Writings by me

Well he’s finally gone and done it, Rishi Sunak announced that we will go to the polls on July 4th and I couldn’t be happier that we’re finally getting a chance to have a change. Without getting too enmeshed in party politics (I absolutely live for this stuff), I thought it might be useful to provide a whistle-stop (and non-exhaustive) tour of what the three main political parties are saying that affect us parents and the lives of our kids.

In truth it all matters to us parents; policy is a tangled mess of overlapping decisions that impact each other; sometimes predictably, sometimes unexpectedly. But if you’re making your voting decision based on what’s best for us as families, we need to be armed with the facts (or at least what they’re saying they’re going to deliver!)

Conservative; 

Apart from cutting waiting lists and reducing debt, inflation and growing the economy, which will benefit us all indirectly, families and children are forgotten in their main manifesto promises. It’s early days yet but the fact that it’s so difficult to access any real detail on what they want to do is disappointing.

Labour; 

Labour go a step further and provide more detail on the actions they’ll take to make the day to day lives of children and families better. You still have to join up the dots yourself, but children and young people at least get more of a mention. 

Most excitedly to me, as someone who works in the charity sector, are proposals for new Youth Hubs for children and teenagers providing all sorts of activities and support. I’ve seen first hand the commitment of Youth Workers and the differences great youth services can make to the lives, and life-chances, of our kids. 

Breaking down barriers to opportunity is also a key promise; this includes more teachers, mental health support staff in every school, free breakfast clubs and greater opportunities for kids to study music, sport and the arts. This is promising but they could go further. 

Liberal Democrat;

Contrary to Conservative and Labour, Lib Dem policies put kids and families front and centre. Their belief that education is the best investment in the country’s future weaves its way throughout their manifesto. They put concrete promises in place with ideas that I can actually relate to: 

– mental health professionals in every school 

– increased funding per pupil, and for those with SEND

– increased investment in school repairs

– free school meals for all in primary school and secondary school pupils whose parents are on universal credit

– a major review of childcare for all

– reinstatement in university maintenance grants 

– getting us back into the Erasmus Plus scheme which gives students the opportunity to study abroad (something taken away by our departure from the EU).

Disclaimer: I’ve voted Lib Dem in most of the elections I’ve voted in, because it has made sense to do so in the areas I’ve lived in. So I may be biased by saying this, but their manifesto provided me with the most hope for the future. Though it still remains unlikely they’ll get in, in any more than a coalition government, crazier things have happened recently. 

For the sake of all of us, I hope the right choice is made. Even if that means Conservatives making radically different decisions. Bring it on!