A strong marriage policy IS the key !!

[Cyberman]

I think the Tories are on a winner here as I believe that marriage is the cornerstone to a society and children within marriage are more likely to be confident and successful as adults. 60% of black children have one parent families and surely this is real evidence of the crux of the problem with knife crime etc, with the inherent lack of family discipline and father figure.

There is no history of divorce in my wide sphere of relatives and when I consider the apparent happiness and stability of all of these people, approx 50individuals of all ages, I see evidence in my eyes of why our society is riddled with crime and violence.

The Tories are going to implement a tax policy that promotes marriage. Other types of relationships of course are acceptable, but should not rank at the same level of marriage.

I am optimistic for the future because of this. I just only wish that the current government could also see the obvious benefits of this policy and introduce it ASAP.

[VectraMan]

I don't disagree, but I'm sure there's more to a successful marriage than tax breaks from the government. Encouraging unhappy people to stay together for financial reasons is possibly worse for families and crime and general social breakdown than what we have now.

[Troll]

As a policy it is doomed to failure, any attempt to promote marriage over bean flicking, rodgering, or bestiality will fail when challenged in the courts as discriminatory and unfair.

Still it makes for good headlines
HTH

[Cyberman]

I don't disagree, but I'm sure there's more to a successful marriage than tax breaks from the government. Encouraging unhappy people to stay together for financial reasons is possibly worse for families and crime and general social breakdown than what we have now.

I agree, and I am sure that there will be additional elements to this policy that do not involve tax breaks. However, even the smallest tax break sends a positive signal for marriage.

For instance, I would like to see single motherhood promoted less. It appears that massive benefits are available to them, such as free housing, while marriage gets poor reward. It's no wonder that young girls with low self-esteem get pregnant by multiple absent fathers in order to have a publicly subsidised lifestyle.

[Pickle2]

60% of black children have one parent families and surely this is real evidence of the crux of the problem with knife crime etc, with the inherent lack of family discipline and father figure.

So how is making those one parent families worse off relative to the married two parent families going to help? Surely it will make the rich-poor gap even worse?

You really think those "missing" black fathers from the ghetto are going to hang around and play happy familys because of a few income tax breaks? Get real.

This is self serving tory policy aimed squarley at the middle class swing voters who voted nuLab last time. Nothing wrong with that, politics as usual, but lets not dress it up as some great act of compasion and humanity.

[EvilWeevil]

60% of black children have one parent families and surely this is real evidence of the crux of the problem with knife crime

You appear to be equating black children with criminals. Are you sure that the BNP is not more suited to your beliefs?

[NotAllThere]

I don't disagree, but I'm sure there's more to a successful marriage than tax breaks from the government. Encouraging unhappy people to stay together for financial reasons is possibly worse for families and crime and general social breakdown than what we have now.

I believe the evidence suggests that an unhappy family staying together is usually better for the kids than a "broken" one. Reason is that being able to maintain a relationship between mum and dad as individuals, and having two adults who care about them involved in their lives on a day to day basis, outweighs the damage caused by mum and dad not liking each other much.

An exception to this would be, for example, if one of the parents turns into a spiteful, vindictive, raving nutter, who's more interested in harming their spouse than caring for the kids, á la ex-Mrs Brillopad,

[Cyberman]

So how is making those one parent families worse off relative to the married two parent families going to help? Surely it will make the rich-poor gap even worse?

.. but single parent families are already at an advantage over marriage due to benefits they get that simply are not available to their more 'responsible' members of society. Why should marriage get a WORSE deal, as it does currently ???

[DaveB]

I'm becoming increasingly convinced that CyberMan is actually an automated troll feeding off the combined output of the DailyMash and the Twat-o-Tron.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

ah yes, politics as usual. This is just like the pensions earnings link -Tories abolish it then demand Labour restores it. Tax breaks for marriage - all abolished by the last Tory government. Fuel price tax escalator - Tories introduced it but complained when Labour carried it on. One rule in government, another in opposition