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Family matters
 Judging by the headlines of Britain’s papers, issues of the family are back on the political agenda. Early in December, one newspaper commented on the debate in a characteristically shrill tone, with the headline: “Marriage: now it’s war”. Two days before Christmas, another led on reports that an incoming Conservative government would promote traditional families through the tax system. Meanwhile, the Labour government is expected to publish its own green paper on the family early this year.
Claims from David Cameron that Labour has a “pathological” opposition to marriage are, of course, absurd political posturing. But it would be a mistake for us to dismiss all talk of marriage and the family. Families do matter. At their best, they demonstrate the core Labour belief that we work best when we work together. Labour also has an impressive record of its own, including new maternity and paternity rights, and increased support for the most vulnerable families.
In our lead article, Stephen Beer and Jayne Buchanan examine Labour’s record on the family, assessing where the government has been successful, and lay the groundwork of a Christian left approach to the family. On the same theme, Treasury minister Stephen Timms evaluates recent proposals to support marriage through the tax system, while Lee Clark argues that the government should look again at how it supports families through the welfare system. We also interview Labour MP Andy Reed, who offers his insights and views on the subject.
The coming year will be a busy one in the political calendar, with local elections and a general election campaign. Andy Flannagan reflects on his experiences of political campaigning, while Helen Dennis catches up with three Christians who will be standing as Labour candidates in the general election. We also take a look at two other issues that are sure to feature in the campaign: Joel Edwards and Douglas Alexander discuss Labour’s record on international development, while DWP minister Helen Goodman takes a look at how the government is supporting people through the economic downturn.
Join us in continuing these debates, and access additional content, by visiting the CSM website at www.thecsm.org.uk. Special thanks to Ed Thornton for his assistance.
Happy New Year!
From The Common Good, Issue 201 (Family Matters)
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Daniel Gover, 08/01/2010 |
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