Mediterranean Living

Another empty stunt

Daily Mail Comment
1st September 2006


Back from Barbados to find his troops downhearted, demoralised and just aching for him to go, President Tony tries to change the subject by producing yet another eye-catching initiative.

Yes, in the latest in a long line of Blairite wheezes - none of which has worked - he wants to take charge of babies even before they are born, by forcing pregnant teenagers to accept state help.

Of course it is true we have a major problem, as this paper has so frequently pointed out. Britain is the European capital of teenage pregnancies, family breakdown, fatherless children and the miserable social consequences that follow.

But hasn't New Labour made matters much worse by skewing our tax and benefits system in favour of single parents? By showing hostility to marriage and the family? And by scorning the teaching of traditional moral standards?

Mr Blair doesn't begin to address the real issues. This is self-serving stunt from a politician who won't accept his time is up.