"It may be better news for women... to look after their own children and fit jobs into the child's day"

[SleepWhenImDead]

So says Jill Kirby, director of the Conservative think tank, the Centre for Policy Studies in this BBC article.

Seriously, what planet is this lady on? She makes out like it's a NEW idea for women to either not to work or to work hours to limit the amount of childcare that's needed. Well done Jill, we'd never thought of that before you suggested it!

I'm going to be hard hit from these cuts to public sector, I'm currently on maternity leave but due to be made redundant anyway. The public sector is the place I'd need to get a job, and get child-friendly hours. DOes this Jill think we get to CHOOSE these things, like a job is something you do for fun to avoid looking after your own children?! Think I might as well give up even hoping for a job and soon we'll lose our child benefit as well. I'm attacked on all directions!

speechless (and you'l know I'm not often left speechless )

Fuckwitted woman

Xeeeeeeeniaaaaaaaa

I have been saying for ages I think that if we're not bloody careful the Tories will undermine equal work/pay opportunities. If you think about it, if women lose their jobs or are unable to get flexible work, many of them will resort to being SAHMs for economic reasons. From the government's perspective this cuts childcare costs (they don't have to subsidise nursery places) and unemployment figures (she's not job-seeking, she's a SAHM) all at the same time.

If the overall workforce is shrinking, it makes sense for them to try to funnel women back into the home.

oh yes Xenia and this pathetic excuse for a woman would be fabulous to watch Xenia would tear her to shreds

(not generally a huge Xenia fan we clash on lots of points but on this one she'd be fabulous)

so if they want to funnel women back into the home - what about the single mothers?

"Are you saying women should be looking after their children at home?" I asked.
"For women who would like to be under less pressure to work, who would rather be at home, yes," she replied.

Because it's all about what you would like to do, isn't it?

I would like not to work, and to be at home with DS, however I have to pay the mortgage, and the council tax, and the utilities, and keep DS fed and clothed. We can't do those things on one salary.

And finding part time, flexible work that fits around childcare is not easy! Trust me, I've been trying for months as I'm going to be made redundant in March thanks to the bloody Tories!

I heard this too and it was a jaw-on-the-floor moment - very early in the morning and at first you begin to wonder if you have actually heard it. The ambulance driver was just trying to fit around her child care needs around her job.

I had to seek out the audio recording later in the day (it is still [http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9086000/9086752.stm here] as I just needed to prove that she had said that.

Childminder (not actually productive!) is a word that has joined the list of Bad Things, like Welfare, Benefit, Care, Public Sector. In a sort of mirror of 1984speak words that used to have a positive connotation are now used to demean and outrage!!!!

Or 00/9086752.stm here

I can't believe she said that. I cant believe she then repeated it somewhere else. She really believes this???? What decade does she live in?

I will take a deep breath and come back later...... I posted my first link last week and am a bit useless at it.

I wish i could find a job that fitted around a childs day because I cannot find any pt jobs at the minute at all and if theyre are any im sure they wont give it to a mum who they know would have to go if a childs ill etc

Conservative think tank? Frightening thing is some Tories will listen to what she says and believe it.

Louise Bagshawe (she of the dodgy chick-lit) was on last week saying exactly the same thing - I think this really is serious developing policy, and we've got to be very very careful not to let it take hold. Terrifying.

I very much doubt that she has ever tried working around her child's day without a large, wealthy, supportive family or friends and super child friendly job.

Am in a crap mood now today.

well I'm just confused WowOoo - sometimes you just have to laugh at the stupidity of their comments - I mean on the one hand I'm (single parent) supposed to get my arse out of that door and stop living off the state once my youngest starts school next year (I don't disagree with that at all) and on the other I'm supposed to stay at home and look after my children (would love to be able to afford to do that) like a good little woman

Absolutely agree with Jill Kirby.

Nothing makes my blood boil more than mothers who do non-jobs in the public sector.

it is patronising. what about those of us who want to work. no way am I going to be forced to stay at home just because the tories think it's better!

No it fucking isn't! Trying to work around the child's day is a nightmare. Totally. You end up working and doing the lion's share of childcare and housework and all the admin running around of the household as well as paid work. And it isn't appreciated by anyone. Part-timer at work and part-timer at home.

Best thing I ever did was to go back to work full-time. Never ever ever again!

maybe Jill Kirky is already on MN.

MN deathmatch

Jill Kirky vs Xenia.

I am taking bets.

We cannot afford to have the taxpayer fund mothers doing low-paid non-jobs in the public sector and providing subsidies for those mothers' children's childcare.

Bonsoir until house prices reflect pay what other alternative is there?

I don't understand how she can actually say this:

Jill Kirkby said that this was ok because neither of these women do jobs which generate additional revenue in the economy (or words to that effect)

Don't these working mums SPEND their money? Presumably that DOES put their money back into the economy......

I find the automatic assumption that women don't need work because they can/should look after children so offensive. I thought we were all trying to move on from this idea that if you're a women you would prefer to be with your children all day but maybe have no choice so have to go to work. What about all those women who are the breadwinners? I can assure you, they would rather earn a living than spend their days looking after children who they can't afford to house, clothe or feed.

Arrgh, it's like reverting to the 60s. "Times are tough. Little woman, stay home and find ways to make things cheap by washing your clothes by hand and making your children's toys".