Mumsnet: the political battleground?
Updated on 18 November 2009
Labour and the Conservatives are trying to outdo one another with family-friendly policies as they court the female vote ahead of the general election.
Gordon Brown has also fielded questions from the online mothers' forum, but his performance was criticised because he seemed determined to ignore repeated requests for him to name his favourite biscuit.
Polls suggest that Labour is more popular than the Conservatives among female voters and glancing through the Mumsnet list of recent poltical guests, it appears Labour have put plenty of effort into reaching out to mothers.
As well as Gordon Brown, deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman, schools minister Ed Balls, Health Secretary Andy Burnham and Home Secretary Alan Johnson have represented the Government in the Mumsnet chat room, while shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley and shadow family minister Maria Miller have put the Tories' opinions across.
Mumsnet has told its readers this week's chat with David Cameron is their "chance to quiz him on everything from Europe to the economy and from the family to those oatcakes".
The last time he appeared on Mumsnet in March 2008, Cameron answered questions on flexible working, maternity care and leave, education and his cycling and ties.
And Mumsnet has made it clear to its readers they have a political voice. Politics is playing a significant role on the site's front page at the moment. The politics threads on their discussion pages show that the BBC Newsnight programme wants to gauge the readers' reactions to the Queen's speech.
Downing Street has responded to a petition about childcare vouchers, and there is a discussion about whether politicians are judged by their looks.
