Backwards Britain

Interesting comment by Johann Hari today about why the Tories' policy to mend "Britain's broken society" is a backwards step. The policy relies heavily on sociological research findings that children from broken homes or single parent families are more likely to have poor educational and behavioural outcomes than children whose parents stay together. However, a new study by Professor Kelly Musick and Dr Ann Meier of Cornell University into children whose parents stay together in disharmony for the sake of the children has shown the children do worse than any other group. Thus the Tories' policies to keep families together would actually increase the numbers of children in the worst performing category.

At the same time David Cameron is committed to pulling Britain out of the European Social Chapter which means rights for part-time workers will be eroded, leading to lots of stressed out parents having less time to spend with their children. Also the Married Couples Allowance would be a big redistribution of wealth to people who don't need it, paid for by cutting Tax Credits to SureStart to the Educational Maintenance Allowance to the poorest people who do.

Full article Source The Independent 26 June 2009