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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To MNHQ - what was the GB webchat actually like behind the scenes?

50 replies

cleanandclothed · 16/10/2009 15:29

Put this in site stuff so MNHQ can see it. I would really like to know:

Who was with him?
Who typed?
Did he read the questions or did someone (who?) read out ones he might like to answer?
Did anyone 'double check' = spin the answers before he sent them?
Was there any cut and paste or were they truly typed/dictated in real time?

Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
DottyDot · 16/10/2009 15:30

Was he actually there?!

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 16/10/2009 15:31

Yes he was here. We had security men (ate all the carrot cake, cupcakes, various hangers on advisers and Gordon (ate all the shortbread).

TanteRose · 16/10/2009 15:31

yy, I predicted a whole team of advisors on another thread...spill!

TanteRose · 16/10/2009 15:34

sorry, x-post w/Justine.
did they cherry-pick the questions?

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 16/10/2009 15:34

No he didn't type. Some answered were pre-prepared - he checked them all and changed many - and he dictated the rest. He knew A LOT and as soon as he finished one question he look up and say, "Right next question!"

JustAnotherManicMummy · 16/10/2009 15:35

Was it just like In The Thick Of It? But with cake?

Slubberdegullion · 16/10/2009 15:35

I want to know what the powers that be and their minions at mnhq were doing?

Were you all on duty, fingers warmed up and hovering over the 'delete message' button?

Did you have a power talk and group stacking of hands GO TEAM before hand?

Was there an incentive scheme for first person to delete a norty message?

Are you all kicking back and drinking G&Ts and eating energy restoring flapjack bars now?

ilovemydogandmrobama · 16/10/2009 15:35

Did someone register as Sarah Brown on the livechat thread or was it really her?

pofacedandproud · 16/10/2009 15:35

How come he answered so few then?

pofacedandproud · 16/10/2009 15:36

Theyoungvisiteur makes a good suggestion on the other thread, Justine, that we have a pre-thread with questions and then we vote for top ten questions that MUST get answered - otherwise so disappointing when difficult questions are evaded.

JustAnotherManicMummy · 16/10/2009 15:36

Where did you hide the 50 sensual massagers?

DorotheaPlentighoul · 16/10/2009 15:38

lol ManicMummy

BudaBones · 16/10/2009 15:39

Where you all nervous beforehand?

GypsyMoth · 16/10/2009 15:40

was it sarah brown...if not,when sarah comes in she will find her name already taken!!

did he mind the biscuit question?

Guttersnipe · 16/10/2009 15:43

I would like to know where MNHQ is. I always thought it was run in Justine's spare bedroom but I guess it must actually be somewhere fairly central in London for GB to go there (unless there is something you want to tell us Justine re your relationship with GB?!)

SheWhoMustNotBeFlamed · 16/10/2009 15:44

I suppose you'll be wanting it back then ...

Guttersnipe · 16/10/2009 15:44

Did he actually answer the biscuit question? Not sure I can wade through the waffle political stuff to find out.

Original poster
cleanandclothed · 16/10/2009 16:10

So who read him the questions? You or the advisers, or both? What did the advisers do?

OP posts:
Lizzylou · 16/10/2009 16:14

What was he like in the flesh?

Did he know TerryWogansCock was on the thread?

mumblechum · 16/10/2009 16:16

Where's the thread, please anyone??

MNHQ
JustineMumsnet · 16/10/2009 17:41

No was not real Sarah Brown - we're going to need that name back soon too, as she has agreed to come .
Wasn't really like the Thick of It at all - much more serious.
He didn't dodge questions - was very keen to cover all the broad policy issues.
He marched in and shook everyone's hand and asked AlexiaMumsnet and NikitaTech if they enjoyed working at Mumsnet Towers - luckily don't think he heard their replies.
His security men ate ALL the carrot cake (really, I didn't even see it) - have I mentioned that already?
The advisers suggested things but he mostly did what he wanted.
He pretty much had every policy in his head and keen to get to the next question.
Am sure we'll get the biscuit answer - leave it with us.
And yes need a g&t.

pofacedandproud · 16/10/2009 17:46

He didn't answer the HE/Badman review question which was asked by many, many times. And nothing on the environment.

cocolepew · 16/10/2009 17:50

You seem bitter about the carrot cake, was it for display purposes only?

And why has my logging in problem not been fixed? Since when has a PM coming in been more important than a valued poster? Hmm?

Actually don't answer that last question.

Tombliboobs · 16/10/2009 17:58

But whoever has got the SarahBrown user name could have a field day between now and then posting lots of scandalous suggestions and revealing intimate details of her and GB's personal life and then when the real Sarah Brown comes on it would make interesting reading for anyone who does a search of her posts

Maybe the real guests should have MNHQ in their title, then it would give the benefit of knowing it was definitely them and make the MNHQ workforce look much more diverse

squeaver · 16/10/2009 18:01

Please, please can you do a link to the pic on Twitter so we can have a caption competition.

Here's my entry:

GB: "Ah yes, Ed Balls told me you all wear a lot of Boden around here"