POACHEDonline

Articles I’ve written for politics.co.uk in 2009 - sorry not chronological!

The lost art of keeping a secret, rediscovered - politics.co.uk

1. By Laura Miller. George Osborne skipped up onto the stage at the Policy Centre full of the joys of a man who can say what he likes about “effective economic … www.politics.co.uk/analysis/economy-and-finance/the-lost-art-keeping-secret-rediscovered–$1259709.htm

2. Profile: Kenneth Clarke - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Former chancellor and habitual Tory leadership contender Kenneth Clarke will again bring his boisterous brand of politics to Britain’s … www.politics.co.uk/analysis/legal-and-constitutional/profile-kenneth-clarke-$1261806.htm

3. Secret inquests back on the table - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Justice minister Jack Straw has reintroduced government plans for closed door inquests, held without a jury, in cases involving aspects of … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/secret-inquests-back-on-the-table-$1260879.htm

4. Boris avoids Green inquiry - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Boris Johnson will receive his second call to give evidence over the arrest of Damian Green today, after failing to attend the first time … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/boris-avoids-green-inquiry-$1264351.htm

5. Party leaders on UK tour - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Gordon Brown and David Cameron have both begun tours of recession-struck Britain in a move unheard of outside election season. … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/party-leaders-on-uk-tour-$1258822.htm

6. Govt regulations ‘without purpose’ - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Government departments frequently waste taxpayer’s money on useless and expensive regulations, a report has said. … www.politics.co.uk/news//news//domestic-policy/govt-regulations-without-purpose–$1264688.htm

7. Smith faces grilling over home office leaks - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Jacqui Smith was forced to make a climb-down today over claims “considerable damage to national security” forced her to involve police in … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/smith-faces-grilling-over-home-office-leaks-$1261980.htm

8. MPs to be let off FOI - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. MPs and peers have won their battle to keep their expense claims for the last three years secret. The retrospective exemption, expected to … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/mps-to-be-let-off-foi-$1261281.htm

9. Search powers right to be dropped - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Powers to raid political candidates’ homes and offices without a warrant broke human rights law and were right to be dropped, according to … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/search-powers-right-to-be-dropped-$1265004.htm

10. Clarkson in hot water for Brown comments - politics.co.uk

    By Laura Miller. The prime minister is a “one-eyed Scottish idiot,” according to Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson. Made during a promotional visit to … www.politics.co.uk/news//news//culture-media-and-sport/clarkson-in-hot-water-for-brown-comments-$1266895.htm

1. Smith climbs down over phone-tap evidence - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. The home secretary has stepped away from controversial government plans to use intercept evidence in UK trials. … www.politics.co.uk/news//news//legal-and-constitutional/smith-climbs-down-over-phone-tap-evidence-$1268846.htm

2. Public want failing banks nationalised - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Government moves to completely nationalise banks already under partial state control would be supported by the British public, … www.politics.co.uk/news//news//economy-and-finance/public-want-failing-banks-nationalised-$1271234.htm

3. Govt ‘misled’ high court in torture case - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Binyam Mohamed’s lawyers will fight to re-open his case on the grounds that the UK government misled the highest court in the land when … www.politics.co.uk/news//news//legal-and-constitutional/govt-misled-high-court-in-torture-case-$1266890.htm

4. EU fisheries policy costs UK families £297 each - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Average British families are paying £297 more a year in food and tax bills due to EU fisheries policy, claims a report published today. … www.politics.co.uk/news//news//opinion-former-index/environment-and-rural…/eu-fisheries-policy-costs-uk-families-297-each-$1264706.htm

5. Brown’s secret expenses call disgraceful - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller Commenting on reports that Gordon Brown is to order Labour MPs to vote to exempt MP’s expenses from the Freedom of Information Act … www.politics.co.uk/mps/press-releases/party-politics/liberal-democrats/brown-s-secret-expenses-call-disgraceful-$1262632$452057.htm

6. Blunkett gets a new bride - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. David Blunkett, former home secretary, is to remarry, his spokesman said today. The Sheffield Brightside MP has announced he will wed … www.politics.co.uk/news/party-politics/labour/blunkett-gets-new-bride-$1264060.htm

