Grey – should it also be the case that we have to pay for parents who have no responsibility for the children they produce ?? I am sure if he had a larger house he would have had more children -should we just keep giving cash on the basis that the more kids you have the more entitled you become??

So society should do nothing and let some procreate their way to a life of idleness at society’s expense?

Back in the the old days, people had shame to prevent them from having children they wouldn’t/couldn’t support. Today, there is no shame.

These are fair points.

As I said, it’s a difficult equation to balance and I certainly don’t pretend to have the answer.

I think we can agree, though, that the kids themselves have no choice about the identity and circumstances of their parents.

Is it fair or just to penalise children for the actions and life choices of their parents and, if so, where do you draw the line?

I wouldn’t let that worry you, Charlie.

The Belgians managed perfectly well without a government for the best part of eighteen months recently.

Should we be in a position where its acceptable to have as many kids as you like even if you have no desire to support them or have any idea on how to house them.

Should we instead be in a position where it’s acceptable to penalise (because ‘punish’ is too strong a word) children for having made a poor choice of parents?

There are no easy answers, no simple remedies, and we’d all be a lot better off if politicians of all hues stopped pretending that there are.

Lastly as for Osborne -he is saying what a lot of people think !

In that case, more fool them.

So, who did you get to sit the test for you? :diablo:

She speaks very highly of you, Paul. 😎

I’ll bet you’d find very few horses who took that view, Alan.

I think the answer lies in the content of the very postings that you objected to, John.

The Chancellor knows exactly what he’s doing linking the Philpott case with benefits, and we’ll see plenty more of the same kind of thing from senior Conservatives between now and the next General Election.

Ah, right.

Yes, looks like I’ll have to give you that one. 🙂