YESTERDAY David Cameron announced an “all-out assault on poverty”. This would, he said, be achieved through a series of social reforms, including better mental health services focusing on eating disorders.
The Prime Minister said he would flatten “sink estates”, help families save, resurrect parenting classes and encourage the “tiger mother” style of parenting where children are pushed hard by their families to learn.
This new programme will see the government give £1 billion to the National Citizens Service in England and Wales, which provides voluntary work for teenagers.
As a speech and a proposal, it was one that had Cameron’s political philosophy at its heart.
This is a Prime Minister who believes saving is a possibility for those in poverty. For the thousands in this country who are living hand to mouth, the idea of saving up for the future is preposterous.
Saving up for the future would be great, but they are not making a choice not to save. It is a matter of eating now and paying bills now. Saving just isn’t even something many of those on poverty pay can even countenance.
Absolutely, parents should take more involvement in their offspring’s education. Of course they should push them, and push them hard.
But again, for many parents this isn’t even a possibility. Long hours, low-paid work can mean even the most dedicated of parents struggle.
Then there are the children who effectively care for themselves, with minimal parental involvement.
Parenting courses failed last time because people didn’t have the time to attend. No matter the incentive the government offers families in England, they will still fail.
What makes all of Cameron policy promises meaningless is that it is his government that has cut and cut benefits. If he had not been stopped by the Lords there would be millions of families facing real hardship as a result of his tax credit cuts.
The research shows nearly overwhelmingly that, more than anything else, what damages children and what restricts their opportunities is being part of a low-income family.
Yet Cameron and Osborne with their austerity agenda will only create more low-income families. Parenting classes won’t make a difference.
What planet is David Cameron on? PM savaged for telling the poor to save for a rainy day
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