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Hiya i'm a lone parent who has mysteriously found myself falling into politics --- how has this happened I am not 100% sure but I i'm pretty sure it has something to do with a project that I did with Single Parent Action Network a few years ago anyways I am now involved in a 'mock parliament' game. Your are all invited to play along - want to know what it's all about check in for the next instalment some time tomorrow after the kids are in bed......................
Alrighty then the Downing Street Project an initiative to gauge what society would be like if unlike the current cabinet of four women, if women were in the majority!!! Now it is not a men bashing group far from it - there are loads of men that are taking part - it merely questions what it would be like to run society with feminine qualities which can be found in men and women. (e.g although Maggie T was female she possessed very little if any feminine qualities, and Obama although male conducts the white house in a way which utilises skills of co-operation, and other soft power techniques considered female)
So what makes this interesting, meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee no really it is like a game where we pretend to be MPs but it is really interesting to see how parliament might actually work... I mean our first cabinet meeting consisted of each department trying to cut it budget and you had people saying things like 'here's a saving of 5 billion we don't need to keep translating things in welsh everyone speaks English there anyways' or 'I’ll clear up the administration within the NHS that should save about 12 billion' and I sat there thinking is this what they do for real in government....it gives you an insight but it also get you debating and thinking...that’s where I'm asking for input what things would you slash to save money....
Oh to get you started we had a suggestion from the mock education minister where a proposal was put forward to introduce a talking hour where children have to hold a talking stick and learn to talk and listen.....and had a suggestion from the mock minister of department for work and pension recommending that Britain moves towards a 21 hour working week for those working as it would decrease unemployment and give everyone a better quality of life with their families or just down time….. as I said this is just a game but by playing politics it gives a fantastic insight into the world of politics…..come and join in the more the merrier what are your thoughts or suggestions??? 
Here are some of my suggestions:
Improve help with housing costs for people in work, especially those who are just getting back into work. Build more social housing.
Scrap the "over 60s can travel free everywhere in the country" scheme. Replace it with a means-tested pass for local use only, available to everyone, regardless of age. This would save money and be fairer.
Give teachers more authority in the classroom again
At the existing Children's Centres, extend the scope of the services by having on the spot support and advice from a Family Support worker for families with children of all ages. This would save money in the longer term as a preventative intervention.
With input from the armed forces, set up a boot camp system for young offenders, not to be cruel to them but to instil things like team spirit and pride, so many of them have had damaged upbringings
Devise a scheme whereby older people who are unemployed have the opportunity to be paid extra money, without losing their benefits to bring wisdom and help to younger families (bit like Home Start but formalised and paid)
Make it illegal for those who work for airlines to go on strike; people save up all year for a break and then can have it ruined by strike action
Take away Child Tax Credit from those with household incomes over £30k
Remove the neccessity for everyone to be so "politically correct" all the time.
Phew, well there are just a few of mine................
The right to strike should never be taken away. The fact that it can be deemed illegal is ludicrous as it is, it's a strike! people unhappy with their rich employers who refuse to listen and continue to exploit them, employers backed by laws made by other rich people.
And young men from poor and underprivileged backgrounds should not be forced to go to war and kill other young men from poor and underprivileged backgrounds in far off lands to push the agendas of large corporations, enough get fooled into doing it as it is anyway. Some sort of boot camp thing would just be a convenient recruiting ground.
I hear what you are saying about the right to strike. I just always feel sorry for all those mournful families I see on the news who are so disappointed. Of course the employers would have to treat people better in the first place......but then if they did, people wouldn't want to strike anyway!!!!!
I hadn't thought of a boot camp being a recruitment ground for the army, I just think there are so many young men who have had a rough deal in terms of parents and opportunities and I was thinking of it giving them confidence in entering the adult world but I think you have made a very good point, which I hadn't thought of.
I bet you have some really interesting ideas to contribute to this topic, Bubblegum!
When ever I'm in a situation, having conversations, you know like at all the trendy cocktail parties I attend in my hectic social life as a single parent.. and it turns to politics, then I just come across as some mad anarchist, people just roll their eyes and change the subject. There are no easy solutions to the world we live in but it is easy to point out the faults.
I'm good at that : )
Here is a bit of graffiti that I like..
"Don't vote! it just encourages them"
I agree with a lot of Louise's - especially social housing - and why, even then, should it be in the not so nice parts of town?
Social housing would lead to some extra jobs in all trades.
Not only do teachers need more authority, but police do too. At least when they were able to take them to their parents there was respect. The problem would be getting the parents to respect the police. Electric cattle prods, perhaps...
