VIDEOCHAT with Boris Johnson ready to view!

[HelenMumsnet]

Hello all.

This Friday lunchtime, three bold and fearless Mumsnetters (ronshar, LadyBlaBlah and bearcrumble) will be putting your questions to London Mayor Boris Johnson.

So, we need your questions please!

Please post 'em here as soon as poss...

Dear Boris

When you were campaigning you made the following promise

"During the run-up to his election, Boris Johnson promised, with much PR fanfare, to cut 20% from the City Hall press and pr budget and give the resulting £744,000 every year to Rape Crisis for at least 4 years."

I understand that you have broken this promise and I would like to understand why you decided to break this promise. Is this issue no longer important to you now that you have been voted into office.

Hi Boris

Who would you prefer to face across the hustings - Ken or Oona?

How worried are you about the unstoppable juggernaut that is Lembit's campaign?

Justine/Helen - are you going to post a link to the videochat on here?

Boris, I am a londoner , often out and about, I find public transport is hardly child friendly, not enough spaces for buggies on buses, not enough help at tube and train stations to get them up or down the escalators, usually no lifts, so I often drive but them I get frustrated at the lack of parent child spaces. Can't we have more dedicated parking spaces, even with meters which are for either disabed or parent? I often see the disabled spaces that I can't use, but no other suit spaces where I can open out teh car doors properly to get my young children out safely.

(As a parent who often has a child using a wheelchair, can I beg you NOT to consider making Disabled Spaces available to parents with able-bodied children?)

HeadlessChicken's point about through-journeys on buses is great though - can you send someone to Toronto to study the system they have where your ticket covers you for as many legs and transport modes as it takes to get somewhere - as long as you continue in the same direction, and don't make any breaks in time.

I can understand your concern Blu about disabled I have cared for a wheelchair user myself I fully understand the need to preserve the spaces, I'm not talking about such spaces in general but suggesting a few disabled spaces in some areas in central London, remain free for disabled use, but metered for use if you are not disabled to ensure the a short use. It's only the space of the disabled bays that led me to think about this, and it would only be for parents with children under 2-3, who can't all get out of a car and walk. I can understand that if you are always in need of a disabled space you would rubbish that idea, but I'm talking about making it accessible at a price. Some disabled spaces are just there to meet criteria rather than demand, and some places should have more disabled spaces like in hospitals or outside museums don't have enough, I know that from trying to find somewhere with wheelchair accessibility, but other than supermarkets, you don't get spaces large enough to get young kids out of cars safely.

Nope, don't agree AT ALL. It is impossible to find vacant spaces, metered or not in C London, and even a metered disabled bay would be taken up permanently with people with children in huge wide 4x4s....I would chain myself to railings to prevent any further reduction of or competition for disabled bays. The summer before last I had to turn back every single time I tried to take DS to Dulwich Park or Brockwell Lido because the Blue Badge spaces were occupied by non blue badge holders who just had to park there to play football / unload their children's BMX bikes and picnics.

Make a lobby for p&t parking if you like, but NOT IN DISABLED BAYS.

sorry I hadn't thought of that , agreed we need separate P and T spaces available

Just watched some of the videos.
Not as cringe worthy as I feared.

Well done ladies.

Thank you Mumsnet for such a fantastic opportunity

What she said x

What did you all think of him after meeting him?

Given that presumably you support women with children working both for their own and family's well being and to contribute to the economy etc... What is position on affordable childcare given that tax credits which paid for childcare will be removed from all those except on the lowest income even including single mums?

This makes it not financially or emotionally worthwhile for mum who are not either below the poverty line or rich to work at all.

well done ladies. I'm not a fan of the bendy buses though, I've seen too many try to turn a corner , or just turn a slight curve and not manage very well, plus the getting in and out through the different exits means it's not always first come first served with buggies.

Longfingernails. He was lovely. Really welcoming and remembered our names.
He is shorter than I thought mind you.

I thought he came across really well (although I have to confess to being a Boris fan... )

He seemed to be charming in that public-schoolboy, self-deprecating sort of way...

I thought you all looked/sounded a bit, well, 'won over' by him?!

He had clearly thought about it, and done his 'prep' though... good for him!

Have finally, finally watched it - well done ronshar, LadyBlahBlah and bearcrumble - you looked and sounded great .

And Boris - he's one of those blokes where every instinct I have is telling me to loathe and despise the man, but yet I have a sneaking affection for him.

well done ladies. a joy to watch.

thank you MNHQ, what a great opportunity!!

Just caught up with this

There was some serious simpering going on ... Where were the hard questions, eh?