Parents of children who play truant face losing benefits.

[LeftishBrit]

From the Torygraph, and not clear how likely it is actually to be put into practice; but it's worrying that it's being considered. Firstly, it's one thing to punish a parent who deliberately keeps their child off school, for instance to help with household chores; and another to threaten parents who are already feeling inadequate in the face of rebellious children. It is hardly going to build up their authority; and more generally, people should not be legally punished for weakness, only for crime.

Moreover, and on a more general and serious point: I think that it's one step in a very ugly direction of making benefits a reward for good behaviour, rather than a response to need. If somebody acts in a way that is seen as deserving a financial penalty, the courts already have, and frequently use, the option of fining them. Using benefits as a carrot-and-stick is getting us back to the old days of the workhouses, etc. Which I'm sure some Tories would love to do.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/8740201/Parents-of-children-who-play-truant-face-losing-benefits.html

[non sociopath skin]

1. So what happened to the Civil Liberties Party's crusade ....

... against the "control freakery" of the Blairites?

Funny how all of the "Small Government" parties want what's left of government to be the bit that kicks the arses of the poor.

The Skin

[dipsydoodle]

2. Was mentioned last night

on Sky's "what's in tomorrows news" @ 11.30'ish and was reckoned to be unenforceable.

[fedsron2us]

3. It was part of the package of knobhead ideas floated

including making the unemployed sign on twice as often thus meaning those who have to travel on public transport to the Job Centre will have to fritter away even more of their meagre benefits on pointless journeys. Meanwhile the benefit system for bankers is still in full swing as Cameron tries to block even modest reform.


http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/09/04/uk-britain-banks-cameron-idUKTRE7830ZZ20110904