R I P The Conservative Party 1830-2008

[Sheer Heart Attack]

David Cameron has announced that when he takes over as Chief Supernanny at Number 10, fathers will get 6 months' paid paternity leave as well as mothers.

Yet another cost for business which it can ill afford. Where do these arsehole politicians that have never had the strain and the stress of employing people get off?

In Labour's non-gas-guzzling, smoke-free, fatty-food-banning, do-as-I-say-and-not-as-I-do brave new world, people with no experience of the private sector have royally bitten the hand that feeds them by increasing bureaucratic costs from £10bn a year in 2001 to £65bn last year.

Employers now have to tread carefully around the "poor" staff because the lawmakers are convinced that all capitalist employers are evil scumbags intent on the oppression of the workers. There's employment tribunals, 11% employment tax, sick leave, maternity leave, stakeholder pensions, costs of administering payroll, student loan deductions, attachment of earnings deductions, notice periods for the shittest and most incompetent of staff, dozens of different government busybodies who can walk in without notice - no, no, no, that's not enough.

We now have to pay paternity pay for 6 months. Not just the cost, but the sheer hassle and expense of getting someone into cover the absent staff member.

Previously, at least the Tories **tried** to look after employers as well as employees. Honestly, you'd think the British Government were intent on destroying what little creativity and entrepreneurship remains in this ******ing shithole of a nation.

</rant>

EDIT: And, oh, aren't house prices a ******ing joke? (to keep it on topic)

Edited March 13, 2008 by Pacific State

[Nelly]

All the new dads in the country just collectively said 'the tw@ts'

AS if anyone would want to sit at home all day with their wife and a boring new baby

Id rather be in work

[domo]

Yes, Politicians today seem to think that business is evil, and they somehow have an the responsibility to nanny their employees. Tax may be 45% or so of GDP (or whatever) but surely burdens like this take it up to what 60% burden in real terms?

[Sheer Heart Attack]

www.myplasterer.com

Your website's absolutely brilliant, Nelly. I really like it. Unfortunately, I'm in Newcastle and don't need any plastering done at the moment but, speaking as a marketing person, the website's really well done.

[OnlyMe]

Good way to destroy small businesses reliant on a handful of employees.

Big businesses grow out of small ones, or not as the case may be. Big businesses to a certain extent cover for staff more effectively.

Not good. 6 months off when a child is doing little more than shitting and screaming is a total waste of time as far as joint parenting is concerned and "bonding". Sorting out some of the problems later on like stupid commutes, ludicrous hours and the weight of taxation / costs would be far more sensible.

Edited March 13, 2008 by OnlyMe

[wheresitgone]

Perhaps it is time that employers looked to recruiting the over 50s.

[nmarks]

Now that the Tories are New Labour in disguise you'd think the Liberal Democrats would make a big deal of differentiating themselves.

It would be very refreshing for a mainstream party to come along with policies that tell it like it is instead of this soft-headed lefty liberal rubbish, but no.

I've voted with my feet/wings and made Singapore my home (in the UK temporarily at the mo though).

Edited March 14, 2008 by nmarks

[Guest vicmac64]

How many times do I have to say it - if you love your country at all you have only one real choice - UKIP

[Nelly]

Your website's absolutely brilliant, Nelly. I really like it. Unfortunately, I'm in Newcastle and don't need any plastering done at the moment but, speaking as a marketing person, the website's really well done.

Thanks for that mate I did it all myself too!.... well, had help with spelling grammar etc:)

I just bag'ed top slot on google too search :- manchester plasterer

[Guest vicmac64]

Good way to destroy small businesses reliant on a handful of employees.

Big businesses grow out of small ones, or not as the case may be. Big businesses to a certain extent cover for staff more effectively.

Not good. 6 months off when a child is doing little more than shitting and screaming is a total waste of time as far as joint parenting is concerned and "bonding". Sorting out some of the problems later on like stupid commutes, ludicrous hours and the weight of taxation / costs would be far more sensible.

This is most likely the real reason for such a fly in the face of reason statement - the ongoing globalist conspiracy to destroy democracy - small businesses = democracy Big Business control governments.... Break them up in the UK and restore democracy.

[Sheer Heart Attack]

Thanks for that mate I did it all myself too!.... well, had help with spelling grammar etc:)

I just bag'ed top slot on google too search :- manchester plasterer

My pleasure.

Please take this the right way as it is genuinely meant as a compliment. It doesn't **look** great, but the writing's really honest and brings a smile to your face and the navigation structure is simple. It's what you would expect/want from a friendly local plasterer.

[TimG]

Good way to destroy small businesses reliant on a handful of employees.

Insurance!!????? Need not be any more expensive than for a big employer..

[Sheer Heart Attack]

Insurance!!????? Need not be any more expensive than for a big employer..

How will an insurance policy do the work of a vital member of staff in a company with less than 10 members of staff?

Pieces of paper don't respond well to targets. They are good for writing on though.

[Guest DissipatedYouthIsValuable]

As an old surgeon once said, "Paternity leave is for poofs and wogs."

