David Cameron live webchat, Friday 14th March 3.30-4.30

[JustineMumsnet]

David Cameron is coming back (which is more than we can say for Piers Morgan). The leader of the opposition will be logging on from The Tory party's spring forum in Gateshead this Friday pm, at 3.30. Come along and pose him a question about an issue relevant to you, or if you can't make it on the day, you can post advance questions here.
Best,
MNHQ

soundbite or not, at least he is engaging with his prospective voters

to needmorecoffee

V good point on wheelchairs - we have had issues with this as my son with CP is growing fast. People have very different experiences in different parts of the country. I think the principle should be that parents should get more choices, delivered faster and then the state should pick up the bill. At the moment it is still a bit like a Model t ford - any colour you like as long as it's black.

To davetennants...

The cost of living is now the big issue in my maibag and surgery. As you can see from the budget, no one can make extravagant promises about cutting taxes, but what we could do is to stop making it worse. We would say for example: no big council tax increases without a local referendum and no new green ntaxes unless they are offset pound for pound by cuts in family taxes elswhere.

Easier when in opposition, though, Lulu!

Go on Dave, turn things on their head and introduce a Tory policy offering a fully-costed Scandinavian style maternity leave. A full year on full pay should do it. Millions of female votes, in an instant.

God, I might even vote for that and I'd never vote Tory.

But no-one will ever do it, because no politician in the UK dare believe in taxation for services. And especially not you lot, however much you try to convince us your social democratic centrism.

you do coffee - but then again given how the leader was also going to be the prime minister we should have had a say in who we wanted to be elected.

well yes Dave, we agree, but are the tories going to actually do anything about this. Are disabled children's services going to be be funded better - our PCT refuses to pay for more paediatric physio's or OT's so the poor staff work over-hours - unpaid - top try and fill their caseload. So we get one hour every 5 weeks rather than every week, we wait up to 2 years in Bristol for a wheelchair etc etc. It is pants.

I've now found my missing of. Here you go...

I don't think anyone should underestimate the 'tie' effect.Women are fickle creatures

thank you for your response

yeah, but i vote lib dem as am not convinced there is that much difference between labour and conservative, getting to office, and actually carrying out what you promise are two different things

everyone wants more and better services and provision, no-one likes paying more tax

remember my dad teaching me to chant margaret thatcher's a mil snatcher at play time at infant school

tories kind of not doing it for me!

To Frannies

On rape convistions - it is a disgrace that only one in 20 end in a conviction. No easy answers here, but longer term funding for rape crisis centres (three year deals rather than hand to mouth one year deals) would help.

To Chops the Duck

Yes, bike is still in use - I ccycled to work twice this week. I always do it on a wednesday to try and get some energy up for the bizarre ritual of PMQs. And - no - no car following behind. I have massive panniers.

pmsl noddy

Dave: Thanks for answering my question.

Can I ask, though... what are you planning to do to make our schools better so that no parent feels the need to lie in order to get their child into a "good" school, because they are ALL good?

Nobody mention the panniers!

I don't mind paying tax for decent services. Not that we pay any anymore as hubby had to give up work to care for dd with cerebral palsy cos respite care is total pants. I'm disabled myself and can't even lift her. So a guy with a science PhD is no longer working for our defence industry but is at home not working...
If we got decent services for our tax most people would be happy.

Dave:
I have no opinion on your ties but please answer tortoiseSHELL's question: -
Who do you prefer 'facing' - Tony Blair or Gordon Brown?

how are you going to pay for your promises, dave?

What happened with the saga of your wind turbine?

David - Thanks for your response.
On Flexible Working the law is pretty week as it is a 'right to request' and 'duty to consider' not an obligation to provide. Would you introduce an obligation on employers to agree flexible working in certain situations?

you need a decent bike trailer Dave. I get all my shopping in mine.

David, the Tories assumption is that people don't like paying tax. But I do. We earn a reasonable wage, and I want to pay tax to support those who don't, or who have more needs than we do. I'd happily pay more tax for better state schools, NHS cleaners, etc. How would you try to attract voters like me? Or do you not think there aren't enough of us to bother?

I miss the banter between David and Tony Blair. They were really funny.

ooh, thought of a question:

obama or clinton for next president?

ooh, good question, lulu.

I presume you have written off t'other bloke