7. Patients to manage own health budgets - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Some patients will soon be able to choose where they buy their healthcare using money paid to them directly, the government announced today … www.politics.co.uk/news/health/patients-manage-own-health-budgets-$1261387.htm

8. Big Brother intensified for Olympics - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. The British public is set to come under even closer scrutiny during 2012 from an advanced CCTV system specially designed for the London … www.politics.co.uk/news/policing-and-crime/big-brother-intensified-olympics-$1260869.htm

9. Scottish politics in disarray over failed budget - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. The Scottish government today faced criticism from Labour MSPs over its failure to secure a budget for Scotland next year. … www.politics.co.uk/news//regions/scotland/scottish-politics-in-disarray-over-failed-budget-$1264613.htm

10. 1. Pupils taught to see 7/7 from bombers’ perspective - politics.co.uk

       By Laura Miller. Some secondary school pupils will be asked to look at the co-ordinated suicide bombings on London’s transport system from the standpoint of … www.politics.co.uk/news//news//education/pupils-taught-to-see-7-7-from-bombers-perspective-$1271201.htm

    2. Smith to tackle violence against women - politics.co.uk

       By Laura Miller. Jacqui Smith will launch the largest ever cross-government public consultation on violence against women and girls today, … www.politics.co.uk/news/equality/smith-to-tackle-violence-against-women-$1275213.htm

    3. Profile: Sir Paul Stephenson - politics.co.uk

       By Laura Miller. Deputies live out life in the shadows, waiting and desperately hoping the boss falls from grace before they themselves are too old to take … www.politics.co.uk/analysis/policing-and-crime/profile-sir-paul-stephenson-$1264424.htm

    4. Govt blamed as litter rises 500%

       By Laura Miller. Councils’ failure to curb a 500 per cent rise in litter through education and fines loses taxpayers £500 million a year in clear-up costs, … www.politics.co.uk/news/environment-and-rural-affairs/govt-blamed-as-litter-rises-500–$1275240.htm

    5. Govt skills plan ‘doesn’t fit’ recession - politics.co.uk

       By Laura Miller. Current government skills and learning policy is inappropriate now the country is in the middle of a recession, leading politicians have … politics.co.uk/news/opinion-former-index/education/govt-skills-plan-doesn-t-fit-recession-$1261321.htm

    6. US will talk but not act at G20 - politics.co.uk

       By Laura Miller. Chancellor Alastair Darling was today forced to rein in his hopes for a recession-beating “new global deal” next month, after Washington … politics.co.uk/news/economy-and-finance/us-will-talk-but-not-act-at-g20-$1280146.htm

    7. Premier League: Poverty wages - politics.co.uk

       By Laura Miller. MPs will meet representatives from Premier league football clubs today to discuss the plight of the working poor in one of sport’s … www.politics.co.uk/news/culture-media-and-sport/premier-league-poverty-wages-$1280158.htm - 22 hours ago

1. Clegg: Suspend arms to Israel - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg today called on Gordon Brown to stop the flow of arms from Britain to Israel and criticised his lack of … www.politics.co.uk/news/foreign-policy/clegg-suspend-arms-israel-$1259058.htm

2. Vote on expenses shelved - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller and Alex Stevenson. Downing Street has abandoned a controversial vote to keep MPs’ expenses private. The government had said Labour MPs … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/labour-mps-forced-vote-secret-expenses-$1262526.htm

3. Brown show reaches Liverpool - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Gordon Brown and his Cabinet met in Liverpool today to discuss urban regeneration and the government’s latest plans to spend its way out of … www.politics.co.uk/news//economy/employment/unemployment/brown-show-reaches-liverpool-$1259422.htm

4. ‘Optimistic’ financial report: the worst is yet to come - politics …

   By Laura Miller. Unemployment will escalate and consumer spending will continue to plummet well into 2011, according to an “optimistic” financial report out … www.politics.co.uk/news/economy-and-finance/-optimistic-financial-report-the-worst-yet-come-$1261941.htm