[council dweller]

All the new dads in the country just collectively said 'the tw@ts'

AS if anyone would want to sit at home all day with their wife and a boring new baby

Id rather be in work

Yeah it's nightmare-ish isn't it ! I don't think you have to 'stay in' though and there are a lot things I'd rather do than be at work.

[babesagainstmachines]

I'm going to move to Venezuela. At least the Government admits to being socialist.

[eightiesgirly]

OMG! The last thing on god's green little earth I would want is Mr. EG at home for six months. Are they totally bonkers? He would spend all day on the bloomin' playstation, nappy changing fitted in between levels. I think it will lead to higher divorce rates personally.

When we had ours he was home for a few days and drove me mad. He's a darling chap but it's just not his thing. He can do allsorts on a computer but he can't fry eggs and heat beans at the same time bless him.

I was so glad when he went back to work ,my mother came ( a true baby professional) and the whole thing just became so much easier.

They need to give grandparent leave or something. Maybe a few weeks of a paid cleaner would be useful, probably cheaper and create employment.

[chichi]

They need to give grandparent leave or something. Maybe a few weeks of a paid cleaner would be useful, probably cheaper and create employment.

Or a set amount of baby leave which can be shared between the parents. That'd mean parents could have the choice of time together or singularly. But perhaps also if you don't take it you get paid something instead.

I *love* the idea of paid help for a few weeks though.

Postpartum Doulas. There to help you through the first few horrific weeks. I'd have swapped any amount of (his) paternity leave for that.

[hostman]

Some people are quite happy with a smoking ban - Smoking KILLS people and costs the NHS millions if not billions. Unfortunately some people have the "don't care" attitude, these people, along with murderous, should be hung. Their apathy will be our down fall. I'd rather have a Government who did SOMETHING, rather than NOTHING.

[TimG]

How will an insurance policy do the work of a vital member of staff in a company with less than 10 members of staff?

Pieces of paper don't respond well to targets. They are good for writing on though.

You should never have a VITAL member of staff. What if they died etc etc?

[eightiesgirly]

Or a set amount of baby leave which can be shared between the parents. That'd mean parents could have the choice of time together or singularly. But perhaps also if you don't take it you get paid something instead.

I *love* the idea of paid help for a few weeks though.

Postpartum Doulas. There to help you through the first few horrific weeks. I'd have swapped any amount of (his) paternity leave for that.

That's just hit the nail right on the head. The paternity leave is just being doled out, no idea if it's useful or not. No freedom of choice. Your idea of a cash amount sounds great, it could be used for a nanny or cleaner, takeaways to avoid cooking with a squalling infant or even pay someone to do the ironing.

I wonder how many men would be happy with this for six months,and just how many wives would be happy to have them at home?

Those first few weeks even midwives tread carefully. God I was like an angry bear one minute and a collapsing jelly the next!

[Bosh]

That's just hit the nail right on the head. The paternity leave is just being doled out, no idea if it's useful or not. No freedom of choice. Your idea of a cash amount sounds great, it could be used for a nanny or cleaner, takeaways to avoid cooking with a squalling infant or even pay someone to do the ironing.

I wonder how many men would be happy with this for six months,and just how many wives would be happy to have them at home?

Those first few weeks even midwives tread carefully. God I was like an angry bear one minute and a collapsing jelly the next!

With a boy (Seven) and a girl (four), I can speak with experience. My wife said I was absolutely useless for the 4 days I took off work, I rushed around, put stuff away, tidied up, cooked , cleaned and genuinely thought I was a star.

She said, she just wanted someone to talk to. I was too practical. Funny really I sort of understand now what she meant.

Too late now, she is under the patio

seriously though, it`s a nice patio

Edited March 13, 2008 by boshdadosh

[mikthe20]

No big deal really - employers will simply favour new recruits who don't fall into this category - so post-menopausal women, and also I expect unemployment levels among gay men to approach zero!

[jonewer]

If women can have 9 months off then why shouldnt men have the same?

Unless you are trying to say that men and women arent really equal?

[Sheer Heart Attack]

Some people are quite happy with a smoking ban - Smoking KILLS people and costs the NHS millions if not billions. Unfortunately some people have the "don't care" attitude, these people, along with murderous, should be hung. Their apathy will be our down fall. I'd rather have a Government who did SOMETHING, rather than NOTHING.

Cars kill people too.

This Independent article from Oct 13th 2000 states that "380 people die from the effects of traffic pollution, compared with the 226 killed in road accidents in 1998. It also concludes that transport-related pollution puts another 1,200 people in hospital every year, and causes minor breathing problems for as many as 500,000 others." This is in the Greater London area alone.

Perhaps you think the only way to deal with this is to ban it or ensure that people get permission from the Govt to make a car journey if it's essential? After all, you'd "rather have a Government who did SOMETHING, rather than NOTHING."

Choice-hater.

EDIT - Oh no - even worse! According to tree-huggers, Friends of the Earth, "the number of British deaths was probably 19,000 a year." Life is full of infinitessimal risks, hostman. Does the fact that, as a nation, we've never ever lived this long suggest that, in face of all these mortal fumes, we're worrying about very little?

Edited March 13, 2008 by Pacific State