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Mumsnet webchats

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.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Gordon Brown on Mumsnet this Friday (16th October) lunchtime between 1-2 pm

1057 replies

JustineMumsnet · 15/10/2009 13:21

We're delighted to announce that the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, will be logging on to Mumsnet for a live webchat on Friday (tomorrow) lunchtime from 1 to 2. The PM is ready to answer Mumsnetters' questions on a wide-range of policy issues from the economy to education and from childcare to climate change.

As you know we're not great ones for rule books here at MNHQ, but we'd like this to be as useful and enlightening an event as it can be, for all involved. We aren't going to pre-moderate or pre-select questions - the format will be as per usual - but given the likely popularity of this webchat, the sheer number of you all and our past experience of trying to fit everything in, we've come up with a few ground rules which we'd be very grateful if you'd follow.

Guidelines for MN webchat with PM

  1. To allow as many folks as possible to be involved, please restrict your questions to one per member plus a follow up question if appropriate, i.e. once you've had a response. (NB don't even think about name changing to ask another, we'll be watching!).
  1. Please keep your question reasonably brief (we'll not doing a word count but it will increase your chance of getting an answer, we suspect, if you don't bang on for paragraphs)
  1. It's highly unlikely he'll be able to answer everyone's question but we'll make every effort to bring common themes to his attention. Please don't be too disappointed if your specific question doesn't get answered and do try not to keep posting "What about me?". He can't answer them all and he is the PM after all - so has a quite few time constraints.
  1. Obviously you're free to voice your opinion but do be civil/polite - the PM is our guest on Mumsnet so, whatever your politics, please afford him the same cordiality you would if he stopped by your own house.

Many thanks - feel free to put your question up in advance if you can't make the live chat on Friday lunchtime.

OP posts:
MichKit · 16/10/2009 14:01

Boo... no tough questions answered

GentleOtter · 16/10/2009 14:01

Well, that was dreadful.

Kim of Kim and Aggie was way better.

bumbling · 16/10/2009 14:01

Great tone Otter. Are you a journo. How about sacking Emily maitlis from Newsnight and giving you the job. She drives me insane.

Think I'm going to lose money on biscuit bets and labourspace. Ho hum.

carriedababi · 16/10/2009 14:01

errrrr, not one person asked why they should vote labour?

herbietea · 16/10/2009 14:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

scottishmummyofone · 16/10/2009 14:01

there were 700 plus posts, okay he didn't answer them all but he did his best. I wonder if MNHQ will give him a printout of all these questions?

Winibaghoul · 16/10/2009 14:01

I think he only answered responded to about 5 questions there.
Lots of sound bites and no substance as expected

carriedababi · 16/10/2009 14:01

i NEVER get my question answered!

kneedeepinthedirtylaundry · 16/10/2009 14:02

The sinister nature of the surveillance society question was sidestepped.

wilbur · 16/10/2009 14:02

Someone did ask him him to tell them why they should vote labour, rhubarb - it was quite a while ago though.

cleanandclothed · 16/10/2009 14:02

I think a lot of people are cross at the political broadcast at the end. Badly misread the audience there.

CaptainNancy · 16/10/2009 14:02

trust me carriedababi... after reading this, they will be wondering why they should!

policywonk · 16/10/2009 14:02

Thanks very much for coming in. We'll all be talking about this for months you know.

I fear you might have blown MNHQ's cover re. Sarah B webchat there - prepare for a bollocking from Justine

twirlymum · 16/10/2009 14:02

Oh.
Disappointed tbh

anastaisia · 16/10/2009 14:02

Well, at least Ed Balls gave us the party soundbite on home education - which was slightly preferable to being ignored. I guess he couldn't honestly say that stakeholder's views were being listened to and the Select Committee wasn't a rubber stamping exercise - I'd have thought that would have been an easy question for a PM with any faith in a democratic government....

carriedababi · 16/10/2009 14:02

well said wini, Lots of sound bites and no substance as expected.

NewShoesonMonday · 16/10/2009 14:03

plenty of opportunity for him to reply individually if he wanted. sorry but i have a real visual image of him sitting there doing f all, with his cohort tapping into blackberry to answer the easy quetions and upload the spin at the end.

hatchypom · 16/10/2009 14:03

I have to say I am very disappointed, most of the statements appear to have been prepared and lacked a sense of engagement with us all. If GB is going to do these sessions with the people, I feel that the least he could do is answer questions that were asked early on (home ed etc)

Poor

Jajas · 16/10/2009 14:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bumbling · 16/10/2009 14:03

Ahh scottishmummy that's so nice of you. He was PM and made a bit of a balls-up but he did his best, so that's ok. Bless. Works with coppers and the like too. Oh they tried their best not to kill him in custody. Nevermind.

HeBewitcheditude · 16/10/2009 14:03

OK, Piers Morgan is still winning in my book.

I can't remember if Dave Cameron was better or worse than this. Anyone?

InmyheadIminParis · 16/10/2009 14:03

Thanks for coming in Mr. Brown. Please DO come back... with a faster typist.

onebatmother · 16/10/2009 14:03

Actually TBF think somoene did ask him to persuade them to vote labour early on the thread before he got here

pofacedandproud · 16/10/2009 14:03

Sincerely disappointed. Will not vote Labour again.

SexyDomesticatedDad · 16/10/2009 14:03

Usual load of old dross from Labour.

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