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Family-friendly, or just another Tory soundbite?


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http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-28831242

 

I'm cynical about this. If Cameron has money to throw around with the aim of supporting families (presumably just 'hardworking' ones, rather than the feckless!), would it not be better spent on high-quality ante-natal parenting classes and continuing access to parenting help as the children get older? These would include advice about how to keep channels of communication open, teach respect and good manners, defuse confrontations and how to resist, and help your kids resist, the onslaught of consumerism (designer clothes, electronic games, new mobiles, etc) which are unaffordable for many parents.

 

My personal favourite would be a huge investment in child health and nutrition, beginning with the whole-hearted promotion of and support for breastfeeding for babies in all social classes. Then subsidies for nutritious fresh food and higher taxes on junk?

 

Or free, high quality school meals for any family where the parents agree to attend cooking classes (with their kids) so they can continue to feed them well at home?

 

Govt. subsidies for educational school visits for kids whose parents can't afford them.

 

Free or heavily subsidised family entrance tickets to musuems, galleries and leisure centres for those who cannot afford it.

 

Cash incentives for kids who achieve above their indicated grades at GCSE (contraversial, I appreciate!)

 

What do you think about Cameron's initiative?

 

I'd rather the government didn't put huge sums of money into telling people how they should live their lives.

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People have been kicked in the head by the recession and the trillion pound debt left by Labour. You might not agree with the way they are tidying up the mess but let's not forget who made the mess.

 

As for the family-friendly policy... yes, just a soundbite. We'll be getting loads from all the political parties.

 

A debt which has increased under this government. So what you have done back in 2008? Let people starve to death in the streets because they couldn't afford housing of any kind or indeed food?

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A debt which has increased under this government. So what you have done back in 2008? Let people starve to death in the streets because they couldn't afford housing of any kind or indeed food?

 

The debt wasn't incurred in 2008 to save the poor. It was occurred over more than a decade of boom time when Labour still managed to spend more than was coming in. They borrowed money to spend generously, which bought them votes ... but now it's pay back time.

 

You can criticise this government for the way it has gone about sorting out the financial mess but don't go forgetting who created it in the first place.

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I would have thought that in the interest of avoiding unintended consequences, all legislation would be examined for its impact on society as a matter of course. Isn't that what politicians are supposed to do? But what do I know...

 

Of course it's just another Tory soundbite - and I'm sick of them.

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I would have thought that in the interest of avoiding unintended consequences, all legislation would be examined for its impact on society as a matter of course. Isn't that what politicians are supposed to do? But what do I know...

 

Of course it's just another Tory soundbite - and I'm sick of them.

 

That is a very good point. But even if by some miracle they were required to consider the impact of policies on society, they wouldn't be legally bound to act upon that... having considered, they would just push on regardless.

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