The Common Good May 2014 | страница 8

generously set so as to cover at least 80% of likely childcare costs. This would stop it from becoming more expensive to work more hours and allow parents to decide how much to work based on the needs of the child and family. The amount of childcare vouchers available should be increased between the ages of one and three rather than at present where you can get the same for a 3 and 15 year old. ● Deal with the lack of nursery placDeal with term time only issue. es. ● People and companies should be actively dissuaded from people working regularly weeks over 40 hours. If you’re doing 70 hours someone is missing you and your doing 2 peoples job. ● All jobs should be advertised as optional number of hours unless there is very good reason why the job cannot be done by several people. People should be able to state on application how many hours they wish to do. The selected candidate will get the hours they requested and the next best candidate offered what is left etc. ● Workplaces should where reasonably possible be required to make provision for parents to bring infants under one into work. (Most babies are very amiable and it’s a time many parents could work) These are just a few thoughts after 3 years of juggling babies, volunteering and work. They all need thrashing out but are enough I think to provide a little hope that the left could offer something radical and deep that not only would help parents but change the way we value one another and engage with society. Why does politics not connect with people? Shona Elliott I don’t know about you but I often hear people in political circles talk about how to reconnect people with the political process and I find it frustrating. I do not question their intentions but always wonder why the focus is on why people are disengaged with politics especially when the answer is blindingly obvious sat in yet another political conference on a Saturday afternoon listening to the same sort of people speak at me from a panel. But its more than that, I believe the real question we should be asking is the other way around - why does politics not connect with people? This question really hit home to me recently when I heard a representative from the Trussell Trust speak about how difficult it is feeling vilified by politicians, simply for feeding people and then believing that story needs to be told. What has happened that has caused politics in some quarters to become so disconnected with the community it is there to serve, that its angry about hearing the truth? I am sure we will all have different answers to that question but what I am convinced of is that it is more important to move on from diagnosing the problem to getting stuck in to help redeem this broken relationship. I am really looking forward to the community launch of Christians on the Left this Tuesday as I believe we can play an important part as Christians to help bridge this gap and share in building a new political consensus. It excites me to imagine a political system where politicians do not need to look outward when making d