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

424 replies

SleepWhenImDead · 21/10/2010 07:16

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! Hmm

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!

OP posts:
AbsofCroissant · 21/10/2010 13:58

Okay, so if I understand this correctly.

Women should not work unless they're generating revenue (but presumably men can?) and if they are producing revenue, then they must only do hours which fit in with a child's day, so assuming that's a school aged child, that will be say, 8:30 to 15:00, with 6 weeks off for summer, plus half terms and other holidays. Naturally, as teachers aren't revenue producing jobs, even though it is quite a suitable (in terms of time off when child's off) work for women, women can't do it. Also, I assume women shouldn't be nurses, doctors, any kind of carer role, any kind of support role, academics ... it's quite limited.

Why is Jill actually around to work, as presumably "director of Conservative think-tank" is not a revenue-generating job, and is kind of one of those flappy, head-in-the-arse, non-essential jobs that she's saying shouldn't exist?

Of course though, with all this spare time mothers are suddenly going to get as they're not working, they can do all the jobs that the new government thinks "Big Society" should be doing, like, I don't know, setting up and running schools and what not.

What is this government on, and can I have some, as it sounds like fun - they're off their rockers.

NicknameTaken · 21/10/2010 13:58

Of course - single mothers should be out there expiating their sins in the marketplace, while the married mothers drift around at home in aprons like Nigella.

(sarcasm, in case it's ntot clear).

Meglet · 21/10/2010 13:59

bookmarking as I would love to know what she suggests single mothers do.

wukterWOOO · 21/10/2010 14:00

They must not have printed the second part of her statement '...therefore, the Govt will be bringing in lots of lovely legislation to ensure the private companies offer flexitime, term time, onsite creche facilities for the use of both male and female parents.'

AbsofCroissant · 21/10/2010 14:00

Meglet - there shouldn't be single mothers. I'm just waiting for the Tories to start drowning single mothers in the sea to get rid of this troublesome section of the population.

Meglet · 21/10/2010 14:01

Abs I'm a bloody good swimmer Grin.

blackwell · 21/10/2010 14:03

From my personal experience, most think tankers seem to spend most of their time sitting in the Red Lion, playing on their Iphones, drinking Sauv Blanc and wanking off (intellectually not literally)

CommanderCool · 21/10/2010 14:03

I think it's BRILLIANT being part of the 'Big Society'

scallopsrgreat · 21/10/2010 14:03

amidaiwish - oh yes that was lovely too! I thought he was talking about women in general for that bit (not that it really matters as it is still vile!)

I am so annoyed by this I can't even type a coherent argument (having re-read my post!).
Since becoming a mother I have really noticed the misogynist attitude of the media and politicians towards women and this really isn't helping.

One of the other posters states "The state has already outbid poor men in support of single mums, who are now able to dispense with fathers for not matching up to unrealistic feminist expectations". Unrealistic feminist expectations - oh we want you to pull your weight you mean? Fuckwit! So he clearly believes the media rubbish about single mothers!

Miggsie · 21/10/2010 14:03

Perhaps their next suggestion will be that single mums are forcibly married off to any available man and never allowed to divorce him, this would erradicate that problem.

RamblingRosa · 21/10/2010 14:08

Abs "What is this government on, and can I have some, as it sounds like fun - they're off their rockers." Grin

fairylights · 21/10/2010 14:10

MN please have her on for a webchat..
or at least can you work out a way to send her the link to this thread?
I feel so Sad and Angry AAAAAARGH.

AbsofCroissant · 21/10/2010 14:10

Ooh, yes! Forced marriages! Brilliant!

they can have big moonie type weddings, where the woman hands over anything that might give her the option of freedom (car keys, savings, family and friends, any education). At the end of the weddign bit, they can have a communal "donning of the pinnies" (and downing of "mothers little helper").

Guacamole · 21/10/2010 14:10

Can we get her on for a webchat please so we can give her a piece of our mind!?

scallopsrgreat · 21/10/2010 14:14

Forced marriages - inspired!!
Another vote here for a web chat!
Although as you know we will only be portrayed as "harpies" or "nest of vipers" and some comment about biscuits would have to be made!

AbsofCroissant · 21/10/2010 14:14

web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat! web chat!

ImGideonsMumAndIHateHimToo · 21/10/2010 14:19

Someone need to hit the report button so MN can see we want her here....

becstarlitsea · 21/10/2010 14:21

I just checked out her biog www.cps.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=cpsarticle&id=132&Itemid=22link

and if you click on the link in her biog 'Choosing to be different' you can get a free download of her publication of that title. I am reading it now. My blood pressure is sooooooaring! Her reference to the mistake of allowing "egalitarian dogma" (ie equality...) to guide govt policy when of course all mothers want is to be at home.... AAAARGH!

AbsofCroissant · 21/10/2010 14:24

I've reported my post and asked for a webchat.

blackwell · 21/10/2010 14:25

Note to self: marry someone rich.

Dave, you up for it?

OverflowingMum · 21/10/2010 14:26

oh....sooooo fed up of the whole lot of it now!
If they want me to stay home and bake cakes (which I'm very good at BTW!) then it would help if they weren't going to swipe my Child tax credit, then child benefit, making us £600 a month worse off!
And of course, as I work for the public sector my current job is precarious to say the least!....Although I have actually planned it to fit round my kids, and work my hours over 4 days instead of 3 so I can do school pick ups...and I thought of that all on my own...how clever of little me!

becstarlitsea · 21/10/2010 14:28

omg... A quote from said publication wrt 'the single mothers question' written by the very same lady:

"...by increasing the pressure on all mothers to participate in full-time employment, the Government may be contributing to the very problem it seeks to resolve - as witness the greater incidence of divorce in households where mothers are in full-time work."

A-ha! That's why marriages break down! It's because we were at work when we should have been warming his slippers! And if women stopped working, the single mother problem would be solved as... as.... [becstar gibbers, froths at mouth, and starts gnawing on desk incoherent with rage...]

AbsofCroissant · 21/10/2010 14:30

I'm also sure all of the private sector, trying to recover from the recession, will happily let their female employees (because men are never parents - unless it's a photo op and you're a tory politician like this) work flexi hours, take lots of time off for school holidays and what not, and basically work around their child's day

AbsofCroissant · 21/10/2010 14:31

gnaaaaaarrrrr!!!

Out of interest, is this harridan married? Have DCs? If so - what's she doing out working? Shouldn't she be at home, baking cakes?

Miggsie · 21/10/2010 14:35

Note how men are the passive bystanders in this entirely female created problem of families with no fathers.

I vote we form a mumsnet think tank. I can't believe it takes any qualifications except thinking all day and talking rubbish and I'm sure we can do that just as well as Jill Kirby.

And let us not forget that women at home with no money and no political voice are so much easier to ignore and sideline and domestic violence never happen, we found our babies under gooseberry bushes, if we didn't marry men rich enough to support us, well, tough...