Tuesday, July 26, 2005

Demonising Single Mothers - Starter Pack

Read this by Jamie Whyte in the Times.

Why do parents instil in their children habits of hard work, self-restraint and consideration for others? Perhaps they believe these values to be intrinsically worthwhile. But they also have an economic interest in raising wellbehaved children. If your child grows up to be an unemployable slob, he will be an economic burden on the family.

Or, at least, he would have been in the past. Now, the economic burden is spread across all taxpayers. The same goes for teenage pregnancy. The families of the little twits who create the baby do not have another mouth to feed: taxpayers do.

The welfare policies pursued by successive governments in Britain and all around the Western world have the same effect. They transfer the economic cost of bad habits from the miscreants and their families to taxpayers. By reducing the cost of bad habits, these policies also reduce families’ incentive to resist them.


Then read this. Or this. Or this.

Kelly Ann Piggford claimed she left her three children at home and went on holiday to flee the pressure of being a full-time mother.

The 23-year-old, accused of getting a 15-year-old girl to care for the youngsters, said: "Everyone needs to let their hair down."

But she denied her kids Shauna, four, Stevie, two, and 11-month-old Michael had been abandoned as she lived it up on boozy nights in Turkish bars and clubs with friends.

Piggford, who was arrested as she returned to Britain yesterday, told Closer magazine: "My kids want for nothing. They have a wardrobe full of clothes and an attic full of toys".

Despite being on benefit, Piggford has spent just seven days in the past five weeks at home with her children.

Piggford added: "I took Shauna on the first holiday and left the youngest ones with Melvyn but I didn't want her to miss more nursery. People can judge me and think I am a terrible mum for what I did but no one knows what I went through.

"Before I left I did a £60 shop I left money for electricity and gas bills, and clean clothes. I have been selfish but I needed to get away. To be honest, I have hardly gone out since I got here."

Piggford stayed abroad while her children were removed by social services two weeks ago, claiming she did not have a credit card to alter her £219 return flight.

But she managed to enjoy the delights of the resort's Beach Club, Vegas and Seaside bars, downing free booze before getting up late for an English breakfast as she prepared for another night on the town.

Piggford, claims £186-a-week in benefits.

She admitted she only spoke to her children once while she was away, from a phone box.

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