So, MNHQ, bedecked in LKBennett (and Boden for the plebs) are all out stuffing pizza and Bolly, half of the posters and hangers-on are there too: what mischief shall we get up to while they're away?

[WilfSell]

Because I bet they've just left BigTech in charge. Or he/she'll be checking in every once in a while, a bit pished and lairy.

So we can DO. WHAT. WE. LIKE. while the Leaders party.

That's where I was trying Helen, the google man one was fine but Justine not so. Have given up now lest everything melt.

I was very impressed they had decorated Google HQ as a kindergarten or whatever it was he said - was there a ball pit?

Oh dear, will have a quick look

actually the Google pen is just a plastic biro with Google on

It's not really covetable

Tim Dowling could have had me on the pool table

If only I'd known

and had a ladder

A pool table? For toddlers? I may be childfree but even I know that's not right.

There were Google sweets somewhere too.

Oblomov- we're all grown ups and we know the extent to which we're being spun. But c'mon, it's fucking cool that a women-centred website has both the PM and his (bloody clever) wife at their 10th b'day. It really is.

... and we wouldn't be being spun if they didn't think there was something really valuable here.

Sweets, fruits, pool tables, tampon displays. It's beginning to look as though my decision to stay in exactly the same place for three hours might not have worked out well for me.

lolol at ladder
he was ac-tuilleries considerably shorter than I'd hoped.

Am hoping that the fact that I don't mention his name will mean he will never see this. Though I am sure = as sure as I am that dogs shit in my street (new metaphor - likey?)- that he or his wife will be combing this thread.

We all thought you were rather handsome, TD

"actually the Google pen is just a plastic biro with Google on

It's not really covetable."

speak for yourself MP. You haven't had yours whipped away have you

TD too old for me

onebat and worth it, i was just responding to tallest's earlier post, wehre she said that wasn't it amazing that what was started 10 years ago, turned into PM at party and who would have thought it. No its no surprise. becasue that is the way Mn has been directed. thats all.

yy DS1 had the Google biro out of my hands within minutes.

you is not bitter?

Good speeches, Carrie and Justine.

And great frocks.

Honestly, I'm so inordinately chuffed about what all this says about women/mums in social media that I've been actually telling people in RL that I mn.

I've come over all "out and proud".

It is so lovely seeing what the haiku-ettes look like.

But don't you still think it's amazing?

What an achievement for Justine and Carrie!

I only stole one Google sweet. It is on my desk like The Glass Slipper.

Wanting the country's media to regard your business as influential is one thing. To actually achieve the level of recognition that MN has requires you to have a business that is a roaring fucking success.

oh o.k. and achievemment for them, i guess. an achievement if you can get a PM to come to your party.
but good for us, mn, mn'ers? no i guess i think prob not.
why do i want pm or anyone else interested in what we post on an internet forum site.
just my own personal view.

Do you think the PM and his wife would accept an invitation to my child's 10th birthday party if I pretend to be justine sending the invitation?

Oblomov, I disagree. I think it is genuinely astonishing that a women-centred operation like this has achieved this level of success and recognition.

I used to produce a radical feminist fanzine, and although we scorned complicity with the state (!) and in fact had as our policy "the overthrow of civilsation as we know it", we worked our socks off trying to achieve anything other than a completely marginal position.

The margins, for women, are very marginal indeed. And it is very, very hard to fight your way out of a position that society seems very keen for you to operate in. Unless you are basically a mere sop to to the dark forces of capitalism/heteropatriarchy.

Mn has managed to keep v. strong values, and its pretty unique presence as a public forum for women (mainly) whilst achieving visibility. I am amazed.

Because they may just take notice, Oblomov, and make policies/manifestos to take on board what is such a huge chunk of the vote. (No, not all mums mumsnet, but I think it's fair to say that MN is representative of the mums in this country).

I am definitely in the 'Fuck me, that's quite amazing' camp. We can and should all criticise every element, but bloody hell: both the PM and Sarah Brown came to the party and speechified. That is unbefreakinglievable.

I don't know how it comes across on the video but at the time GB's 'can I introduce my lovely wife' bit - and his running off the pulpit thing - was really lovely.

And SB is SOOOO not a lurker.

Good post, animula.