Super Nanny State
It was inevitable. Not satisfied with the increasing power of the Nanny State, Tony Blair is all set to introduce the Super Nanny State. His solution to the problem of troublesome youngsters and poor parenting is a flying squad of around 80 child psychologists.
It was inevitable. Not satisfied with the increasing power of the Nanny State, Tony Blair is all set to introduce the Super Nanny State. His solution to the problem of troublesome youngsters and poor parenting is a flying squad of around 80 child psychologists.
Just what we need. Another bunch of Government-funded nosy parkers to intrude on our lives. And yet another piece of off-the-cuff social policy drawn up on the back of a fag packet, inspired by the usual New Labour combination of an opinion poll and too many Cabinet members watching reality TV on Channel 4.
Of course this is being targeted at the poorer areas of our nation, as if, somehow, being poor makes you a bad parent. The highly publicised evening activities of the rich and spoiled sons and daughters of our richest business leaders, pop stars and titled families is, presumably, nothing to do with bad parenting.
Poor, working class people have always been a bedrock of strong parenting. When you have little money, family is what you rely on. Generations of people, getting by on low wages in Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley and West Bromwich, can testify to the strength of the traditional Black Country family.
If the Government really wants to do something about tearaway kids, maybe they would be better spending our money - and let's remember that all the money they splash around is, in reality, our money paid in our taxes - on reinforcing traditional family values. Or perhaps on putting more bobbies on the beat with the authority to dispense summary justice to troublesome teens - how about a clip around the ear?
Of course this is another gimmick. An eye-catching, facile sticking plaster on a deep rooted problem. We have come to expect nothing better from Mr Blair.
We don't just like cricket, we love it
The nights are drawing in, the mornings are getting frosty, so it must be time for cricket. Summer is in full swing Down Under and our boys are gearing up the the most important Test series in years, starting in a couple of days' time. Up against the toughest possible opposition England are aiming to keep the Ashes out of Australian hands.
The huge surge of interest during the Ashes series last year showed that, like a sleeping giant, dormant enthusiasm for our national summer game was just waiting to rise again. So for the next few weeks we can expect to see bleary eyed colleagues after they have spent the small hours listening in on the radio or watching on TV.
And unseasonal sales of cricket gear are likely in the run-up to Christmas if Freddie Flintoff and the team put up even a half-way decent performance. There could be a few cricket bat-shaped parcels under the tree in four weeks' time.
