

Live chat with London Mayoral candidates Jenny Jones (Green), Siobhan Benita (Independent) and Lawrence Webb (UKIP), Tuesday 1st May, 12pm-1pm

(146 Posts)
FrancesMumsnet (MNHQ) Fri 27-Apr-12 14:14:44

Following on from Ken and Boris's webchats you said you would like us to invite the remaining mayoral candidates (excluding the BNP) in for live webchats.

So far, the Independent candidate Siobhan Benita, Green party candidate Jenny Jones and UKIP candidate Lawrence Webb have accepted, we're very pleased to announce that they will be joining us at MNHQ on Tuesday 1 May, 12:00pm-1pm.

Siobhan joined the Civil Service in 1996 and worked at the very heart of Government for over 15 years. She lives with her husband and two daughters in New Malden, Kingston.

Jenny Jones is the Green Partys Mayoral candidate and has been a London Assembly Member since its start in 2000. Before entering politics, Jones worked as an archaeologist, studying carbonised plant remains, mostly in the Middle East.

Lawrence Webb, has lived and worked in London for most his life except for a brief stint spent working overseas. Before entering politics, Webb was a self-employed electrician. He was also in the Territorial Army for eight years.

Join us for the webchat and make your voice heard about what you want to see from the capital's next Mayor. Siobhan, Jenny and Lawrence are keen to hear your views and answer your questions. As ever, if you can't make it, please post up your advance questions here.



LineRunner Sun 29-Apr-12 20:52:13

Siobhan, I'm not a Londoner but will be campaiging for a friend of mine who is standing in local elections where I live.

I would love to get more people out to vote.

I support votes for young people - what do you think, and at what age would you say that young people should be able to vote?

Good luck.

BIWIWhoMustBeObeyed Sun 29-Apr-12 21:30:23

I'm very glad that Siobhan has had an invitation extended to her. I think the way she has been excluded from the media debates has been shocking.

Will think of a question!

Betelguese Sun 29-Apr-12 21:48:54

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

justonemorethread Sun 29-Apr-12 22:22:47

Siobhan, I would live to vote for you, but because of B and K's media monopoly I don't feel I've had a chance to find out more about you.

Please tell us why you are a credible candidate, what exactly your experience in 'top' levels of government was and how it translates in to someone with the ability to sustain such a high profile position.

Also, why is it so hard to get media coverage- surely the BBC is duty bound to give a balanced view of candidates?

In other words, please show off and silence the nay-sayers!

bobthebuddha Sun 29-Apr-12 22:37:57

Definitely interested in voting for you (I'd be very impressed if you managed to get 167 new primary schools built!), but wondering about your supporting the extra Heathrow runway.

Have you considered/consulted on the local opposition to this and the effect on quality of life for those under the flightpath if it goes ahead?

Could you really maintain 'strict limits on sound and emissions'?

Why is it preferable to the idea of an airport in the Thames Estuary which you said you'd want to cancel outright as a 'vanity project'? Would there really be no need for public money to be spent at Heathrow?

justonemorethread Sun 29-Apr-12 22:42:05

I would love to vote for you, not live!

I'm enthusiastic, but not that much!

painterlyswoosh Mon 30-Apr-12 10:18:48

What are your plans for education in the city? How do you think we can tackle the issue of the massive difference in quality of schools from borough to borough?

FrancesMumsnet (MNHQ) Mon 30-Apr-12 11:47:51

UPDATE: Great news, Jenny Jones the Green candidate has just confirmed that she will be taking part in our live mayoral webchat tomorrow. Please post your questions for Jenny on this thread too.

Groovee Mon 30-Apr-12 12:09:32

Would either of you consider changing the way schools are allocated through the so called choice selection which is currently used and if so what would you do to change it?

Thanks for inviting these candidates on MNHQ.

Question to each of the candidates - what one thing do you think really needs to be tackled in order to improve life in London for Londoners as a whole and how would you go about it?