5. Foreign criminals cost taxpayers £10 million - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Government failure to deport foreign criminals quickly costs taxpayers £10 million a year in extended detentions, a Tory immigration … www.politics.co.uk/news//news//opinion-former-index/policing-and-crime/foreign-criminals-cost-taxpayers-10-million-$1264842.htm

6. MI5: Israeli attacks will provoke UK extremists - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. In a rare interview with the Guardian newspaper, Jonathan Evans warned of a direct link between events abroad and security risks at home. … www.politics.co.uk/news/foreign-policy/policing-and-crime/mi5-israeli-attacks-will-provoke-uk-extremists-$1259139.htm

7. Who’s on the new Lib Dem front bench? - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Simon Hughes (energy and climate change spokesman). Hughes has significant experience with environmental issues. … www.politics.co.uk/analysis/legal-and-constitutional/who-s-on-new-lib-dem-front-bench–$1259457.htm

8. Calls for rail investment to prevent motorway hell - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. The government has been accused of failing to respond to demands from the public for a “better alternative” to the motorway. … www.politics.co.uk/news/transport/calls-rail-investment-prevent-motorway-hell-$1260607.htm

9. UK ‘awash’ with unemployable graduates - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. British graduates lack the skills to succeed in the jobs market, according to a report published today. … www.politics.co.uk/news/education/education/uk-awash-with-unemployable-graduates-$1261237.htm

10. True cost of Gaza-Israel conflict to be revealed - politics.co.uk

    By Laura Miller. A report outlining the true cost of the Gaza war will be published today by a strategic research group. Lord Alderice, a leading expert in … www.politics.co.uk/news/foreign-policy/true-cost-gaza-israel-conflict-be-revealed-$1262633.htm

1. Sarkozy critical of Brown’s ‘mistakes’ - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Anglo-French relations took a knock last night after Nicolas Sarkozy publicly criticised Gordon Brown’s handling of the economic crisis. … www.politics.co.uk/news//news//economy-and-finance/sarkozy-critical-of-brown-s-mistakes–$1266951.htm

2. Ex KGB spy set to buy London Evening Standard - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller and Richard James. Billionaire and former KGB agent Alexander Lebedev is poised to buy a majority stake in the London Evening Standard, … www.politics.co.uk/news/culture-media-and-sport/ex-kgb-spy-set-buy-london-evening-standard-$1261040.htm

3. Analysis: A mountain of rubbish? - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Litter is an eyesore for everyone, and figures show the ugliness has significantly increased in the last thirty years, … www.politics.co.uk/analysis/environment-and-rural-affairs/analysis-a-mountain-of-rubbish–$1275714.htm

4. Cameron pledges TV debates if he becomes PM - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. David Cameron has promised to give MPs more chances to quiz him in greater detail about his policies if he becomes prime minister. … www.politics.co.uk/news/cameron-pledges-tv-debates-if-he-becomes-pm-$1263871.htm

5. Labour embarks on ‘green revolution’

   By Laura Miller. Gordon Brown will today outline his ‘green new deal’ as part of efforts to kill two birds with one stone using a low carbon economic … www.politics.co.uk/news/environment-and-rural-affairs/labour-embarks-on-green-revolution–$1275186.htm

6. UK activists boycott Israel - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Demonstrators are planning nationwide protests today to boycott the sale of Israeli goods on UK high-streets. … www.politics.co.uk/news//news//business-and-industry/uk-activists-boycott-israel-$1266992.ht

7. Lobbyists facing tighter control laws - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Major lobbying groups would be forced to disclose who they are working for and the MPs and Lords they meet under proposed new anti-sleaze … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/lobbyists-facing-tighter-control-laws-$1275159.htm

8. ‘Repressive and disproportionate’ policing at Kingsnorth …

   By Laura Miller. Police deliberately intimidated protesters and obstructed legal observers during protests at Kingsnorth power station, a report has said. … politics.co.uk/news/policing-and-crime/-repressive-and-disproportionate-policing-at-kingsnorth-$1280104.htm

1. Analysis: Football is a mirror to the nation - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Premier League football is no stranger to pay controversy, functioning, as it does, as a mirror of wider trends in society. … www.politics.co.uk/analysis/culture-media-and-sport/analysis-football-is-a-mirror-to-the-nation-$1280711.htm - 12 hours ago

