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WEBCHAT GUIDELINES: 1. One question per member plus one follow-up. 2. Keep your question brief. 3. Don't moan if your question doesn't get answered. 4. Do be civil/polite. 5. If one topic or question threatens to overwhelm the webchat, MNHQ will usually ask for people to stop repeating the same question or point.

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MNHQ

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

422 replies

JustineMumsnet · 12/03/2008 18:54

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

OP posts:
morningpaper · 13/03/2008 12:26

Well he probably doesn't get home much...

Also don't forget Samantha (36)

ChopsTheDuck · 13/03/2008 12:43

I would like to know:

a) Do you still ride that bike to work, or was it just a publicity stunt? (Dp and I were wondering this yesterday)

b) What would you do, if your party were in power, to address the issue that lone parents are so much better off financially than young couples on a low income?
Labour has announced a change in housing benefits, what more could you do?

Nbg · 13/03/2008 12:47

I'd like to base my question on CissyCharltons.

Again we were brought up in the North, my father left when I was 2 leaving my mum on her own.
Still to this day she remembers how a certain conservative member of parliament labelled single mums as not great people (not exact words but to that effect).
My father never contributed to my upbringing in any way so it was left to my mum to raise me alone and earn money to do that.
It was a real struggle.

On the other side, my husband who lived in a famous south yorkshire mining town, lived the high life because his dad was a police officer during the miners strikes and the government at the time saw that they were well looked after.
The only downside my husband had from this was probably 95% of his class mates were miners children and he was the brunt of alot of bullying.

Now (I will get to the point), my family are very much a labour family and alot of that is because of how they were brought up.
My husbands family are obviously on your side
I will admit that as yet I have never ever voted. Be it a main or local election.

What would a married stay at home mum of 3 benefit from voting conservative at the next election?
Convince me

brrrrmmmm · 13/03/2008 12:50

Easy way to solve the under-age drinking problem - ban alcopops.

When we were 16 and learning to drink alcohol (sounds odd, but that's what it is), it all tasted vile so you couldn't drink too much.

Now it's like drinking sugary e-numbers so it's not such an effort to get really really drunk.

So please ban alcopops, and stop raising taxes on proper grownup drinks like wine!

DarthVader · 13/03/2008 13:03

My local primary is struggling to cope with a special needs child who despite having one to one supervision cannot cope with mainstream schooling and is frequently violent to his classmates. The special schools have nearly all closed down, and there are none suitable in the area. Everyone is struggling and disaffected here, the special needs child, the others in the class, the teaching staff and the parents.

Do you intend to increase provision for such children?

charlysangel · 13/03/2008 13:07

Hi. Juggling work and family commitments is chaotic. I have 2 questions- What are your experiences of work and family integration? What changes do you envisage could be made to improve families experiences of work and family integration?

helenepurple · 13/03/2008 13:28

Dave
Any possibility of the conservatives privatising education? , possible voucher system.

If not, why not?

I, like you, send my children to a really lovely church primary and get the very best state education can provide, but most schools aren't so good. The private schools and more independent state schools just seem to have such a great track record.

Freckle · 13/03/2008 13:59

Although you have publicly stated that you will build no new grammars, will you have the courage to radically overhaul secondary education, providing different schools for different types of pupils? Grammars are needed and have been proved popular in the areas where they still exist. However, we also need more of the old technical high schools for the less academically but more practically able. I know that many schools are specialising in different disciplines but this doesn't really cover the problem. What about a mixture of academic schools, vocational schools, etc.? And all schools brought up to the same level of excellence so that there isn't this mad scramble to get a place at the best schools.

PrincessPeaHead · 13/03/2008 14:22

Samantha has got to be at least (38) by now, surely?

Hang on, let me look in Debretts

PrincessPeaHead · 13/03/2008 14:23

18 April 1971. Almost 37. Hmm. Sorry MorningPaper, carry on, as you were...

Cam · 13/03/2008 16:41

Dear Dave,

  1. Please will you introduce tax relief on private school fees.
  1. I really liked your suit and tie on budget day.

Obviously only my first point requires an answer, and equally obviously, you will choose my question as one to answer as my name is contained in your surname.

