'Michael Gove's absurd plan to punish struggling parents is cruel and divisive'

01 March 2023 , 17:42

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Michael Gove tried to push this absurd idea through when his party was in coalition, but it was sensibly blocked by Nick Clegg (Image: Getty Images)

Last weekend I finished binge-watching three seasons of the ­brilliant Happy Valley. I know I know, I’m always late to the party when it comes to good telly.

Without giving anything away, there is a pivotal moment which beautifully reminds us of the key role childhood and upbringing plays, and the impact it has in later life.

I was reminded of this scene when I read about the plans for parents to lose their benefits if their children skip school being pushed by Michael Gove.

The Levelling Up Secretary reckons that financial penalties would give parents the incentive to stop their children missing school and committing low-level crime.

He tried to push this absurd idea through when his party was in coalition with the Lib Dems, but it was sensibly blocked by Nick Clegg. He’s now on a mission to revive it.

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Any expert can tell you that making ­families poorer, especially in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, is not the way to tackle these issues. But then again, we all know what Mr Gove thinks of experts.

Punishing parents who are already struggling is cruel and divisive. And it’s clear who he’s pointing the finger at here, but as we know, this demographic is an easy target.

Study after study has shown how important the early years are, especially the first five of a child’s life.

However, when the Tories came into power, they cut funding for Sure Start children’s centres, even though they were a crucial resource for parents. They also meant kids were happier, healthier, and according to the Institute of Fiscal Studies, centres prevented 13,000 children’s hospital admissions a year.

Mr Gove would be far better off taking a leaf out of the Princess of Wales’s book. She’s put a focus on early years and has laid strong foundations at the heart of what she calls her life’s work.

Making an investment in young ­children is what he should be focusing on if he’s serious about levelling up. Using struggling parents to score political points is a disgrace.

Eva Simpson