3. US will talk but not act at G20 - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Chancellor Alastair Darling was today forced to rein in his hopes for a recession-beating “new global deal” next month, after Washington … politics.co.uk/news/economy-and-finance/us-will-talk-but-not-act-at-g20-$1280146.htm

4. Social care ‘as important as NHS’ - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Over three quarters of British adults rate social care as importantly as the NHS, a survey has revealed. Eighty-six per cent adults would … www.politics.co.uk/news//news//communities-and-local-government/social-care-as-important-as-nhs–$1271250.htm

1. Govt blames BoE as car industry nose-dives - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Strained relations between the government and the Bank of England reached a head when the central bank issued a rare public reproach to … politics.co.uk/news/business-and-industry/govt-blames-boe-as-car-industry-nose-dives-$1280059.htm

2. Govt forced to publish ID card reviews - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. The government will be forced to publish two reviews into the controversial ID card system after a four year battle to keep them secret, … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/govt-forced-to-publish-id-card-reviews-$1271160.htm

3. RE: Skills - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Education, education, education, went the Blair mantra in 1997. Droves of able students have passed through the university system in the 12 … www.politics.co.uk/analysis/education/analysis-is-education-for-business-or-knowledge–$1261240.htm

4. Atheist buses do not break advertising rules - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Buses which carry the slogan “There’s probably no God” do not breach the advertising code, a watchdog has ruled. … www.politics.co.uk/news//news//transport/atheist-buses-do-not-break-advertising-rules-$1262650.htm

5. Lib Dems: MPs must comply with FoI - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Westminster MPs should not enjoy special privileges when it comes to disclosing how they spend public money, according to David Heath, … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/lib-dems-mps-must-comply-with-foi-$1261370.htm

6. Osborne tells voters ‘home truths’ - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. George Osborne today told the public that times are tough with only hard work on the horizon and no quick fixes to the economic problem. … www.politics.co.uk/news//news//economy-and-finance/osborne-tells-voters-home-truths–$1275175.htm

7. Brown: ‘The King of Spin’ - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Gordon Brown faced accusations he is the ‘King of Spin’ today, after a report revealed he has more press officers than any PM in the last … www.politics.co.uk/news/culture-media-and-sport/brown-the-king-of-spin–$1263808.htm

8. Children ‘impoverished’ by poor education - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Primary school children in England are being failed by a national curriculum that focuses too much on core subjects like maths and English, … www.politics.co.uk/news/education/children-impoverished-by-poor-education-$1271075.htm

9. Boris will finally talk about Damian Green - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. The London mayor and the Met’s new assistant commissioner will finally speak out about their involvement in the arrest of shadow … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/boris-will-finally-talk-about-damian-green-$1264959.htm

10. Economic downturn deepens at alarming pace - politics.co.uk

    By Laura Miller and Ian Dunt. The economic downturn is deepening at an alarming pace, according to new findings published today. … www.politics.co.uk/news/business-and-industry/economic-downturn-deepens-at-alarming-pace-$1260298.htm

1. Profile: Spotlight on the controversial Labour Lords - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Lord Taylor. A Labour peer since 1978, Lord Taylor of Blackburn was described in 2007 as “the primary conduit between the defence industry … www.politics.co.uk/analysis/legal-and-constitutional/profile-spotlight-on-the-labour-lords-$1263720.htm

2. Analysis: An age of insecurity - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Strikes over Italian workers at the Total Lindsey oil refinery were rooted in a toxic mix of job insecurity and the unfairness of the … www.politics.co.uk/analysis/employment/analysis-an-age-of-insecurity-$1269715.htm

3. ‘British jobs’ slogan splits the public

   By Laura Miller. The slogan ‘British jobs for British workers’ has split opinion between those who agree with the phrase, and those who believe it smacks of … www.politics.co.uk/news/equality/-british-jobs-slogan-splits-the-public-$1269028.htm

