Watch with Mumsnet: live-streaming of PMQs with Anushka Asthana, WEDNESDAY at 12 midday

[RowanMumsnet]

You might recall that last month we conducted a survey on the UK's political culture, following on from our work with Mori on women and politics last year.

The results from the survey showed that 76% of respondents called Prime Minister's Questions "unprofessional and outdated" and 80% thought it "ineffective". As one Mumsnetter put it: "Might as well get some preschoolers to call each other poo-heads and be done with it."

Following on from this and our webchat last week, we launched a petition asking the PM to look at ways PMQs could be strengthened. So far, over 55k people have signed.

On Wednesday we'll be streaming PMQs live at 12pm. Come along and watch with us: we'll be joined by Sky News' political correspondent Anushka Asthana for a live webchat before and after to discuss the session.

Anushka wrote the Mumsnet/ Mori report on women voters last year. Before working for Sky News she was a columnist and chief political correspondent for The Times, and before that was at the Observer, where she worked for eight years. Her final role as the newspaper's policy editor saw her working from Westminster writing about politics and people. While there she covered the 2010 General Election and the formation of the Coalition.

Anushka wants to find out a bit more about what you think. What do you like about PMQs? What, if anything, do you feel needs changing? If you don't like, it why not? What could be improved?

Please join us at midday on Wednesday - and as ever, if you can't be there then please use this thread to post up any questions or comments in advance.

Thanks
MNHQ

And they've gone. How many questions did he actually answer? I heard one.

Andy Burnham - Labour shadow health minister - makes point of order to claim the Prime Minister has mislead people with statistics on waiting times. PM gave another answer claiming he is right. So we still no more certain on that one!

I think PMQs should be longer. 1 hour and MPs should be able to ask a second question if they don't think he first was answered. I also think there should be a special PMQs once a month where constituents questions are put to the PM. I think it's unfair that the opposition leader takes a bashing when he can't reply. I think Cameron really shows what type of a person her really is in these sessions.

Andrew Neil is right "why go on the NHS?" We all already know that it is Labour territory, so Miliband can score no real new points with the public.

@WhatUsain

God watching this is giving me the rage. A bunch of self-serving smug people with no intention of having a meaningful debate. How can anything change if they approach every issue like a playground fight?

WhatUsain Do you feel you get anything out of it? Or is it just about them trying to shoehorn soundbites onto TV and radio? It certainly is punch and judy - but is that what people want?

Ooh they said Mumsnet on Sky.

@ChillieJeanie

claig The leader of the opposition gets six questions. If the LibDems weren't in government then Clegg would have three (I think - might be four). Otherwise it's individual questions from the back benchers.

ChillieJeanie So ironically, Mr Clegg's position as Deputy Prime Minister means his voice is totally missing from PMQs. He does have deputy PMQs but I bet not many people watch that. He does do his weekly LBC call in, which I think is really good.

When's Deputy PMQs? Never heard of it!

I think what really gets me angry watching this is that all that childish cheering and shouting and arguing - they are discussing issues that affect people's LIVES, and often dramatically, and yet, they are too busy scoring points against each other to really have an intelligent discussion.

Some days I wonder why they don't just wee in the corners of the room and have done with it. Rich boy testosterone.

It's not exactly enlightening is it. It's just irritating. If that was an argument between your kids in the local park you'd tell them to go away and sort it out between themselves.

@raydown

I think PMQs should be longer. 1 hour and MPs should be able to ask a second question if they don't think he first was answered. I also think there should be a special PMQs once a month where constituents questions are put to the PM. I think it's unfair that the opposition leader takes a bashing when he can't reply. I think Cameron really shows what type of a person her really is in these sessions.

raydown Think that is really interesting idea. A lot of female MPs told me they want the chance to come back to PM.

Anushka only a raised blood pressure!

