Edwina Currie live webchat 23 July, 7pm

janette

Dear Edwina

What is your view on universal benefits?

Thank you

Janette

Cheap to administer and get to everybody. That’s why both winter heating allowances and free bus passes I have argued should continue – cos often, those who need them won’t apply (like pension credits). And once you start means testing, it costs a fortune to administer, all of which comes from the public purse.
As for "wealthy pensioners shouldn'g get..." arguments, remember they pay income tax on their pensions, like any other well off person.

Sunhat

Just thought of another question. Edwina, how do you think the current government compares to the days of Thatcher?

Well, its' a coalition whereas the formidable Mrs T had a whacking great majority, so she could do what she liked - at least, till she started getting things badly wrong, as with the poll tax. We prefer more emollient, more PC leaders these days. But the Coalition to be fair has achieved a lot in difficult times. I admire Michael Gove (Education) and Theresa May (Home Office). Wish the Treasury was a bit tougher, to be honest: the deficit at £110 billions pa is still eye-watering.

louella

What are you like as a grandmother?

You'd have to ask the grandkids...! between us, my husband and I have 6 children (youngest 35, oldest 52 - his) and 9 grandchildren and 2 gt grandchildren with a third on the way. For "mine", that is, my 7 year old granddaughter who lives nearby, I'm strict but fun, take her to the theatre etc. You will see us both on TV soon in a new prog, Big Star's Little Star. She is cute.. don't all grandparents think so?

banburynan

I just saw your photo on facebook and have to say I love your jacket!!!!!

One of the things (actually the thing) I find hardest about getting older is the attitude of other peopl. They see gray hair and automatically seem to dismiss me as an old dear. I am the same age as you and still think of myself as 40 something most of the time. Have you encountered prejudice such as this and what are your suggestions. 66 is hardly old!!!!

PS is this why you have decided not to go gray yourself?

You are so right. It's OK to be a bloke and grey-haired (John Humphrys) but woe betide a woman on TV who's grey - Prof Mary Beard, for example, or even Germaine Greer. Twitter gets so insulting. So for the moment I prefer not to be grey, but like the Queen, the day will come...!

golfpro

What are your views on the royal family? personally I'm feeling it a bit celebritising if that's a word...

The Royals have always been celebs. Look at The White Queen, and that's 600 years ago.. I think we are very lucky in HM, she's a great character, the finest public servant we have. And the general delight at the birth of the new Prince suggests most people are pleased the monachy will continue. The alternative - an elected President - seems to have thrown up some rum characters in other parts of the world..

pamelamoss

I read above that you have moved back to your roots. But has this entailed moving closer to your adult children? This is the conundrum for us. Not only whather we should leave an area where we have friends and places that we know but also which of our two children we should move closer to if we do. What is your experience?

This is an important discussion everyone should have - it helps to discuss with the family too.
If you stay in an area with mostly friends your own age, you'll end up going to a lot of funerals. If you move nearer the kids, they could move on.. so you see, the real discussion is, How do we plan for the future? McC & Stone did some research and found that most people don't have these discussions till something dreadful has happened. Moving at a time of crisis isn't the best way to do it.
Me, I dragged hubby up to Derbyshire where my elder daughter and granddaughter live, and it's been wonderful. He grew up in the Wirral and has rediscovered old friends still living in the area. Younger daughter's in London, easy to get to.

Galen

What do you think of the PIP replacement for DLA/AA

We are paying out £200 bn pa for benefits, and this is simply unsustainable. Especially as the number of pensioners is growing, and will continue to grow.
And for people of working age, it just doesn't make sense to pay so much that it is a rational decision not to work, to stay at home. Rational, please note.
On top of that, many people with disabilities can work, and are far less likely to be depressed and stuck if they can get out and have a job they enjoy. (Actually I think we are all like that).
Everyone gets angry if they think the system is being exploited, and there is no perfect way of assessing disability and inability to work. The more rigorous and regular assessments have meant that far fewer claims are being made. You may draw your own conclusions from that...

feminista

What would you say is your most redeeming feature and made you a success? And what do you think holds woman back in the work place?

1. Being a Scouser - youleanr to be quick with the lip, and one of our local MPs was a woman, Bessie Braddock. Formidable.
2. Having gone to an old fashioned state grammar school (closed by Derek Hatton, grrr..)
3. Coming from an argumentative family, where my Dad treated me like any other dult, and would discuss news stories with me from an early age. By the age of 14 I was taking part in school debates about joining the Commons Market!
So it never occurred to me that anything would hold me back, provided I worked hard and tired my best.
What holds most women back is fear - of failure, of embarrassment, of criticism. You do need the hide of a rhinoceros in the political world, but perhaps less so elsewhere.

grapefruit

What did you do with all your things when you downsized?! I have mountains and mountains of things that I simply can't bear to part with. Seems strange and quite sad to graduate to slightly bigger and slightly better houses. And then go backwards. Or it least it feels like it.

Got rid of loads - rest still stacked in the garage!
Many arguments with hubby about this. But I pointed out that when we get really old, we'll be using only a couple of rooms anyway..!
We moved north 2011 and took a lease on a big house. Fine in summer. In winter, a NIGHTMARE. When the final gas bill came in, it was £1790 for the quarter - on top of monthly £250 payments. That settled it.
Things.. they matter so much? More than comfort? More than friends? More than family?
Choose your favourites, and let the rest go. If you have good stuff, send it to auction, and spend the proceeds on something really mad.

highfive

Talking of childcare, do you ever help out and look after your grandchildren while your children work?

Not on a regular basis (but then I often take her dog...!).
My sister-in-law is the main carer for her grandchildren, but then she is very tied. Not sure that's a good thing, but it suits her. Every family has to find their own way of tacking this. I'd rather be a Gangsta granny and totally subversive with my grandchildren, taking them places their parents maybe wouldn't ...

coffeefortwo

Hello Edwina. What made you want to become the face of McCarthy and Stone?

Two years ago Mc&S put an ad in the paper asking for anyone interested in joining a small advisory group to apply. Over 700 people did and 6 were invited to become the Greater Life Advisory group. We meet regularly and toss around blue sky ideas, including tough criticism of some of their (then) approach - and to do them justice, they listen. It's about more than building nice retirement flats for owner occupiers; it's got to be about life planning, covering a much wider range of services, looking after older people rather better than perhaps in previous generations.

Sunhat

Michael Gove? Interesting. As the wife of a recently retired secondary school teacher, more or less everything I hear about him is negative - what do you admire?

He's pushing for higher standards for all children in the state school system, and I'm yelling, "About time!"
I went to a great school, the Liverpool Insititute High School for Girls (Paul and George of the Beatles went to the boys' school over the road). It doesn't exist any more. I don't like selection, as it tendede to ignore the needs of the other 80% of kids, but I had hoped the comprehensive system would give the best chances to every child. And it hasn't. Tony Blair started the academies - one good thing he did - and that's on the right track; I've been to Bede Academy in Northumberland, awesome. And free schools are exciting.
The teacher unions hate him because he's pushing their members for higher standards. But the public get what he's doing, I think