
James Somerville-Meikle: Sunak should make supporting families a priority in his Budget
One of an occasional series of articles that ConservativeHome is publishing in advance of the Budget.
One of an occasional series of articles that ConservativeHome is publishing in advance of the Budget.
‘Peter Pans’ prefer to burn the candle at both ends. They are cicadas, not ants, but many would still love to raise a family.
The marriage rate is down. But people are being choosy, looking for love rather than doing it out of economic necessity. So, marriages now last longer.
My modest proposal is this: let’s do a major programme of controlled trials to test these ideas, and see what, if anything, makes a difference.
The Government’s plans for divorce law reform are the lesser of two evils. But it needs to think more and act decisively to help couples who stay married.
The big parties can wait until we have seen off Covid-19. But the marriages themselves cannot – and they can be performed safely.
Fewer marriages means more cohabitation, an inherently less stable relationship form. The Government risks ignoring the values of its voters.
The costs – personal, social and economic – of family breakdown are vast and under-appreciated. This is a social justice issue.
To date, they have had to endure a parade of candidates speaking to Westminster, from Westminster, about Westminster.
If these reforms are introduced, the Government should think carefully about how changes to the process of divorce is matched with support for married couples.
Why not give the electorate the chance to pass judgement directly on Sinn Fein and the DUP’s ‘red lines’?
Government dialogue with an organisation doesn’t mean Ministers rewarding it. Rather, it means engaging with it.
A commitment to social justice has always been at the heart of conservatism. Now we need to do more to support families, health and relationships.
The era of social media and smartphones means there are new pressures on children. Promoting marriage and stability is more important than ever.
In the final instalment of our new mini-series on families and tax, the authors explore how errors in the current arrangements might be fixed.