There should also be laws about size-ism. It really is time that society dealt with the fact that people do come in different sizes and that anything not 'average' is fine. With GPs even, being able to be 'nice' to you (a friend is underweight, and faces as much negativity as I do).
Everyone, virtually, should pay £1 for perscriptions. Over 75% get them free. EVERY ONE in Wales gets them free - why...?? I'm not talking about chronic illness or cancer treatment here - that should be free.
My aunty is 88 and loves her bus pass, so that would be one I'd like to keep in place. I have to say that another reason I got a car was because paying for the five of us to go anywhere on the bus would have been prohibitive.
I would reverse the situation with income support, and keep it in place until the youngest child loses the right to child benefit. If someone is wanting to work, then everything should be there to help. You can't expect people to leave there children.
Perhaps there could be a cap on the number of children that benefits would be paid for, but I do hesitate here, as it would be children who could miss out in big families.
Watching Dom Littlewood the other day about fraud - a family taking on 8 identities. Fraud is bad, but that is so extreme. Civil Servants should not be reduced within the DSS or Inland Revenue. When I worked in the 'old' DHSS there were fraud officers who were busy and did a brilliant job. They were human too, and not motivated by profit. Any problems or queries, you could call in and discuss things - not 0845 to a call centre.
Private firms should not be used in anyway for checking fraud. Profit motivated, to me, will not necessarily lead to fairness.
By using civil servants (and those in local offices do not get paid a fortune) costs would be covered by the fraudsters that get caught (you can't tell me that the case Dom looked at is unique)
Training - rather than threaten with reducing benefits, why not encourage? Could even be an extra £10 a week if you do go. Incentive rather than threats. Far more positive.
You cannot make those who are sweepingly classed as scroungers, who know how to 'work' the system to change. I don't see why employers should be 'made' to employ those who wouldn't work, and why employees should be made to work with those who won't either. Perhaps they are better being left to their lifestyle, with some thought being given of how to change the attitude of their children...
I hope I've not gone too off topic! 
I've been thinking, my son is at my sisters and my daughter is lost in LEGO Harry Potter and I'm sat at my computer drinking coffee and indulging myself in a spot of armchair politics.
Politics in the northern hemisphere, like the developed world sort of thing, is dictated by public opinion and public opinion is dictated by mainstream media, i.e. our televisions. Politics is all about staying in power, dealing with the above is just an annoying inconvenience to achieving that end.
Obviously that is oversimplified.
There are people who care, unfortunately they are drowned out by the less scrupulous who don't have our best interests at heart beyond being in power by following the money so to speak, friends of friends and we are all in this togeather scratch my back and all that.
Everyone is too busy looking at the leaves being waved about by the wind when they should be looking at the roots.
Like for example 'young men who have had a rough deal in terms of parents and opportunities' what should be happening is people dealing with the causes of how that happened and doing something to prevent it from continuing to happen, not running around wondering what to do with them now.
Unfortunately that is a much larger and complex social problem compounded by lots of things that I can't think of right now, but there are some honest.. than say.. lets bring back national service (not having a go at you Louise just using your example and it is something I hear other places anyway) and go back to those happy days when class distinction wasn't all blurred and young working class men were knocked into shape, given a direction for all that youthful exuberance, went off to war and the ones that came back went off and got nice jobs in factories and mines and such.
Thank you for reading.
P.S. Louise, I realise you didn't say national service in your original post, I just got a bit carried away : )
But boot camp - national service - military discipline, blah de blah de blah, I was just joining 'my' dots.
Lol national service, I know you're not having a go at me, Bubblegum and we all have different views anyway.
Oh yes I agree with you about the roots. That is why I included lots of things about parenting support and drawing on the wisdom of older people and giving teachers more authority, I think that is where the roots lie, and in helping parents and teachers we could set our children on a good road from the word go.
However, there are a lot of people where it's too late for this and I guess I was wondering if there was something that would help them. How about a self esteem camp then?
Sparkling lime, your aunty would probably qualify for her bus pass even under "my" scheme. What annoys me is very wealthy older people (there are a lot round here) not paying whilst I see a young (obviously hard-up) parent struggle onto the bus with a couple of kids and have to pay a fare.
There are significant differences between systems in England, Scotland and Wales and whilst respecting the autonomy of each, it would be nice to see them being broad-minded enough to replicate each others' good ideas.
It would be good - but then we are talking politicians here 
Yes, and logic flies out the window!
