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Public Services for All > Published by Left Foot Forward, April 10th 2010 at 12:54 pm

Tory married tax break masks wider threat to Britain’s families

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The Tories have today unveiled their £3 per week tax break for a third of married couples which they hope will reward commitment and family stability. But scratch beneath the surface on their commitment to the family and David Cameron has something to hide. Behind their rhetoric, the Conservatives are masking cuts and threats to the vital services that have helped families to help themselves for a decade or more.

Fami-liesIn a research paper published today by Left Foot Forward, ‘Fami-lies: Why you can’t trust the Tories‘, Jo Cox and Will Straw outline how the Conservative party’s rhetoric on the family and the reality of their policy and voting record are at odds.

Tory proposals on the family include:

• A cut to Child Tax Credits for middle-income earners.

• A cut in Sure Start services which risks stigmatising those who use them.

• An end to universal free childcare entitlements for 3 and 4 year olds.

• All but the poorest families missing out on Child Trust Funds.

• Hard fought extensions to flexible and family friendly working put at risk by the Tories’ isolationist EU policy.

• Cohabiting couples, single parents, and poorer families losing out from the planned marriage tax break.

Will Straw said:

“David Cameron said that he wanted the next Government to be ‘the most family friendly Government we’ve ever had in this country’. That can only happen if Labour stays in power.

“The Tories have consistently opposed the introduction of popular family-friendly policies which make work pay, make work flexible and give the best start in life to kids - policies such as Child Tax Credits, Sure Start, and extensions to maternity leave. If they’re elected it is precisely these measures that will be put at risk.”

Jo Cox said:

“At a time when public finances are tight the Conservatives are prioritising amateur attempts at social engineering instead of effective policies to help children out of poverty.

“Their costly tax break will increase the incomes of the poorest familes by just 0.03% and when you take into account their cuts to child tax credits and child trust funds, many families will be worse off.”

  • http://twitter.com/anthonypainter/status/11933673964 Anthony Painter

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  • http://twitter.com/shamikdas/status/11934382692 Shamik Das

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  • http://twitter.com/jo_cox1/status/11935195172 Jo Cox

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  • http://twitter.com/magsnews/status/11935419879 Mags W

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  • http://twitter.com/andrewprg/status/11933563014 AndyG

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  • http://twitter.com/daryn_mccombe/status/11935779540 Daryn McCombe

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  • http://twitter.com/uklabourparty/status/11933975324 UK Labour Party

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  • http://twitter.com/salmanj10/status/11934026039 salman jafri

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  • http://twitter.com/votelabour2010/status/11934026023 salman jafri

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  • http://twitter.com/bucktaylor64/status/11936525969 Andy Buckley-Taylor

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  • http://twitter.com/anthonyzach/status/11934567175 Anthony Zacharzewski

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  • http://twitter.com/demsoc/status/11934575891 Democratic Society

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  • http://bestblogs.labourhome.org/2010/04/10/tory-married-tax-break-masks-wider-threat-to-britain%e2%80%99s-families/ Tory married tax break masks wider threat to Britain’s families « The best Labour blogs

    [...] More… [...]

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  • http://twitter.com/westernshores/status/11948449369 Pen

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  • http://twitter.com/lizziepoulton/status/11951947267 Elizabeth Poulton

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  • http://twitter.com/sand_woman/status/11980913149 Laura

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  • Mr. Sensible

    I notice that Cameron has now said that this is not about money and is about right wing ideology.

    That’s just shown the Tories up for how little they’ve changed.

  • Mr. Sensible

    I think the comments about Civil Partnerships must have been added on the end with a paperclip to make the Tories look progressive.

    They’re not.

  • Robert

    As soon as we get another high profile breakdown of “back to basics” on the Conservative side, such as revealed in dear Edwina’s memoirs we might get a more lively discussion.

  • http://twitter.com/cazarra/status/12161445141 Carolyn Shearman
  • Lisa Taylor

    I heard David Cameron say in a parliamentary debate last year that he was going to get rid of social workers and replace them with health visitors- hence the extra 4200 he promised in his manifesto. So if the case he really is not promising anything. He is unnlikely to get rid of those dealing at the tough end of child protection as which health visitor would want to do that. The ones that will go are those that fight for the rights of the people they work with such as those working with the elderly helping to get services in the home or those helping families. Please boycott Cameron. Keep our children protected.

  • http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/06/can-the-coalition-be-trusted-on-families/ Can the Coalition be trusted on families? | Left Foot Forward

    [...] April, Left Foot Forward examined Tory policy on families in our report “Fami-lies: Why you can’t trust the Tories”, in [...]

  • http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/10/iain-duncan-smith-conservative-party-conference-speech-2011-marriage-tax-plans/ Mr Nasty: The regressive, judgemental horror of IDS’ marriage tax plans | Left Foot Forward

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