Labour leadership hustings - on Mumsnet!

[GeraldineMumsnet]

The Labour leadership election is coming up, so we're putting on our very own Mumsnet hustings. We've invited all five candidates - Diane Abbott, Ed Balls, Andy Burnham, Ed Miliband and David Miliband - to submit to a proper MN grilling.

We want to send the same ten killer questions to all the candidates, so, whether you're a Labour voter or not, please post your killer question of choice here.

They can be as serious or semi-serious as you like, but up to usual MN-piercing-and-incisive standards please - as ex-leader Gordon Brown put it: "You [Mumsnetters] certainly ask more difficult questions than television's Question Time or any other question time that I'm part of."

(To avoid any accusations of favouritism by other politicians, we'll cover the biscuit question as a starter for ten ).

We'll select the ten questions that seem to be the most recurring/insightful and give each of the candidates a week to respond to them.

We'll then publish all their responses so you can compare and contrast. We're hoping they will come on to Mumsnet on Monday 6th Sept from noon to 1pm to talk about their answers in more detail.

So far, David Miliband and Andy Burnham have said yes; Ed Miliband, Diane Abbott and Ed Balls have said yes in principle. We'll update the thread as soon as we know who else can make it.

BTW, the ballot results for the new Labour leader will be announced on 25th Sept.

Over to you...

Update - we're pleased that Diane Abbott has confirmed she can take part on Mon 6 May. Just Ed B 'n' Ed M left to confirm.

Where is the environment on your priority list? What do you think is the best strategy to resist climate change?

What would the party do for young people leaving Uni (who don't have parents rich enough to pay off debts), to ensure they have a proper future, with a job, and a home of their own?

How will the Labour party ensure people see all the good that was achieved (including massive steps forward in education Rollmops), sure start, children's playground projects etc etc etc, under the previous govenment? How could you communicate this better to people adn ensure a Conservative govenment stays out?

I am very left wing, but none of this lot inspire me. I'm just not interested in their answers; I saw the thread yesterday and have been thinking about questions.......but I don't want to know anything from them......

So, maybe my question is "Is apathy a worry for all of them? How do they respond to the criticism that there is a lack of character amongst the candidates and they are simply career politicians, always in control and totally lacking in any passion? What have they done in their past which gives them the necessary experience to run the Labour party / the country? Basically (in the style of Nicky from BB - yes I used to watch) Who are they?

Agree about biscuits BTW

The joke has passed

Good question ladyblablah. This was essentially what I was trying to get at, but in a less articulate way. I want to know what kind of person they are, rather than what they think about x and x policies.

What are the top 5 new policies that you would implement today if you were the Prime Minister?

Are you happy with the standard of school and university education in this country after a long period of labout government? If not, what would you still want to change?

Do you think that 50% is the highest personal income tax rate that should be applied?

Or would you support higher, and possibly broader, taxation bands for high-earners, to support the welfare state?

I would like to ask D Abbot is she really thinks she can win given she upset sooooo many people when she sent her son to private school.

I would also like to know why all of those in the running have been to Oxford or Cambridge. What is it about these univerities that breeds politicians and what would they suggest to encourage more ordinary people into politics to give a bit of variety.

Germany's economy has grown by an unexpected 2.2% for the last quarter. What did they do differently over the last 10 yrs to enable them to weather the global recession more successfully than GB?

"Why does a Labour Government always leave the country in a worse financial mess than the Conservatives?" and
"Will we EVER be able to trust a Labour government not to overspend our money and get us in to catastrophic debt that we then have to rely on the Conservatives to get us out of?"

That's my questions...

What is your policy on immigration? Do you connect Labour's failure to address this political hot-potato to the rise of the BNP's vote, especially in the council elections?

What do you think the Labour party actually stands for these days?

And do you regret pursuing so many Tory policies when you were in power - PFI, slavish attitude to the City, contracting out public services etc. etc. etc?

How would you build fairness into 'Free school meals' (and other child related benefits)?. A single parent with one child earning below 16K qualifies. A 2 parent family with 4 kids earning just (only just!), over 16K, does not qualify!

Edam, you make a very good point.

My father, a Tory supporter and someone who deals with PFI as part of his job, used to say the Conservatives would never have got away with some of the r-wing decisions of Blair's govt made and my FIL,an ardent Labour supporter, used to tie himself in knots trying to justify it to his socialist self.

I propose Edam for leader

"A single parent with one child earning below 16K qualifies."

I have to correct this, it is not true.

You do not qualify for free school meals if you receive working tax credits, however little you earn AFAIK. I didn't qualify when I was earning £11K, or even when I was earning £9K and the answer that came back was that I received WTC, therefore I didn't qualify.

I would like to second these questions:

1. "The Coalition Government is totally destroying the Careers Service through cuts at a time when young people and adults need advice more than ever before.

My question is - What would the Labour Candidate do to ensure that all young people have access to quality Careers Advice and Guidance?"

1. "if you weren't standing yourself which one of the other people standing would you vote for and why..."

and add:

1. How do you plan to inspire the many in this country who would describe themselves as socialists but who have been disillusioned with Labour under Blair/Brown to vote Labour once more?

I would like to ask this question on the safety of donated blood in the UK:

Will they introduce a blood screening test or filter for the human form of mad cows disease (vcjd) as currently there are is no protection for the general public against vCJD in blood supplies in the UK? This is an avoidable disease if all blood was screened? I would like a simple yes or no to this question please.