Live webchat with Harriet Harman MP on Tues Nov 25th 1-2pm

[HelenMumsnet]

We're pleased to announce that, as part of our ongoing Home Front debate, we've invited Harriet Harman MP to drop by MNHQ for a live webchat on Tuesday November 25th at 1pm.

As well as being Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the House of Commons, Harriet is Secretary of State for Equalities and Minister for Women.

Please join us to put your questions to Harriet on anything from the Government's plans for flexible working to Gordon's performance in the present economic crisis.

And, as usual, you're welcome to post any questions here in advance if you can't make it on the day.

oh bramshott your not feeling sorry for her are you? She knew the job wasnt going to be easy when she signed up for it! as a politician she should be used to difficult questions from disgruntled people. shes done newsnight with paxman!

Justine do you think the reason she has so many posts is because women are good at multitasking, whereas male ministers can only cope with one portfolio?

Hmm, Sunshine, I suppose I am a bit . NOT for evading questions, but just thinking how difficult it must be to make sense of a thread like this if you're not used to it. I am assuming the Harriet Harman doesn't have the hours to devote to Mumsnet each day that I do!!

But mainly I am thinking how fab Mumsnet is for getting these people on in the first place (where else would you get to question the Minister for Women directly, in real time?) and not wanting them to get discouraged, or for us to get a reputation as a bunch of shouting harpies !!

Dittany - So perhaps it's not top of your list. Has it not occured to you that other people might not be terribly interested in the answer to your Q to Harriet Harman? And do you mind me saying I find your brand of feminism disturbing. Regardless of the quality or integrity of the personality being discussed, you fawn if they are female and hiss and boo if they are male.

Perhaps we should have restricted ourselves to asking questions about cupcakes.
I rarely get enraged by cupcake discussions.

it depends what flavours your favourite some people do get funny.

Well, I think that was a bit of a cop-out Harriet. And I don't think prostitution/drugs are equivalent to domestic violence. I am not talking about prostitutes who are trafficked - obviously that needs to be dealt with - but what Labour have proposed recently to deal with prostitution is a bit of a joke isn't it? It fails to help the victims while persecuting the clients, and whether you like or not, there always have been and will always be, men who want sex and are prepared to pay for it, who treat the prostitutes decently, and who often return to the same one. There are women who choose to go into the profession.

I am also talking about people who choose to take 'recreational' drugs because they are fun. None of that is going to stop just because you don't like it; the Government refuses even to enter into a debate, with Gordon Brown ignoring the advice of the panel he set up to look into it (because of his own prejudices? or because he thinks it'll lose votes?).

Are we too mealy-mouthed and too sanctimonious to admit that people like sex and that people like taking drugs? If it were all out in the open, everyone would be much more clued up on the consequences of their decisions and therefore able to make better ones. I would much rather my daughter turned down drugs from a point of view of knowledge of their effects and consequences, than from fear of getting caught.

In many cases, prostitution and the taking of illegal drugs is a victimless crime. DV never is, and I'm disgusted you view it as on a par with them.

No Answer to Iraq questions and no answer re if she would consider herself a socialidt and no answers for many of you

Well, I'm less than impressed, my issue over paid leave to care for sick children was totally ignored! I am doing my best, I work part time and run a house etc, but despite all this waffle about flexible working and so on, if my kids are ill I get bullied into using my annual leave to stay at home and care for them, how is this family friendly, or giving me a working environment that acknowledges that I am a mother as well as a valued member of staff. Who is supposed to look after my sick children, my DP gets no "carers leave", he'd have to use holiday, is my mother supposed to take time off work? And the bottom line is that sick children want to be be with thier mothers, not someone else!

I'd like an answer Harriet, you can log in tonight at home, I pay your wages, and you earn far more than me.....

And I agree with VVV, get Mooncups!!!

socialist

Making a point GM or having PC problems?

"I'd like an answer Harriet, you can log in tonight at home, I pay your wages, and you earn far more than me....."

THe House of Commons will sit 'til 10.30pm tonight so don't expect her home early. Ministers are paid decent salaries but do not assume that they don't earn it. It is one of the busiest jobs you can imagine.

Humphreycushion come on, (paxman style) you know that if we confined the discussion to cupcakes, it would soon descend into a bunfight over whether they should be termed 'cupcakes', 'muffins' or 'fairy cakes'