I think it's useful to raise important issues which affect constituents, but it's frustrating to know we'll probably never get an honest answer from either side - and if we did we probably wouldn't hear it over all the cheering and booing. That alone should be banned in the Commons! Such a childish way to conduct themselves.

I can't imagine many people want this style of politics. It doesn't seem to to do anything positive for the general public, it's all a show for the parties.

"It certainly is punch and judy - but is that what people want?" asks Anushka.
No, it is not at all what I want. To me, PMQs feels like a tabloid version of the news. I don't buy tabloids unless I feel like turning my brain off, getting a bit of entertainment, then feeling a bit sick with myself & society afterwards. I have NO desire to tabloid-ise something important as parliament, and I am disgusted that the people in charge of running the country have decided amongst themselves that it is fit and proper to behave this way. Fed up, can hardly ever bear to watch PMQs.

"I think PMQs should be longer. 1 hour and MPs should be able to ask a second question if they don't think he first was answered. I also think there should be a special PMQs once a month where constituents questions are put to the PM. I think it's unfair that the opposition leader takes a bashing when he can't reply."

Excellent points by raydown. We need a 1 hour question time, possibly at 7 pm, of only Miliband vs Cameron, and then a separate 30 minute one about constituency issues etc.

The public would mainly watch the Miliband vs Cameron one, because the public is more interested in the broad picture rather than statistics and detail

Well, of course. It's questions to the Prime Minister as head of the government. Collective responsibility means it would not be appropriate for Clegg to be asking questions as if he was in opposition, and frontbenchers don't ask questions in PMQs.

It's like "Political Big Brother". I want the politicians that are running the country to be intelligent, rational people that are willing to have a decent discussion and able to do what's best for our country. NOT a bunch of boorish frat boys that can't sit down and shut up.

(Perhaps their parents should be fined for their bad behaviour - isn't that what they're proposing for badly behaved children in school??)

It's not what I want either.

They'll probably point to history, tradition, whatever. We all know that not all historial stuff was good or the right way to do things!

I would like as a consituent to feel that if my MP ever got a turn, their question would be taken seriously, actually answered and not ised to score points or reel off soundbites.

@Choccyjules

When's Deputy PMQs? Never heard of it!

Choccyjules It is Nick Clegg versus Harriet Harman! It is what happens when the PM is away but they also have sessions on a Tuesday.

I like the idea of constituency PMQs. Aren't they very light on parliamentary business between now and the election? they could put their time to good use and make some changes.

We think that two women got the hardest time - Diane Abbott and Kerry McCarthy. But they were both very partisan.

I wrote a piece once about Paul Maynard, a Tory MP with cerebral palsey, being mimicked in the chamber because of his disability. Can you even start to imagine that in a normal workplace. So why in the chamber?

I don't think it is that the MPs are bad people - I think it is something about the way the atmosphere builds up and leads to pack behaviour that can get very personal.

@AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore

It's like "Political Big Brother". I want the politicians that are running the country to be intelligent, rational people that are willing to have a decent discussion and able to do what's best for our country. NOT a bunch of boorish frat boys that can't sit down and shut up.

(Perhaps their parents should be fined for their bad behaviour - isn't that what they're proposing for badly behaved children in school??)

AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore There is an idea!

Mob mentality. Pack behaviour.

There's still no reason for it. It makes a laughing stock of the government. I am actually embarrassed watching it (and raging at their behaviour).

How in god's name can they command any respect when they behave less appropriately than a child in reception???

I remember when Claire Short was basically called jealous, sexually frustrated and fat for opposing Page Three, so I can believe anything of politicians in group mode. Shameful.

They always seem to pick on Julian Huppert. Don't know what that is about. I think they discussed it once and said he asks lots of questions or something.

A lot of people don't like the childish behaviour or failure to answer questions. But if the debate felt more robust and meaningful - would you not prefer it to be heated and passionate than dry? I think one risk of ripping the panto out of PMQs is that people will totally turn off. Have you ever seen C-span in the US? Do you ever watch other debates in Parliament?