FrancesMumsnet (MNHQ) Mon 30-Apr-12 14:07:20

UPDATE: Lawrence Webb the UKIP candidate has just confirmed that he will be taking part in our live mayoral webchat tomorrow. Please post your questions for Lawrence on this thread too. Thanks

BIWIWhoMustBeObeyed Mon 30-Apr-12 14:53:59

Why can't they have their separate chat threads? This is (almost) as bad as the television stations not giving them air time.

I don't want to talk to Lawrence Webb <spits>!

piji Mon 30-Apr-12 14:54:10

Hi Siobhan, I'm quite interested in voting for you - I read your bit in the election leaflet with interest - although to be honest I don't think you'll get elected, you'll probably get my first preference, largely because you were the ONLY one of the candidates who seems to have noticed that London have a massive great crisis with school places!

I gather you grew up in Wimbledon - we're currently having a big planning problem with local NIMBYs who are opposing school expansion (astonishingly, they simply deny that there is any lack of school places!) - what could you do to help parents in our area?

More info in this thread:

and here

and here (for fairness) is the NIMBY website


piji Mon 30-Apr-12 14:55:31

sorry, "London have" should read "London has".

Jasna Mon 30-Apr-12 15:09:42


Crumblemum Mon 30-Apr-12 15:11:05

I'd like to ask a question to all the candidates. What specifically will you do to make secondary school pupils feel safe? They're most likely (I think) to be victims of crime, yet they're only ever portrayed as criminals. I think it's a big reason so many middle class families are happy with state primaries but get nervous about sending their kids to the local secondary - meaning lots of upheaval in kids' lives (away from friends and neighbourhood) and that we're a long way from getting the social mix lots of us want at secondaries.

politico Mon 30-Apr-12 20:30:37

To all the candidates:

As this election is (unfortunately) a two horse race between Boris and Ken, if the winner offered you a job in his administration, what position / area of responsibility would you be prepared to accept, and what would be your main priority?

Woodlands Mon 30-Apr-12 22:41:47

I STILL haven't decided who to vote for (normally vote Lib Dem but don't feel inspired by Brian Paddick). I will probably give Boris my second preference (though I will have to hold my nose to vote Tory) but am open-minded about whether to vote for Brian or for Siobhan.

SO my question is for Siobhan - why should I vote for you? I still haven't totally figured out what you stand for, but I get the feeling that you stand for people like me.

Blu Mon 30-Apr-12 22:42:29

Mr Webb, the Mayor of London does not have the legal power to change the immigration laws or change council's housing list priorities (for example) - how then, can you possibly implement your manifesto?

Lfs2126 Mon 30-Apr-12 23:16:11

Siobhan. If I voted you as 1st pref. , who would you suggest as my second choice and why?

TheBlackShiksa Tue 01-May-12 09:37:08

This question is for Lawrence, and I hope he answers: Isn't UKIP just a straight up racist party? Aren't you BNP lite? Interesting to note that you were also once an immigrant, how did you find that? As a black Briton whose parents are both immigrants, why would I ever consider voting for you. Actually why should any ethnic minority Briton vote for you?

BIWIWhoMustBeObeyed Tue 01-May-12 09:39:04

There is no way on this planet I will ever bring myself to vote for Boris. But I don't know who to put as my second choice.

Siobhan/Jenny - why would you make a good second choice for me?

(Take it as read that the UKIP candidate will never, ever secure a vote from me)

Solo Tue 01-May-12 09:59:07

How sad is this? I had no idea that there was anyone other that Johnson and Livingstone to vote for!!
So, does that mean that the rest of you aren't shouting loud enough?

<wanders off to decide who to vote for now I'm not just stuck with 2 choices>

PetiteRaleuse Tue 01-May-12 10:08:03

Lawrence, what would you say to those of us who believe that the UKIP is extreme right but is tryint to convince the world otherwise, as Marine Le Pen's party tries the same in France?

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