChair

Hello John

Laura Pidcock has said that Labour will protect the sex-based exemptions in the Equality Act and that they will specifically apply to biological women only, despite transwomen with GRCs being able to change the sex marker on their birth certificates to female.

Dawn Butler says that this is wrong and that Labour will make sure that biological women do not have the right to single-sex spaces.

Which of these is correct?

This is a complex issue. The principle on which we stand is that we do not wish to see discrimination within our society and that includes discrimination against transgender people and women (and anybody!).

In our manifesto this is what it says: 'Ensure single sex-based exemptions contained in the Equality Act 2010 are understood and fully enforced in service provision.'

Hence we aim to reform the law to include self-identification but this does open up a whole debate around the single sex-based exemptions that will be maintained under the Equalities Act. This has to be dealt with sensitively and people's views need to be respected.

I have been worried about the levels of what some have described as abuse within this discussion and I think it's now time for us all to come together to have a proper and considered discussion.

Question from Gransnet user alig99

I'm very concerned about the lack of a labour policy regarding housing Affordable rented housing. Why isn't this a high priority for Labour say over free broadband.

@derxa

I'm a farmer. Please explain your land tax plans to me. This. Do you consider me the enemy Mr McDonnell?

Of course you're not the enemy, far from it. Farmers are at the forefront of protecting our environment and our countryside. We haven't put forward proposals on land tax but are encouraging a debate around land value taxation to ensure that, for example, when developments occur within an area and individuals or companies benefit from those developments and their land values escalate, whether some of that value should be shared by the wider community. So I give the example in my own constituency, now that cross rail is going through, paid for by public money, and land values are increasing fairly fast local people are being squeezed out of being able to purchase a home in the area. One argument around land value taxation in these circumstances is that an element of the increased value going to corporations could assist in our local housing program providing benefits for the local people rather than in some instances overseas speculators. But there will be a full consultation in all our discussions on this. We will not be considering land value taxation on residential properties but on development land held by businesses and corporations. Drop me a line about your views about the future of farming in this country - I'd be very interested.

@noblegiraffe

Hi John,

Given Labour’s education plans to scrap reception baseline assessments, KS1 and KS2 SATs and Ofsted and replace them with softer alternatives, how will this not inevitably lead to a decline in school standards?

We've been listening to parents and teachers about the pressure they're under as a result of the scale of testing that takes place in our education system, which is putting so much pressure on staff and pupils and is way beyond what happens in other countries. The inspection process under OFSTED is also counterproductive in securing appropriate levels of inspection that contribute to improving education. So yes we are removing many of the areas of the current inspection process and we're introducing a new process and new inspectorate more in keeping with working with schools and educationalists to improve educational standards. I have met too many teachers who've left the profession as a result of the pressure they're under and the way in which they feel they have been diverted from the real education process.

Question from Gransnet user Coppernob

If Labour get into power, what will you be doing about immediately reinstating the War Widows Pension for those of us who lost it on remarriage? The amount is peanuts in the great scheme of things and yet we have been overlooked for over 4 years since it was announced that, from April 2015, War Widows who remarried would keep their WWP. Does it mean nothing that our husbands, too, died serving their country?

@ListeningQuietly

Hi John, A Brexit one ..... Why should the EU spend time negotiating a deal with a Labour Government if the Labour party will then campaign against said deal (for Remain) ?

Let's be absolutely clear about Labour's proposals. We will negotiate a sensible and credible leave deal and we will put that back to the people in a referendum where they will be able to choose between a deal that will protect jobs and the economy and remain. We believe we can secure a deal that will protect people's living standards because throughout our period of negotiating with the Theresa May cabinet we also were able to develop proposals that achieve this end and were welcomed by the EU. It will be for the people to decide. The Labour party will take a position as a party once we've finalised the deal. Whatever happens in that referendum we will ensure that we implement the result. In this way we believe we will be able to bring the country back together again.

@JohnMcDonnell, you say on the Equality Act 2010 single-sex exemptions:
"Hence we aim to reform the law to include self-identification but this does open up a whole debate around the single sex-based exemptions that will be maintained under the Equalities Act. This has to be dealt with sensitively and people's views need to be respected. "
NO! Why are you suggesting the Equality Act 2010 single-sex exemptions will now be 'debated'? The single-sex exemptions are quite clear. Trans people can be excluded - perfectly lawfully - from women only spaces, services, jobs, accommodation, female-only candidate lists. Your manifesto is quite clear that you will "increase understanding of and enforce" the single-sex exemptions, but now you seem to be suggesting they will now be 'debated'. JUST NO.

"Hence we aim to reform the law to include self-identification but this does open up a whole debate around the single sex-based exemptions that will be maintained under the Equalities Act. This has to be dealt with sensitively and people's views need to be respected. "

How dare you debate my daughter's right to single sex spaces. Shame on you.

@GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman

Hello John! Do you really think that Labour is NOT anti-Semitic? Do you honestly believe that the whole palaver is a massive smear campaign? Do you seriously think that Jews can't spot anti-Semitism and are just misguided about this?

I'm not Jewish, BTW, and I'm bloody horrified at what has been going on.

No I don't believe in 'smear' or conspiracy theories on this. We have accepted that there has been anti-semitism amongst some of our members and it is disgraceful, upsetting and unacceptable. The cases so far have amounted to less than 1% of our massive membership but one member being anti-semitic is unacceptable. We now have processes not just to kick people out who are found to be anti-semitic but also we have launched an education programme based on independent advice to advise and educate our members and supporters about anti-semitism. We have to accept that anti-semitism exists in our society and it has come into our party. We are dealing with it within our party. We were too slow and not ruthless enough initially but we are now really working hard to resolve this. My worry is that anti-semitism exists within our wider society and we have to deal with that effectively too.

What is the outline of your "sensible and credible leave deal" that you, Keir Starmer, Diane Abbott and most of the shadow front bench will be campaigning against ?

Is it

• stay in the customs union
• stay in the single market
• keep free movement
• keep ECJ

Because that is remain isn't it?

we aim to reform the law to include self-identification

You've lost my vote right there!

let people identify their gender if they wish, but sex and gender are very very different (as even transgender organisations will tell you) so there should not be a need to change the equality act which clearly states that the services are SEX specific, and allow for exclusions of those with a GRC specifically due to that.

Oh, John ....

@Limer

Will you pay current market prices for shares when renationalising companies?

What will you do when companies threatened with renationalisation move offshore?

We are taking rail, water, energy and royal mail and Open Reach into public ownership in the normal way that this has happened in the past. Parliament will determine the price of the individual companies and government bonds will be issued in return for shares. This is the proper and usual process. We will have the mechanisms in place to deal with any offshoring issues.

Why was my post deleted which said that the single-sex exemptions in the Equality Act 2010 should not be 'debated' and this contradicts the position of the Labour Party manifesto (which firmly commits to the single-sex exemptions)? Why can I not make this point to the shadow Chancellor?