Thanks for the contributions SparklingLime (love the name makes me think of fizzy limeade), Louise and Bubblegum
I love the debates that have been taking place and I have even more so loved some of the suggestions and reasons that have been going along with them. I actual agree with Louise and Bubblegums view points on the striking thing with BAA [I know they haven't been actually mentioned but the are in the headlines a whole lot at the mo'!]
I think it is their right to strike but I agree it is the right of passengers that have saved up their money for the whole year to enjoy the planned family holiday - so I reckon that in those situations the suits should get their hands dirty and run the show - they would have a new learned respect for each other - I have a mate who as a head chef once sent home & docked the whole kitchen staff a night pay as they were not doing it to the standard that was required and ran the kitchen completely on their own there was a new found respect for a head chef that could actually talk the talk and walk the walk and it was a humbling exercise too I suppose as all the staff then knew they were dispensable SO I think they should allow them to go on strike but then show them that even when the staff walk out the business can still run by the directors actually directing from the front!!
Anyways What would you think working hours were capped at 21 hours not the generally accepted 40 hour week that we are expected to work (isn't one of the reasons the BAA staff are walking out to do with working hours and overtime pay) - I thought capping the hours would be an excellent idea - why because I'd get to see my children without some idiot muttering 'hmmmp - part timer!!' I hate that! I hate the fact that because I choose to spend time with my children rather than pay some one to be their parent I get labeled the "PART-TIMER" if I decided to stay at home and raise my children I'd get told I'm 'sponging off the social' but then if I work every hour God sends I am accused of being an inconsiderate parent - so the idea of a 21 hour week would be right up my alley but it would take a massive shift in societies thinking - suggestions pls what do you think - What’s your thinking
Sorry had a lil' rant at the end!
oooh I'm loving the 21 hour week idea - count me in for that ;)
I think the option should be there for anyone to work part time, especially if they have children. In that example, Working Tax Credit helps out. If you work part-time, have no disabilities and no dependent children then of course there is only Income Support, which probably would not provide enough extra in the long term (and you have to work less than 16 hours to claim it) so for those people it is just not financially viable, unless they have a partner with a really good job.
One thing you mentioned, Munchi, was the attitude towards single parents and how you would like that to change. I agree wholeheartedly with you there. So many accusations are levelled at those who do not work and yet if you do, you are accused of not looking after your child. Part-time working would SEEM to be an ideal compromise and yet the attitude of colleagues is not helpful, if they are denigrating you for "only" being part time. Maybe you could think of yourself as a full time parent who does a part time job ON TOP of everything else?
I love that idea - it shifts the focus I have to place on my family - they are my priority and I must admit sometimes I forget that the whole reason I work is to make things better for them so I should also give myself time to enjoy time with them!
Love that - I am a full time parent who also does a part time job and part time study - I am great!!
I am going to make that my mantra,
But, How can politics help to change the attitude to single parents or even parents generally that want to enjoy time with their children and not be labelled the part-timer or a drain on the social - my brain draws a blank! 
The answer seems to me to lie with the media. They do enjoy bandying round labels. For instance the Sun used Shannon Matthew's mother as an example of a benefits "scrounger" and the following week, the lady who auditioned on XFactor is seen as a "struggling single parent whose ex partner does not pay a penny for his daughter"
Now Ok, Karen Matthews is in prison now but before that she was living on benefits in the same way as this XFactor lady. It suits the media, however, to call one a scrounger because she is a criminal and the other a heroic fighter who is finding it hard to bring up her daughter because it makes a good XFactor story.
As to your question, I don't know of an answer that would change public perception, all we can do is to be confident and assertive enough to do the things with our own lives that we feel are right, ignore criticism and get on with being the best parents we can be, whether that involves paid work or not.
When ever I go shopping I glance at the papers on the paper rack and think, oh my god this is some peoples world view, what they read in the sun and the mirrror and all those.
It's kind of scary, the other day it was 'The HORRIFYING moment' that some woman on that program where people try to be famous collapsed from malaria or something. There is so many more 'horrifying' things going on in the world than that, even just malaria, people are right now dying from it, not just collapsing on television.
But anyway, the media is just interested in perpetuating it's own existence and they do this buy pandering to the fears and dreams of the lowest common denominator all the while distracting us from what's really happening in the world.
That's my view anyway, I may have expressed something similar in some of my previous posts.
:)
Now I'm going to go shoot things in computer games as that's how I relax and forget about the world.
I stopped buying magazines and rarely buy newspapers (when I do its the Daily Post - very tame compared to national ones). It was when they were going on and on and on and on and on about Diana Princess of Wales having yet another holiday Dodi... I figure everyone has the right to live (even The Git and Gittess).
