Webchat with John McDonnell MP, Shadow Chancellor, Friday 6 December at 12pm - add your questions here

I would like to know WHY you and all other parties have totally ignored the British Citizens living in the EU and have concentrated on the rights of EU Citizens living in the UK. This has had a catastrophic effect on many Brits ...AND A WILL ALSO impact on costs to the NHS , Social Care (that's a joke in itself !) the elderly and families who are forced to return as their income from UK OAP Pensions is considered by many EU countries to be insufficient to allow them to remain in, for instance, France ! ………….a disgraceful way to treat those who are still UK taxpayers but chose to live elsewhere ………….a lot of lives have been turned upside down.

I am NOT a Labour supporter but am very depressed and almost despairing that people are considering voting Conservative again given the evils of austerity that have been visited on so many people. Services have been cut, local authorities stripped of much needed funds and many, many families living in poverty. Do you think these voters don't understand who caused all of this....... or just don't care as they assume it will never affect them?

The last Labour government bled the country dry. Austerity resulted, with cutbacks made in order to balance the books and avoid leaving our children and grandchildren to bear the burden of a huge deficit.
How on earth can your promises of money for everyone ensure we will not leave huge problems for generations to come?
The rich can be taxed more but so will the poor. Taxation also leads to those who have the most protecting their money, and often leaving the country, so their contribution effectively reduces.

I'm very concerned about the lack of a labour policy regarding housing Affordable rented housing. Why isn't this a high priority for Labour say over free broadband.

How and when will the waspi women be paid?

The last Labour government did not bleed the country dry. There was a world recession. I look back to the last Labour government as a golden age despite the mistakes that were made. For instance, homelessness was almost wiped out then (listen to Louise Casey on this.) Austerity has caused an erosion of decency in this country. It is accepted that it's ok for the poorest to suffer greatly. The levels of poverty and misery in this country would not have been tolerated in that era.

^^jailer
If you have in any way studied the history of the last century,
with the abject failure of both every Marxist regime and state controlled industries, how can you sanely argue that your identical policies are the correct ones for Great Britain and northern Ireland?

What a ridiculous question since when has socialism ever been the same as Marxism??? Do your homework!

You'll probably duck my question but why abolish independent schools?
Many (but obviously not all) are beacons of excellence.

I could drive a Ford Ka (and have done!) or, save up and buy a Lamborghini, generally held to be a better car. My savings, my choice. Ditto schools: my saving and choice.

I have saved our country money by not using state schools and ought have a credit if anything!

Why destroy some absolutely outstanding organisations, except out if spite? Jealousy?

I don't live in an enormous mansion but am not envious of those who do: good luck to them (as long as they, like me, have paid their taxes!).

Work instead into paying teaching staff a decent salary, put money into early education, school buildings and stop the decline in our educational standards.

Yes, I know this means raising taxes. The NHS and education are worth paying more for.

When will Labour accept that it will never win all the time Jeremy Corbyn is its leader?

Why did Jeremy Corbyn give a council flat to an IRA terrorist upon his release from jail jumping a 12,000 queue on the waiting list when he had no link to the area. He also owned a property in Wales that he then let out.
You also released cash from the GLC for an Irish Centre in Corbyns constituency that then employed this newly released terrorist and another? Why do you support terrorists over decent constituents who's need is greater?
Rabbitgran. Labour did contribute to our last huge recession. Gordon Brown "Prudence" deregulated which lead to casino banking. Which nearly led to us all losing our savings, the banks having to be bailed out and the austerity of the last decade. We are still paying for Labour's mistakes in finance, NHS failed computer systems, PFI financed hospitals draining cash.

Thank you for taking the time to explain this John. I, for one, believe in the Labour manifesto, and appreciate your support for the WASPI women. I stand to lose £48,000, worked from the age of 17, and have paid 42 years on National Insurance. It will be good to see justice done and the contract met.

I’m appalled that a chat room such as granS net is being used by momentum to try and persuade us to vote for them. My OH is a Labour councillor and I’m sick of him during his credit card to pay LabEvents, Facebook Adverts, stationary and anything else their ‘local office’ wants, he says he’ll get the money back but we’ll they also pay the months’ worth of interest too? I think not! And anyway why should he have to use his personal credit to fund your election strategy?
Don’t expect I’ll get an answer to this one!

I am SO disappointed with Gransnet - even it cannot be above politics, how very sad

Sorry that should say USING his credit card!

You have not had anything stolen from you. You have had notice of your SPA increase. We didn't. Most of us were out working at 15, paid in nearly 50 years worth of NI & tax. It's a 1950s women born issue. Not 1960s & upwards ?

Didn’t think Mr McDonnell would answer me about using my OH credit card to fund labours election campaign! BTW I’m also one of those women like Suzie122 that worked from being 15!