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

During the last Labour government you introduced an initiative in the form of salary enhancement for schools to pay a 'special' teacher who would take on more duties and organise extra curricular events for the school; this was much trumpeted, as were the class limits of 27, but the next year the teacher funding was withdrawn and the class numbers allowed to rise again. Why should anyone beleive what your party says?

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?

How is the proposed four day week to work? Are Labour suggesting that workers take a 20% cut or are they expecting employers to pay the same wage for a 20% loss of production?

What are your views on Private Funding Initiatives for the N.H.S that we’re widely used during the last Labour government?

I gather that you were a pupil at St Joseph's College in Ipswich, a private school. No doubt you received considerable benefit from this privilege, so why do you want to remove this opportunity for children today? And don't tell me that you want ALL schools to be of this standard ... we would all welcome small class sizes and marvellous facilities, but realistically we know that isn't going to happen!

Is the delayed suggestion of Waspi compensation an act of desperation by Labour to win a chunk of votes?

Why is there such a huge variation in quotes on the Labour Waspi calculator eg:

Born 1958 £12,800 approx
Born 1952 £10,500 approx
Born 1953 £19,300 approx

The person born in 1958 is missing out the most nearing the £50k of pension mark. Not only is this compensation a fraction of their loss it is also disproportionate in comparison to a 1953 quote who loses less years pension.

Is the compensation offered a definite or will Labour renege on this?

What about the disparity in other regional losses due to these pension changes eg bus passes. All in London get Oyster cards at 60 years, as do some other cities give bus passes but others have to wait till pension age thereby incurring further losses. Would Labour equalize this?

If you think it isn’t fair that only married couples can claim the Married Couples Allowance why not extend it to all couples rather than taking it away from me and my husband and thousands more?

I feel the media, especially the BBC have been really bad this election with lies, deception and smoke and mirrors. What can be done to address this and ensure a free media?

rem1997
It's hardly infiltration its engaging with the electorate something all politicians should do during an election!
You don't have to take part if you isn't want to.

How do you see the refunds for WASPI women to work? Will eveyone born in the 50s benefit or will it be means tested and will women need to apply for it or will it be automatic.
Thank you?

How tedious that a political party needs to infiltrate a friendly chat-about-everyday-issues forum for grans.
This is NOT a political party advertising forum. Nor is it a site for electioneering your own favourite political party. Stop it or I for one will vote with my feet!

Unbelievable. Have you not noticed there is an election on. If you don't want to be involved don't bother but don't spoil what's important to others.

I think it's great that the politicians think MN and GN are part of their constituency and should be allowed to ask and clarify what the politicians are thinking. Honestly!

If Labour get into power, what will you be doing about immediately reinstating the War Widows Pension for those of us who lost it on remarriage? The amount is peanuts in the great scheme of things and yet we have been overlooked for over 4 years since it was announced that, from April 2015, War Widows who remarried would keep their WWP. Does it mean nothing that our husbands, too, died serving their country?

With your well documented support for rioters and call for insurrection, how, if you got into power would you expect to be respected as a supporter of law and order?

Subject-the safety of women and children. Gender Recognition Act review

We are moving towards a more diverse yet inclusive society, something that is mainly for the better. But how will the changes, particularity around self identification of gender / the GRA be managed to protect the safety of women and children. Particularly in women only spaces, such as women's prisons, women's refuges, women's changing facilities, women only hospital wards etc.

Along side this, how can children be protected and served better with mental health services rather than rush them towards what amounts to medical experimentation with life changing medical treatment and surgery to change gender.

Left unchecked,the unintended consequences of self identification of gender could be unsafe for both women and children. How will the Labour party ensure women and children are protected

Why aren't you offering to do anything for the 1960's women. Its way to arbitrary to stop at 1960. I'm a 1962 born but now have to wait until I'm 67 to get anything at all. I have over 40 years contributions effectively locked away. If I live that long, who knows the state will have stolen £42000 from me. You need to consider us before you get me vote.

John, If you are successful in making it to government, what colour uniforms do you envisage your proletariat wearing? Personally the khaki doesn't suit me, I prefer the Boilersuit blue.

How tedious that a political party needs to infiltrate a friendly chat-about-everyday-issues forum for grans.
This is NOT a political party advertising forum. Nor is it a site for electioneering your own favourite political party. Stop it or I for one will vote with my feet!

Struck me that Trump was correct in saying that he would not want to take over the NHS. Of course not: he would want it privatized first! The timeless model applies to all gross-scale businesses: propose a small but significant advantage but then minimize workers' pay and conditions, scoop off excessive profits and then scarper, leaving ruin. There barely even seems to be any law against it. It's already being applied to the NHS, to other "caring" institutions, to housing, to the probation service and to universities, colleges and schools, let alone to department stores like BHS. Please expose this model and tell the public how you plan to change laws permitting this model. Thanks for your commitment. Wishing you well.

I would not wish to have anything to do with John McDonald, shadow chancellor from the labour party,or any other member from that party either, but thank you for the invitation to join in.

My then 98-year old mother went into a Care Home last year and the staff are wonderful and very knowledgable. Prior to this and after a fall and a broken ankle, she was shunted from hospital to hospital and temporary care to finally permanent care. She was well cared for by good staff but for someone with Altziemers, it was excruciating.

How can we stop the target times on hospital departments ignoring the effect of Altziemers?