What a wonderful picture of David and Samantha Cameron with their new baby daughter. And families, of course, was the hot topic at this week’s Conservative Party Conference. 
I am also confused at government plans that from 2013, will remove child benefit from families with at least one parent earning more than about £44,000 a year, but it will not affect families where two parents earn just below this threshold, meaning some households with a total salary of more than £80,000 will not be affected.
Families where a mother stays at home should not be penalised, but celebrated, as bringing up the next generation is the most under-rated job in the universe. I was one such mum and have no regrets, despite the financial implications, and we would have been included in the group losing this benefit. It’s a nonsense.
Mumsnet – the influential grassroots website which all political leaders courted for publicity during the election campaign – is hotly debating this topic which has dominated the Conservative Conference. The whole country is talking about it, and can’t make sense of it.
It’s a flawed idea and, while the Prime Minister cannot be a “people pleaser” by implementing drastic savings, there still has to be a sense of fairness that the public can resonate with.
I look forward to hearing his speech today and what peace he can make regarding this. Saying sorry is not enough. And neither should tax changes for married couples be included as a sweetener as they are separate issues – married couples may not even have children, for example, and would not be affected by child benefit cuts.
I agree with you, Ellee. Did you listen to Ken Clarke on this issue? He was talking about it on R4 yesterday and said, that to correct it you’d have to backtrack on liberal tax reforms (??)
What annoys me, HUGELY annoys me is all the hoo-ha about some rich people not getting state child benefits in the future but nothing has been said, NOTHING, about the government reducing housing payment to those on income support (ie. the poor) NOW! Not a word.
He has got it all wrong …. .. I was one of those mums like you Ellee ..but I would not of lost the benefit.
There must be another way … why should families bringing in more 80,000 between them get it .. all so so wrong .
They say means testing is too expensive and if they were to tax married couples as a single earner, it would discourage people from getting married…
It’s a very great worry that they’re doing this and ignoring the voice of the people, even those close to them.
Well said Ellie they need to bring in policies that are fair for everyone. They are rushing in to quickly and making some clumsy mistakes.
So it’s the ‘most important job in the world’ is it?
Would you make single mothers work then?
The Man in the Street, not at all, I believe in personal choice and in a more level playing field.
why should the people who pay the most tax not be entitled to any child benefit.Once again thesame people are penalised for working and doing the right thing and never get anything out of the system. All families should receive child benefit whatever their circumstances, especially those who work hard and pay into the system.
Well Maybe the Government should start targeting the Pay structure of the Council Managers and Chief Executives throughout the country first.
http://www.heraldseries.co.uk/news/8430619.Council_defends_its_big_salaries/?ref=mc
Oxfordshire Council chief executive, Joanna Simons, is the highest paid public servant in the county on £189,158 —earning more than Prime Minister David Cameron.
THE leader of Oxfordshire County Council, Keith Mitchell, defended his chief executive’s salary of almost £190,000 at a public meeting on spending cuts in Abingdon last Thursday. He also said “If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys” So he is calling all the low paid council workers Monkeys. And they are cutting staff.
Start at the top …. MR Cameron!!!
Susan, the government wants to put its resources into where it feels it is most needed, which means the well off may well miss out.
Anne, Eric Pickles has asked public figures like this to take a drop in pay, and this is what people to be a fair saving of public money.
Ellee
These high wages should not be given in the first place and as for Joanna Killian she should be embarrassed.. She is earning 285,000.00 whilst 3000 council jobs go and a pay freeze is on. She is only being asked to take a 10% paycut ….That is Pennies .!!
This government is being to soft on the those that earn massive wages and too hard on those that dont.
Well Mr Pickles expects “I think Joanna Killian should take a ten per cent cut in her salary,” he added. “I’m expecting her to lead by example.” He “thinks” and he “expects”… but what if she doesn’t lead by example … ?? Oh sorry Ellee on the first line of the article he is “demanding”..
http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/news/Undefined-Headline/article-2641013-detail/article.html
Anne, don’t worry, a lot of people are fired up about this.
great post i really like it.
keep posting stuff like this