4. MPs condemn ‘outrageous’ data sharing plans - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Plans to allow people’s confidential details to be shared across public and private agencies around the world have been attacked by MPs in … politics.co.uk/news/opinion-former-index/legal-and-constitutional/mps-condemn-outrageous-data-sharing-plans-$1264010.htm

5. Genocide victims remembered on Holocaust Memorial Day - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. People around the world will come together today in remembrance of those killed by the Nazis during World War Two and other genocides. … www.politics.co.uk/news/culture-media-and-sport/genocide-victims-remembered-on-holocaust-memorial-day-$1264042.htm

6. Employed no better off than jobless - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Low paid workers are often closer to the bread line than those who have lost their jobs due to the recession, a report published today has … www.politics.co.uk/news/employment/employed-no-better-off-than-jobless-$1258840.htm

7. Milburn back in govt to help ‘disadvantaged’ - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Gordon Brown has tasked Alan Milburn with improving the life chances of Britain’s poorest children, as a report published today reveals … www.politics.co.uk/news/children-and-family/milburn-back-in-govt-help-disadvantaged–$1260205.htm

8. Failures over NHS IT systems hit crisis point - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. A catalogue of failures in the government’s massive NHS IT project has led health service staff to lose confidence in the records system, … www.politics.co.uk/news/health/failures-over-nhs-it-systems-hit-crisis-point-$1263910.htm

9. Spelman stays despite nannygate investigation - politics.co.uk

   By Laura Miller. Caroline Spelman will not be dropped from the shadow cabinet in the latest Tory reshuffle, despite being under investigation for her use of … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/spelman-stays-despite-nannygate-investigation-$1261955.htm

10. Ken Clarke calls Cameron’s marriage policy ’social engineering …

    By Laura Miller. Ken Clarke has reportedly branded David Cameron’s tax plan for married couples as tantamount to “social engineering”, and an ill-advised … www.politics.co.uk/news/children-and-family/ken-clarke-calls-cameron-s-marriage-policy-social-engineering–$1264388.htm

11. Brown and Merkel in talks to end recession - politics.co.uk

    By Laura Miller. Gordon Brown will meet the German Chancellor today to discuss the need for co-operation in tackling the economic crisis. … www.politics.co.uk/news/economy-and-finance/brown-and-merkel-in-talks-to-end-recession-$1261012.htm

12. Politicians coordinate Jewish protection initiative - politics.co.uk

    By Laura Miller. Lib Dem shadow home secretary Chris Huhne has written to home secretary Jacqui Smith urging police vigilance in areas with large Jewish … www.politics.co.uk/news/policing-and-crime/politicians-coordinate-jewish-protection-initiative-$1259108.htm

13. Police to use ‘three strikes’ rule against cannabis users …

    By Laura Miller. Police have introduced a new ‘three strikes’ regime to target cannabis users following the government’s reclassification of the drug to … www.politics.co.uk/news/health/police-to-use-three-strikes-rule-against-cannabis-users-$1263769.htm

14. Tories: We will come clean over UFOs - politics.co.uk

    By Laura Miller. David Cameron has promised to make public any secret files on UFOs if he becomes prime minister. Responding to a question about cover-ups … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/tories-we-will-come-clean-over-ufos-$1264157.htm

15. Absent councillors can claim £10000 for nothing - politics.co.uk

    By Laura Miller. Councillors will soon be allowed to stay at home instead of attending meetings and vote by remote control - but still claim thousands in … www.politics.co.uk/news/communities-and-local-government/absent-councillors-can-claim-10-000-for-nothing-$1264871.htm

16. Blair: Hamas must be part of peace talks - politics.co.uk

    By Laura Miller. Hamas must be part of talks to secure peace in the Middle East, former PM Tony Blair said today. Speaking in his role as Middle East peace … www.politics.co.uk/news/foreign-policy/blair-hamas-must-be-part-of-peace-talks-$1262627.htm

17. Shortage of trust in British economy - politics.co.uk

    By Laura Miller. People in Britain no longer trust financial institutions, the markets or the government’s ability to manage the economy, according to a new … www.politics.co.uk/news/economy-and-finance/shortage-of-trust-in-british-economy-$1260814.htm