While people buy the mags and the newspapers, then the editors will keep on printing this stuff.
Good example Louise...
I listened with great interest to the debate yesterday on radio 4 - yep I'm a radio four chick dunno when it happened - I think I just missed adult conversation as I was with the kids all day - any ways there was a debate on whether cutting lone parents benefits will actually get them to work?? Have a listen let me know what you think - it is 45 mins long so have it on while your doing something I don't want to comment until I have others who have listened to it!! - Then let the online debate begin!!
whoops would help if I posted the link too deeeerrrr!! http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tffpy Sorry click and the synopsis will come up with additional link pages only valid until 31st August 2010 x
Thank you for posting that link, Munchi. I did not know that programme was on and am now playing it while I look at the rest of the site, and will return to this thread...
I'm not sure when I'll have time to listen to this, but I will certainly try and fit it in over the next couple of days. Got to do Scouty stuff today.
I have had a listen, it is the first 10-15 mins of the programme that is relevant.
It is an interview with a lone parent of a three year old who had worked previously but found it very hard and had to give up. Then they have a rep from Gingerbread and another from a "think tank" discussing the matter. The Gingerbread lady says that as 60% of lone parents work already and 80% want to, legislation is not neccessary. The think thank lady says that there should be legislation but that it should be much more profitable to work than not and that the benefits system has this "hurdle" of 16 hours, whereas they would like to see it allowing lone parents to work perhaps 8-12 hours a week with the intention of increasing this as their children reach secondary age. (NB of course a lone parent can already work this number of hours but they still can only receive Income Support plus £20) so I guess they are advocating a merging of the two systems) There is an acknowledgement that teenage children also need parents at home, expecially where there are particular problems and the interviewer is a real devil's advocate who puts over what i tend to think of as "The Daily Mail" reader's point of view.
If someone on income support can now keep all CSA paments, why the £20 limit on earnings?
I knew that CSA payments did not affect entitlement to Housing Benefit or Council Tax benefit but not Income Support but I checked this out and you are right as of April this year.
It does seem to be a very unfair system when there is not enough effort put into pursuing non-payers. You are in a similar position as a friend of mine, sparkling lime. Her boys are all grown up now but she spent years telling the CSA about several properties that her ex-partner owned (transferred into the name of various wives) and his very successful business. He got away without paying hardly anything. Although the boys do not think very much of him now they are old enough to understand.
What things can we do to change this then what would be a fair system to work for all concerned? Obviously, the government want to get value for money with the benefits system and all lone parents want the choice to work outside of the home with adequate childcare or work inside their home raising their children - I still think that there is a massive culture shift that needs to take place and I am still thinking of ways to make inroads I think the first culture shift needs to be towards actually seeing raising children as a job - carers are recognised as doing a job when they care for their parents or neighbour and the leaflets I have seen clearly state "are you looking after someone that depends on you" - Errrrr YEP my CHILD can't feed em selfs, clean them selves well depends on the age!!! , (or clean after their selves!!!!??? - age irrelevant!) it then goes on to say - "YOUR A CARER" but lone parents or parents in general fail to be recognised as doing a fantastic job - which is raising the generation of tomorrow!!!!
Parenting is the most important job we do and yet we get very little help, support or teaching in this.
What else do you think could be done, as well as recognising parenting as a job, Munchi?
Teaching I think is a strong word with many negative connotations’ but I think that parenting support groups or guidance groups would be helpful - I used to facilitate triple P programs - Positive Parenting Programs absolutely fantastic design but only the parents that we had no problems with at the school would attend not the actual parents that really really really would benefit from the program - so I would propose something similar to antenatal sessions where parents have to attend a certain amount of parenting groups make it something EVERYONE has to do- we weigh and measure the child before they enter the world but don't help the parents prepare the world for the child to enter - do I sound too teacher like!! 
Compulsory parenting courses, that sounds as if it would help people but then again, do we become a police state? You would have to link it to, say, Child Benefit for it to be regulated. The thing is that there is still some stigma attached to parenting courses in some peoples' eyes and if THAT could be removed then I am sure that more parents would take part voluntarily. I have been one three courses myself (and am now a facilitator) and they have been fab. On one of them I met a woman who is now a close friend so it helped me in that respect too.
Unless respect for authority can be restored somehow, those who others see as needing support will never seek it. They believe they're right and others are wrong. Is there a way to change that mind set?
Sparkling lime - I agree with you completely - I know many people that will often say that’s for other people that actually need help when really they are in dire need of help but fail to see it in them.
I will have a look later, Munchi, to see what this is all about....