Live webchat with David Cameron - this Thursday 19th, 1.45 pm

[JustineMumsnet]

Hello all - David Cameron is coming on to Mumsnet to answer your questions this Thursday at 1.45-2.45. Please post advance questions here if you can't make it on Thursday. (And please read our Webchat guidelines above before posting ie only one question each). Many thanks.

pmsl at gentleotter

Hello Mr Cameron

Observation rather than question - I think the Inheritance Tax pledge is going to hurt you at the upcoming election - I see Labour are already using it quite frequently to attack the Tories. I think you are in a bind about that now but you need to soften the message.

The expenses scandal has actually one silver lining for the Tories - to get rid of some of the old (dead) wood that associate the party with the Tory grandees of the past. It is ironic that in the 21st Century and after Heath and Thatcher we are back to toffs heading up the Tory party - I think you do get away with being a toff - you come across as more a man of the street than you background would suggest - not sure some of your other (Boy George) colleagues do.

At the moment I do not see a positive endorsement for the Tories, I see people fed up with Labour.

One thing I would like you to hammer home is how after 10 yrs of profligate spending Labour now can find 'efficiency' savings - why have we not had a leaner government? Now we are in a financial mess it is no good for labour to effectively tell us they could have saved vast amounts of money in the past.

The Tories need to be careful not to be associated with savage cuts - in case you frighten the voters - stick to a message of sensible plans, outlining how the deficit will be tackled and how we get VFM. Let's start seeing a government spend our money wisely.

PS - if you feel in need of any more advisers - give me a call!

PMSL slug!

£50,000 and then total cut off - great, so it's hardly worth me going back to work. Where do I sign on?

Lol @ slug...it was the best thing I learnt at school

On the Murdochs - do you do your dealings with Rupert or James?

I love "pupil premium". Even Armando Iannucci couldn't make it up.

Boy, he's slow! GB answered way lot more questions in this time.

David
WHAT WILL YOU DO FOR PEOPLE LIKE MY PARENTS?

THEY ARE BOTH RETIRED TEACHERS WHO HAVE SAVED THEIR MONEY BUT NOW BECAUSE MY DAD IS DISABLED AND NEEDS CARERS TO COME 2 TIMES A DAY ~ THEY ARE HAVING TO PAY ALL THE FEES FROM THEIR SAVINGS?

THANKS

RTKM

Mr Cameron

What are your plans for VAT? I have heard talk of 20% which could cripple our small business.

who will monitor those with a passion for learning who want to set up schools if the quango responsible for stnadards in schools is abolished?

To Mellifluouscauliflower and anyone asking about inheritance tax

You are absolutely right that we?re in a financial mess and we?ve got to deal with the deficit. Next year Britain is expected to borrow more than 13 per cent of our national income ? that?s nearly twice as much as when we almost went bust in the 1970s. So we?ve got to make tough choices and get to grips with this. And on pensions, public sector pay, and as I?ve just said, on tax credits, we've set out what needs to be done.

But at the same time, I do think we need to reward aspiration in this country. People shouldn?t be punished for wanting to pass something on to their children, and that's why we?ve pledged to raise the threshold of inheritance tax. Today the threshold is £325,000 and many people fear that they may be caught in the net of a death tax that really only ought to be there for the rich. In our plans only those leaving £1m or more would pay inheritance tax. But crucially, we?ve always been clear about out how we would pay for it ? and that?s by taxing rich non-domiciled residents. We?ve also said that this is a pledge for a Parliament, not its first budget.

LeninGrad, I'll send DD to your school. Promise

I concur , this is dull.

So Mr Cameron as 'one of us' just how do you keep a straight face during state opening of parliament, what with all the pomp, furry capes, trumpets and black rods.

David, I'm a former primary school teacher who got so disillusioned with the really poor standard of teaching - I witnessed Year 4 teachers (teaching 8/9 year olds) having to use calculators for the simplest maths tasks, poor spelling and one who even asked me what country euthanasia was (I'm not kidding). How are you going to raise the standard of teachers in this country and make it a profession to be proud of?

David Cameron, why is there so little support for people in England to escape their class. My stepdaughter is having a child at 16 because it's her ticket out of her mum's house. She will get housing and money. She is following in the footsteps of her mother, and her grandmother who also had their first child as unwed mothers of 16. The best support financial and otherwise available to her from the government comes linked to having a baby without a father. She couldn't begin to equal that by staying in school and not having a child.
Similarly, my husband is the first one in his family EVER to go to university. He did so in his 40's with virtually no assistance from the government. And now that he is doing a second undergraduate degree, since he didn't have the guidance (or educational background) to pick the right course the first time, he is getting no help, financial or otherwise, at all. How can you change this?

Sheesh - he's probably having a quick snooze, having only got 4 hours sleep, like Mrs. Thatch....