18. Govt to face legal action from nuclear test veterans - politics.co.uk

    By Laura Miller. Ex-servicemen involved in British nuclear testing in the 1950s are to launch a legal bid against the government at the high court later. … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/govt-face-legal-action-from-nuclear-test-veterans-$1262556.htm

19. BBC stars pay ’should be made public’ - politics.co.uk

    By Laura Miller. Salaries of the BBC’s highest paid talent should be revealed to encourage greater transparency within the media industry, according to the … www.politics.co.uk/news/culture-media-and-sport/bbc-stars-pay-should-be-made-public–$1262832.htm

20. Recession ruining Britons’ mental health - politics.co.uk

    By Laura Miller. Mental health problems are on the rise as more people struggle to deal with the effects of the economic crisis, a new survey reveals. … www.politics.co.uk/news/health/recession-ruining-britons-mental-health-$1260598.htm

21. Civil servants wined and dined by failed banks - politics.co.uk

    By Laura Miller. Dozens of senior civil servants enjoyed free lunches, days at sporting events and evenings out paid for by top companies, including failed … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/civil-servants-wined-and-dined-by-failed-banks-$1268806.htm

22. Christian advert banned by watchdog

    By Laura Miller. A pro-Christian advert that claims a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer in young women increases teenage infertility has been banned by the … www.politics.co.uk/news/health/christian-advert-banned-by-watchdog-$1264170.htm

23. London Assembly flies stars and stripes - politics.co.uk

    By Laura Miller. The star spangled banner will flutter high over City Hall today as the London mayor celebrates the inauguration of Barack Obama as American … www.politics.co.uk/news/communities-and-local-government/london-city-hall-flies-stars-and-stripes-$1262005.htm

24. Recession hits local councils - politics.co.uk

    By Laura Miller. Unemployment looms for many public sector workers, the Local Government Association (LGA) warned today, as one in seven councils axe jobs … www.politics.co.uk/news//domestic-policy/local-government/recession-hits-local-councils-$1260838.htm

25. Jacqui Smith ordered to return gay refugee -

    By Laura Miller. The home secretary must “use her best endeavours” to bring back a gay asylum seeker illegally deported from the UK, a High Court judge … www.politics.co.uk/news/legal-and-constitutional/jacqui-smith-ordered-to-return-gay-refugee-$1271126.htm

Alan Duncan could join Britain’s 2 million unemployed - politics.co.uk

By Laura Miller. Shadow business secretary Alan Duncan could be the first casualty of a Conservative cabinet reshuffle rumoured for next week. …
www.politics.co.uk/news/children-and-family/employment/alan-duncan-could-join-britain-s-2-million-unemployed-$1259731.htm

Why can’t we mention that Sarah Palin’s daughter got preggers and isn’t getting rid?

This must be a liberal blog, you’re thinking; three lines in and there’s unequivocal indecisiveness. Well by that mark, the Republican Party are going liberal too. At least on some things. Like teen pregnancy. Conveniently. Tuesday’s papers reported how party supporters - dominated by the religious right who preach no sex before marriage - are rallying round Sarah Palin and brood, with some even going so far as to say that the revelation has endeared the Alaskan senator, a largely unknown figure before McCain’s endorsement, to voters who now see her as an ordinary American facing the everyday challenges of parenting teenagers. Amongst these Bristol Palin’s defence amounts to the ever handy conservative fall back refrain, ‘at least she’s keeping it’. This applause for heroic stoicism seems more than slightly superficial, however, not least because the ferociously pro-life Mrs Palin has stated publicly that even if her daughters became pregnant through rape she would force them to continue with the pregnancy, making it highly unlikely that abortion was an option for the seventeen year old, regardless of her own thoughts on the issue. As it stands, the soon to be father, Levi Johnston, a self-described “redneck” who doesn’t “want kids”, is due to marry Miss Palin in the near future (Mrs Palin herself eloped with her high school boyfriend, Todd). So that’s alright then. And, as my housemate pointed out, who cares anyway what her and her hick boyfriend got up to behind the moose sheds? According to both McCain and Democratic hopeful Barack Obama, nobody should. In fact we are being told that we shouldn’t even discuss it. The families of Presidential or Vice Presidential candidates, we are being told, are ‘off limits’. Begging the questions, where, and since when?

