MNHQ here: Got a question for the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak MP?

[JuliaMumsnet]

Hi all,

It's clear from the boards that Mumsnet users are feeling the squeeze from the rising cost of living. So we're pleased to say that later this week, Justine will be sitting down with the man who holds the nation's purse strings, Chancellor Rishi Sunak, to ask him your questions.

If you have a question you'd like answering, you can post it below. Please stick to the usual guidelines - one question per user, keep it civil, and if one topic is dominating, please don't continue to post what's effectively the same question or point. We'll be limited for time so we won't be able to ask every question - but we'll try to make sure we cover the topics that we know are important to Mumsnet users.

We'll be closing the thread at midnight tonight, so please do get your questions in before that - and watch this space to hear the Chancellor's responses!

Thanks,
MNHQ

[TinyTear]

How do you justify what basically amounts from taking money from the poorest in our society?

[RJnomore1]

🍿

[ilovesooty]

How do you define honesty and integrity and how important is it to you in your role?

[Workinghardeveryday]

🍿

[TheDoveFromAboveCooCoo]

Well this is going to go well...

[ChiswickFlo]

Why aren't you taxing the energy and fuel companies as other countries have done?

Nothing to do with them being huge tory donors I'm sure?

How do you reconcile your non domestic status and tax dodging with taxing the people of the country to the hilt?

You and your party are venal self serving hypocrites.

Have a nice day.

[Pasithea]

Is he going to resign. He has pushed millions into debt . Lied lied lied again. A wife who never paid uk tax despite living here.

oh and how does he expect people to react to the news regarding his house in Northallerton. Oh yeah we can all eat cake.

[parietal]

Where has the £350million per week for the NHS got to?

And what about the billions wasted on buying the wrong PPE from friends of Tory MPs during Covid? How are you going to get that money back?

[ChiswickFlo]

Dear oh dear

twitter.com/JolyonMaugham/status/1518510672136523776?s=20&t=E_4ltfiMkZ-UuRAGoQYTjw

[JuneOsborne]

You are incredibly rich. Why do you want the job of chancellor, which pays pennies compared to what you could earn, and let's be truthful, you don't need the income from this job, so what motivates you to do this job?

The cynic in me would suggest that the answer is because it allows you to control fiscal policy so that it benefits people like you, who are extremely rich. Can you say anything that would make me think otherwise?

Also, a second question. You borrowed the car to put petrol in and it was a bit of a disaster, with all the card mashing at the covid screen. Are you embarrassed? Why not be honest about the fact that you don't drive a mid-range car and you don't ever have to worry about the cost of a tank of fuel? What's wrong with being honest about the fact you're richer than the average Briton? From a credibility point of view pretending to be like us is silly and makes you look even more out of touch than you are. Was it your idea?

[donquixotedelamancha]

Do you still think 'Eat out to help out' was a good idea?

[ENoeuf]

I agree with @JuneOsborne second paragraph and have been thinking this for some time , incl Rees-Mogg types in my thinking. I would like an answer because what does Rishi bring to this position that someone less excluded from reality couldn’t?

[donquixotedelamancha]

Given you are the first chancellor in our history to have been fined for a criminal offence and not resign: do you think previous ministers who have resigned because of matters of honor were fools?

How much worse do you think it makes it that you were part of the cabinet that introduced the laws you broke?

[IAmNoAngel]

As a tory voter and party member, I was hugely disappointed (although not suprised esp with BJ) when you and the Prime Minister were fined for breaking the law, and it was clear that parlimentary code had been broken.

My question to you is, Is it pure arrogance that makes you and the PM think you shouldn't resign over this? Or do you just not care about the future of the Conservative Party?

[RoseslnTheHospital]

What support can the Conservative party offer to those people who will have massive rises in fuel bills and other essential costs like food, who have no capacity to reduce their usage or earn additional income? I am thinking in particular of people with disabilities on benefits who have higher than usual energy usage due to the medical equipment needed to manage their medical conditions, for example.

It is shocking to think that we live in a society that is prepared to let people in situations like this simply suffer hardship, whilst allow the super rich, like you Rishi Sunak, to continue to hoard wealth.

[flashbac]

What are you (if anything, but at this point assuming you don't care) going to do to stop people starving or freezing to death this coming winter?

This isn't an exaggeration. People are genuinely struggling, not because they are feckless but because the cost rises are excessive. Do you know any poor people btw?

[JenniferBarkley]

The furlough scheme proved that the social welfare system is not fit for purpose, and that the government is aware of that fact - otherwise, people would have just been put onto Universal Credit. What is the Chancellor going to do about it.

Similarly, a minimum wage job will not feed, house and clothe an averaged sized family. Does the Chancellor think that is acceptable, and if not how is he going to change it.

[heldinadream]

Do you think a society where some people are extremely rich while others can't afford to feed themselves is healthy? Where does the responsibility lie for changing it? Should wealth not be capped at least until there are none starving? Hmm?

[LittleMissLego]

I'd love to know your thoughts on foodbanks. Why has demand for emergency food parcels risen so significantly over the last decade, what is the root cause of this rise? And over the next 5 years do you forsee our society's need for foodbanks rising, remaining static or dropping?

[LemonSwan]

We are in a midlands town, early 30s and expecting out first child this week.

When we first found out we were expecting we did the maths and thought that’s tight but doable.

With inflation and the costs of living / energy sky rocketing I am now getting very concerned for not only the next year, but the years after when we have to pay for childcare. And I say this as someone who felt quite well off a year ago in comparison to my peers (mortgaged home owners).

If we are going to struggle then I am seriously concerned we are headed for a big problem as a society. The maths are not adding up for those in lower income areas who have less disposable income to deal with price rises.

What are your plans for helping young families?

Thanks

[Badbadbunny]

Why did you choose to exclude 3 million self employed/freelancers and casual workers from the covid support schemes?

[Kaibashira]

Do you agree with the Shadow Chancellor, who has committed to abolishing non-dom status as an "outdated...tax perk"?
If not - why not?
What justification is there for retaining such an avoidance mechanism?

[JenniferAlisonPhilipaSue]

Hi Rishi

Disabled people such as myself are particularly struggling. We may have equipment that keeps us alive that we need to have plugged in or constantly on charge. This is costing us more money, just to stay alive, or not get more sick.

Even disabled people who work from home (like myself), have to use assistive technology to do so, and again this uses electricity.

We've already struggled during the pandemic and now we continue to do so due to the cost of living crisis.

Will you give any more support to disabled people for their bills?

[ShirleyPhallus]

Excellent questions and I really hope @MNHQ won’t chicken out and just give him the easy, media friendly ones