to think Ed Milliband should have married his partner before having their 2nd child?

[Gooftroop]

One child, fine. Maybe it was a surprise, these things happen, marriage is so yesterday, no problem. But to go on building a family without legally committing himself to his partner ... I am unimpressed. AIBU?

Kew
Sorry, but I already know your story and have read the lovely blog about it. How is your DS btw?

Yes, prawns in vol u vents were tres sophisticated chez Lindt.

I do seem to recall egg mayo and tuna mayo making an appearance, so perhaps not quite so sophisticated.

here

kitten30 I think you'll find the word 'intestate' means 'without a will', so I don't quite see your point here.

Oh not yet, passthechocs. I should be Dr Damsel by the end of the month. Or Dr WhateverNameI'mUsingAtTheTime. Assuming all goes well that is...

So if people choose not to marry and they are worried about finances then just get a will instead of a marriage certificate.

kitten30 Yes, that sounds reasonable to me.

Well, congrats in anticipation then!

the "help available to widows and widowers" that the letter in the Guardian refers to - that would presumably be financial assistance. Which Justine presumably does not need.

Our having a will made a massive difference to me when OH died, but legally I was still fucked in a couple of other ways.

I reiterate: here

MmeLindt - presumably not! She'd still have had the birth cert trouble though.

Mme - DS is fab and started school in Sept

He's not on the birth certificate for the other kids apparently, so I doubt she'd worry about that.

People who want the benefits of marriage should just get married. It's a lot easier.

Thecoalition- no, I hadn't included you. But if you will allow me, despite my crap backing up of my opinions, then that gives me a whopping 5.

Well everyone, just don't come crying to me when Justine trots off with the milkman leaving poor Ed with no rights to the children.

Blimey, that'll teach me not to read whole thread...thought for a minute there our Justine had had a baby with Ed Miliband.

Isn't he married? Has he had a baby?

Oh.

Meh.

Damsel, true - I'd forgotten about that.

LOL Bucharest. That would be one for an AIBU thread.

AIBU to think that JustineMN should not be having babies with the leader of the opposition? And if she does, she should as US to name the baby.

I'd have his babies.

5 yes. But how many of those from 2010?

Coalition, yeah we probably would have done had we known. Why should there be a widowed parent benefit at all, though?
Either every parent who can demonstrate a financial loss from the death of the other parent should get it, or no one should.

I think most of us will be equally apathetic if Justine trots off with the milkman leaving Ed with no right to the children.

My personal position on that hypothetical situation would be: 'meh'. Closely followed by, 'Oh well, he should have gotten his arse down to the registry office then, shouldn't he'. Then I will swiftly move on to pondering what exactly goes into tatertot casserole.

tatertots.

Obv.

The truth about tatertots casserole is pretty horrible. You don't want to know.

BedTooBigFryingPanTooWide - Well, if you start expecting the tax and benefits system to make SENSE, you will ever be disappointed.

Coalition - yep, true, and have far bigger disappointments to fry.

Talking of frying, do tatertots fry up nicely?