THE INDEPENDENT
16 October 2000
Sir: Margaret Hodge MP warned the Labour Party that "simply getting people into jobs is not enough" when US evidence showed that poor unqualified people who move into low paid jobs don't move out of poverty but back into unemployment. Now Ms Hodge is fronting the Government's campaign to drive single mothers out to work to US levels, where latch-key five year olds are left home alone ("New nurseries to help single parents go to work", 10 October). In Britain flexible, affordable childcare does not exist for most - and will not; an additional £155m proposed over four years amounts to £5 per year per child. As pensioners demand their due in universal, decent pensions, mothers demand our entitlement too in benefits and services for the work of raising our children. Barbara Castle said it: the country can afford it. The Labour Party says it offers "real choices". But we're only free to choose what it says is good for us: a waged job that usually leaves us exhausted and poorer than ever. What about the invaluable job we are doing already? We are entitled to a real choice about whether we look after our children ourselves, full or part-time, or go out to a job, full or part-time. In Norway, new mothers are paid £250 a week so they can afford to choose to stay at home and care for their children. That would be a start. KIM SPARROW |