Ploufplouf · 13/03/2008 17:01

Hi David !

My question is simple what is the book you read every night to your children ?
Also, due yo your very busy job and schedule, do you find time to be with your family ?

DeeRiguer · 13/03/2008 17:07

oh
and another ting

when mp's are found guilty of stealing paying their family in huge dollops of public money for not working for them, why are they not reported to police?

would it be the case that Mr Conway was just unlucky to be caught? and is a tip of the iceberg
surely the whole system of mp's employees would be better handled centrally and not by each individual?
it's nepotism frankly and state sponsored at that..

any other citizen exposed of such a crime would expect to go before the beak for this crime and pay for it, I understand he will not be standing for election again but why has he not been reported to the police?
iirc even Ian Blair issued statement saying he had no requests to investigate this scandal

it's surely not one rule for them and one for us?

naive, moi?

Freckle · 13/03/2008 17:53

Yes, and when MPs can claim £10K towards the cost of a new kitchen in their second home and £2000 towards new furniture, etc., etc., should they not be made to refund that money (with interest) when they eventually sell that second home?? After all, this is taxpayers' money being given to MPs. Why should they profit from people who very often cannot afford to even think about new kitchens, etc.?

DavidCameron · 13/03/2008 17:56

test test

Cam · 13/03/2008 17:57

Is that you Dave/Cod/UCM ?

LynetteScavo · 13/03/2008 17:58

LOL that he's on during the school run!

MicrowaveOnly · 13/03/2008 18:49

Dear David

what exactly is the point of an Academy school? same kids being taught by same teachers but in a privately funded building.(sound a bit Tory actually!)

Are you going to get rid of them?

A teacher.

MicrowaveOnly · 13/03/2008 18:50

Lynette

you spotted the catch!!!

mistressmiggins · 13/03/2008 20:06

David
My entire family are Tories but I am not. I would like to know what your opinion/policy is on Lone Parents. I am a Lone Parent because my exH decided to have an affair and leave me with 2 children (1.5 and 3.5) NOT my choice. I get angry when you go on about marriage & complain about lone parents. I support my family by working part time. Are your policies going to help people like me who are lone parents not by choice but work to provide for their family? It seems to me that Conservative party look down on Lone Parents.

drosophila · 13/03/2008 20:22
  1. What would you do to ensure an even mix of children in state school. The area I live in seems to have created a kind of ghetto. Our local school that my ds attends is 85% ethnic minority and about 50% strict Muslim. About 80% have free school meals. You can imagine lots of issues and challenging children ( English as a second language/ arriving from war torn counties etc...) Meanwhile about 5 mins away ( I kid you not) is a local school with a largely white, middle class pupil base. As far as I am aware my ds's school gets sod all extra resources to deal with a clearly disadvantaged pupil base. Interested to hear solutions.

The teachers I have met in ds's school are at the very least good and some are amazing ( I have not met all of them though) but surely their day is a tougher one than those accross the road so shouldn't they get paid more?

  1. Why do you come on MN?
MNHQ
CarrieMumsnet · 13/03/2008 20:23

Lynette - have to fess up it was MNHQ just testing DC's password worked - am sure the real DC was off school running

Aitch · 13/03/2008 20:28

i want to know how he intends to deal with the people of my age group (mid-thirties) who would rather die than vote Tory because we remember what it was like under Thatcher and Major.
How is he dealing with voters like us, other than slagging off Labour? What signal is he sending us that it will be less sickeningly venal better this time with him in charge?

SilentTerror · 13/03/2008 20:46

I will probably vote for you Dave,but would like to know whether you think nurses pay should be equal to that of other public sector workers of similar educational background,ie teachers/police.And if not,why not?
Also,where would a Tory government stand on confrontation with GP's over increased surgery opening hours?
Many thanks for your reply.

milkgoddess · 13/03/2008 20:57

david may i be nosey, and ask if your wife breastfed? and when we mums get 12months smp? is it april 2010?