News from the New Party

Cameron's dad-bashing campaign

"[P]oliticians in all parties need to stop resorting to simple knee-jerk condemnation of absent fathers, and accept that the system they preside over is actually preventing men from being parents."

"We are seeing yet again this week how young people, and boys in particular, are harder to discipline when their fathers are absent. Families Need Fathers believe that Shared Parenting is the best way to promote fathers' involvement post separation and has issued a position paper to reinforce this view."

"[Education Secretary] Mr Johnson - who was largely brought up by his sister from the age of 12 and whose daughter is a lone parent - says it is wrong for Mr Cameron to suggest that politicians can 'make relationships'. But the Labour Government has powerfully helped unmake relationships, by kicking away the props that once supported marriage and providing incentives for unmarried parenthood.

No one is attacking lone parents - least of all David Cameron, who is at pains to say they do 'the hardest job in the world'. Indeed, many do a fine job in difficult circumstances. But that's just it. The circumstances are difficult for - children and parents. Responsible politicians surely should not increase such difficulties but seek instead to reduce them.

They could do this by a concerted effort to present marriage unequivocally as a preferable option, to make it financially attractive and to help people stick at it - as some American states have done - by setting up support systems to teach people how to surmount the obstacles that cause so many to fall at the first hurdle."