Answers: nowhere and never. Pressuring the media to keep mum over Bristol’s pre-wedding bump is especially absurd in a political scene that devotes huge amounts of energy, and disgusting amounts of money, to marketing their politicians as worthy of their office by virtue of their whole ’story’, from birth (or even before) to now. In speech after debate after speech the onus is on candidates leading from the front, by example. As an important indicator of the consequences of such leadership, according to the focus of the campaigns, their domestic harmony is an integral part of this. Obama, who has publicly condemned drawing Sarah Palin’s children into the political spotlight, parades his very young daughters around the Democratic circuit, most recently at the National Democratic Party conference, where one piped up ‘I love you daddy’ in front of a crowd of 75,000, luckily with microphone in hand. Obama is often criticised for failing to connect with ‘ordinary’ Americans. Perhaps instead of this saccharine display he would have been better off getting his youngest to whinge a bit about not getting her favourite Bratz doll on her birthday. As it was, the message was clear and deliberate; a well loved father (or mother), able to raise (train?) stable, confident, articulate, children will be able to translate that private success into a public one for the nation’s young and old alike. It is a model to which the Republicans traditionally adhere even more zealously than the Democrats, positing their candidate as the nation’s father and repeating the phrase ‘the importance of family values’ like a mantra, second in holiness only to the joint firsts of nationhood and a belief in god. Bill Clinton’s lack of concern for his family, demonstrated by his extra-marital affair, very nearly got him impeached, (not his laying waste to Serbia, or his failure to secure peace in the Middle East) and almost certainly helped grease George W. Bush’s path to the Presidency, on a platform of, yes, you’ve guessed it, bringing good old fashioned family values and god back to the White House.

Dirty Nappy Democracy

Yet never before in this fight to champion family values have the Republicans, or the Democrat Party for that matter, found so much compassion for unwed teenage mothers. It is painfully clear that for both parties this sudden rush of empathy has nothing to do with moving their ideological goalposts, and everything to do with their quest for power, making current displays of understanding particularly putrid in their hypocrisy. The Republicans, traditionally vociferous in their opposition to any domestic situation outside the order of marriage, kids, then death, come off worse by saying it doesn’t matter because it instantly seems they are saying that it doesn’t matter because she’s one of ours. Would Sarah Palin and her daughter be treated so well by the GOP if they were poor anonymous Latinas (who have the highest teen birth rate of all major ethnic groups in the US)?

That is not to say that Bristol and Levi should be hounded or humiliated by anyone at all, least of all politicians and the media (who finger wag at other people’s children enough). Or that Sarah Palin should be vilified as a terrible mother because her daughter has disregarded her right-wing, fundamentalist Christian stance on sex, and children - even if Bristol and Levi marry before the birth, Mrs Palin’s pro-life position affirms life begins at conception - before marriage. And arguing that if you can’t convince your immediate family of the merits of your political beliefs how are you going to convince a nation of 305 million, is not only too simplistic, it seriously misses the point. Just as the Palins should not suffer unduly because of this revelation, neither should the Alaskan governor gain political capital out of what can not have been anything other than a mistake, however much joy, as Mrs Palin was quick to point out during her speech on Wednesday night, that mistake might eventually bring. Every developed nation in the world is trying to cut its teen pregnancy rate, including the United States. While the latest figures show that the number of American teenagers becoming pregnant dropped 38% from 1990 to 2004, the US still has by far the highest teen pregnancy rate amongst industrialised nations.

But what’s wrong with being a young mum? Lots according to The National Campaign To Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (NCPTP), a privately funded organisation, founded and operating in the US, that monitors sex education programs. Its website states, ‘if more children in this country were born to parents who are ready and able to care for them, we would see a significant reduction in a host of social problems afflicting children in the United States, from school failure and crime to child abuse and neglect.’ Kids Having Kids, a 1996 report by the Robin Hood Foundation, an organisation targeting poverty in New York City, showed that compared to their non-pregnant peers teen mothers were 60% less likely to complete high school, with only one-third receiving a high school diploma. Included in this report are findings from another paper (Jacobsen and Maynard 1995) highlighting the fact that ‘80% of young teen mothers received welfare during the 10 years following the birth of their first child; 44% of them for more than 5 years.’

