Temporary abolition of maternity leave being proposed by Cameron's strategy guru

[EightiesChick]

I can't believe this is being put on the table. Very worrying - read about it here

[vickibee]

I heard about this too - will never happen as it would be too politically damaging. How to alienate the whole female voters at the drop of a hat.
They have reduced other prgnancy benefits like the healty eating grant, Child trust fund and surestart grants.

[CaptainNancy]

They were mooting this several months ago (I think there were a number of threads at the time) though this seems to go further than their original suggestions.

At the start of the announcments about the cuts, many people noted that the cuts are affecting women and families with young children most.

[HoneyDuke]

Surely they are having a laugh< shakes head in disbelief> I'd take to the streets to protest against this.

[BelleDameSansMerci]

Bloody hell...

[CaptainNancy]

I'm not sure they could actually do this- surely ml is enshrined in EU law? Maybe someone more knowledgable than me could elaborate?

[IvyAndGold]

[BelleDameSansMerci]

I think the fact that they would even consider it speaks volumes...

[ihavenewsockson]

That's insane! They really do just want women at home, it'll be carer's allowance next!

[lachesis]

All whilst DC holidays in a £9000/week villa.

[InMyPrime]

ALL maternity rights??

What? The right to not have any pregnancy-related illness counted against your attendance? The right to safe working conditions? What a huge advantage for job creation and business to make sure that pregnant employees in physical jobs lift heavy loads and stand all day like everyone else.

Will they be abolishing child labour laws soon as well?

I really wish the Tories would at least pretend to have some positive, new ideas rather than coming out with the same old cliched deregulation rubbish and attacking the most vulnerable in the name of some wrong-headed agenda.

[InMyPrime]

Edit to say: because if you read the article it says 'all maternity rights', not just maternity leave.

[Iggly]

Fuckers.

Where are the Cameron arse kissers now to defend him?

This country is going back to the Victorian days - which were not glorious unless you were filthy rich. Oh, wait, remind of the millionaires running this country???

[puzzlesum]

Mr Hilton, who often walks around the Prime Minister's office without shoes, is an increasingly influential figure who often suggests seemingly crazy ideas in an attempt to spark creative debate.

I think the 'seemingly' is a tellingly damning word in this article. Why do I suspect they've allowed the story to leak so that whatever proposal they do agree on seems 'moderate' in comparison? I see from the Guardian article Vince Cable wants to curb bonuses by requiring firms to publishing the figures. Perhaps maternity leave/pay could be published in the same way?

[Quodlibet]

It really frustrates me how few people get involved with these threads when they're in Politics, even though they are about something that has potentially massive and damaging implications for all of us.

[WynkenBlynkenandNod]

We have a Government who could even for a minute consider this, are they bloody deranged ?

[LoveInAColdChamberOfSecrets]

Surely that will never get through? They would lose all women voters in one go!

[justcross]

Hope you've all read the article before screaming abuse. It sounds very much like peolpe just sitting around throwing ideas in the air. I don't imagine for one minute that the government would do that. But things have to be aired even if they're stupid. And actually, if no-one is allowed to say things that may cause offense then free speech is stifled. I'm not suggesting that everyone should be rude and abusive, but talking things through is a fairly good way of working through a problem. let's not get hysterical.

[BelleDameSansMerci]

I did read the article, thank you.

I can't see why anyone without another agenda (ie getting women out of the workplace and back into the kitchen) would even suggest it.

[Quodlibet]

Why don't we throw some more ideas around in the air, even if they are just silly:

• why don't we introduce a strategy that all unelected strategic advisors are sacked and replaced by internet forums?
  
• why don't we bring in a policy of compulsory re-employment of strategic advisors as unpaid child-carers for a temporary but undefined duration?
  
• Why don't we throw Steve Hilton out of the window?
  
  Anyone else got any ideas to air?

[Empusa]

"Why do I suspect they've allowed the story to leak so that whatever proposal they do agree on seems 'moderate' in comparison?"

Seems to be a theme doesn't it?

Govt - We shall do this utterly ludicrous thing that no one will support!
Everyone - Oh no you wont!
Govt - On reflection, having listened to all of you, we wont.
Everyone - What a reasonable govt for listening to our views!

[YaMaYaMa]

I fucking hate this government.

[WyrdMother]

Same subject the FT Quote "But perhaps his most ambitious unfulfilled plan was to scrap maternity rights."

The impression I'm getting is that this is yet another dingbat idea that no one is taking seriously. Cameron needs to gently usher this gentleman into nice room with no nasty, hard, angular corners and lots of pretty crayons then lock the door. Last thing the country needs is more fear about job security and employment/maternity rights.

[Laugs]

It doesn't say much for Cameron that he has surrounded himself with such complete twats (Steve Hilton, Andy Coulson).

However, this story reads like it has been leaked by the Lib Dems to make them look good, while making the rest of the country worry about job security. So it doesn't say much for them either.