Poverty - Keep It In The Family

These depressing statistics have barely changed in the decade since they were published. The vast majority of America’s teen mothers currently end up living on state handouts. The cost of this situation is three fold. Firstly to the parents (although generally this equates to the mother singly), who, with only a basic education and a child to raise, are subject to severely restricted job prospects, consequently limiting their chances of professional fulfilment or financial independence. Secondly to the child. ‘The poorer outcomes associated with teenage motherhood also mean the effects of deprivation and social exclusion are passed from one generation to the next.’ This is the assessment of Nottingham City Council, which in 2006 had the third highest teenage conception rate in the UK. That ’special relationship’ between America and Britain sees the two countries interests dove-tailing again; the UK has the worst rate of teen pregnancy in Western Europe.

The final cost of teen pregnancy is to society. In the US the costs incurred by the state because of teenage fertility - including welfare and food stamp benefits, medical care expenses, lost tax revenue (teenage childbearing affects the parents’ work patterns), incarceration expenses, and foster care - runs to an estimated $6.9 billion dollars annually. And even after all this the full price of becoming pregnant too early (generally defined as before the age of 17, the same age as Bristol Palin) isn’t fully calculated unless the increased physical risks to both mother and baby are also taken into account. Research by Dr Heather Dryburgh for neighbouring Canada’s National Statistics Agency cites a 1999 report stating that, ‘[c]hildren of teenagers are more likely to have low birth weights, and to suffer the associated health problems.’ Dr Dryburgh’s report continues, ‘[p]regnant teens themselves are also at greater risk of….anemia, hypertension, renal disease, eclampsia and depressive disorders. As well, teenagers who engage in unprotected sex are putting their own health at risk of sexually transmitted infections.’

Dummies, Or Pacifiers?

Naturally governments and health professionals are keen to prevent this horror reel of consequences perpetuating. The vast majority of experts agree that the best, most reliable way to avoid teen pregnancy and its many associated problems is by delivering a comprehensive sex education and by the provision of contraception. What does Sarah Palin support? Teaching abstinence-only in schools. An extensive study authorised by the US Congress in 1997 and published last year revealed that abstinence-only sex education programmes failed to keep children from having sex. On contraception, its effects at encouraging teens to take pre-cautionary measures before having sex are zero, although the report goes on to say that an abstinence-only education did not decrease condom use amongst sexually active young people. Talking about the study’s findings to American newspaper The Washington Post Sarah Brown, executive director of the NCPTP, said the results support those of previous studies. “The most effective programs are those that say abstinence is the best choice but birth control and protection are also worth knowing about.” Martha Kempner, an official at the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States, echoed the need for more that just an abstinence-only syllabus. “Comprehensive education means teaching about abstinence and a myriad of other topics [including] contraception, critical thinking, one’s own values and the values of your family and your religious community.” Kempner’s final assessment is unequivocal: “Abstinence-only was an experiment and it failed.”

Palin is not alone in her support of this failed programme. Placing her in the second most powerful seat in US government would serve to galvanise those in favour of continuing this dangerous experiment in ineffective education on America’s children. Of course, Governor Palin can afford to ensure that her daughter and future grandchild receive the best medical care available at all stages during and after pregnancy. Bristol Palin will not be forced to live on meagre handouts from the state, and with money for home tutors and child care it is unlikely that having a child will stop her from continuing her education or pursuing a career, if she wishes. Nor will she watch her child enter into a cycle of poor opportunities and future poverty. As much as they try to sell it to voters, pregnant or not the Palin’s comfortable lifestyle does not represent that of the majority of the American public, least of all teen mothers. Instead of trying to gag discussion about Bristol Palin’s unintended pregnancy, the annoucement should be used as an opportunity to grill politicians on what they intend to do to stem this growing problem amongst the general population. In the immortal words of Salt ‘n’ Pepper, its time for Americans to demand of their politicians, ‘Let’s talk about sex, baby.’