Starmer's vision quest

[BoldonLad]

When I was a kid I got a bike. Not long until I wanted to ride to my play haunts which meant busier and main roads.

My Dad didn't have a clue about cycling, was never a cyclist but recognised he'd given me something that could be dangerous, I could get badly injured or even killed. So he set about learning himself, using every source he could find, then took me to a few increasingly busy roads, taught me what to do in traffic, how to turn right, etc.. Checked me out doing it and only then I was allowed to head out to such places.

Basically he recognised as a parent giving his child something that could cause serious harm and took parental responsibility, learnt, taught, etc.

I wondered how long it would be before someone mentioned Parental Responsibility. Well done, you won 🙂

 

[Pross]

Their State Pension dates were pushed back, not forward, giving them more chance t plan. Because they chose not do 'stay on top of things' related to their retirement, is their own fault.
It was grossly unfair that they had an earlier State Pension age than their male cohorts, especially given their longer average life expectancy.
If anyone is due compensation then it's all the men who had later SP ages than the women, prior to the equalisation of SPAs.

Women For Continue State Pension Inequality doesn't give a cool sounding acronym though (and stops making them sound like victims).

 

[PurplePenguin]

I think that is a bit of false equivalence. Kids generally smoked to look cool and as an act of rebellion, I don't imagine the motivation behind taking and sharing an explicit image of yourself is for similar reasons. I would argue that there must be an element of peer pressure to both, but I do think the image sharing suggests very different attitudes and perceptions amongst current generations. As mentioned, it may well be that tech has facilitated it, but there still must be deeper reasons as to why kids do it.

I think they do it due to peer pressure to look cool and rebel which is exactly the reasons you list for smoking. There even be some sexual gratification in there too - that's broadly equivalent whatever relaxing sensation someone feels when smoking.

 

[PurplePenguin]

I wondered how long it would be before someone mentioned Parental Responsibility. Well done, you won 🙂

I don't have the stats to hand, but I think I read that the average dad now spends way more time with their kids than the average stay at home mum did in the 50s. Nonetheless, the modern day parent is not considered responsible by the old, wise and extremely forgetful lot.

 

[BoldonLad]

I don't have the stats to hand, but I think I read that the average dad now spends way more time with their kids than the average stay at home mum did in the 50s. Nonetheless, the modern day parent is not considered responsible by the old, wise and extremely forgetful lot.

It depends how you define “with” IMHO.

 

[Pblakeney]

I never got a vote for Starmer as PM, not as anything. I only got a vote to elect my representative to Parliament and my representative to Parliament never got a vote as to who was PM. Most of the country never got the opportunity to vote for Starmer (in any role).

Just because it's "our constitution" noes not make it right and does not make it democratic.

In my view the democratic deficiency is a lot worse these days as so much power has moved from Parliament to the Government and thus to the PM. So many "Statutory Instruments" and MPs treated as lobby fodder, in effect forced to vote as their party leader required (rather than represent their constituency as per their role). And when they do vote doing their job (representing constituency) they get thrown out of the party. eg 2-child benefit cap - vote against PM's instructions and ejected from Party only for PM to change him mind a few months later and then require MPs to vote for it!

Neatly sums up the UK election process.
Nothing new, and the party in power through that system is unlikely to change it.
Feel free to shout at the clouds.

 

[secretsqirrel]

John Healey as resigned over defence spending.

 

[briantrumpet]

John Healey as resigned over defence spending.

'E 'as, 'as, 'e? 😉

 

[PurplePenguin]

It depends how you define “with” IMHO.

According to the research paper.

Time spent with children involved everything from preparing their meals and snacks to feeding and bathing them, changing diapers and clothes, putting them to bed, getting up in the middle of the night, unpaid babysitting, providing medical care, reading and playing with them, as well as supervising and helping with homework,

It was 50 years ago (10 years ago) not the 50s.

 

[briantrumpet]

According to the research paper.



It was 50 years ago (10 years ago) not the 50s.

View attachment 15710

Depending on the definition of 'child' here (i.e., age), my unsubstantiated hunch is that modern parents don't give their children as much time to be feral as was common 50 years ago. Certainly I spent a lot of time just with friends anywhere and everywhere, and going on day-long rides from when I was about 12, or going to three-day cricket matches in Bristol. 2p coin in pocket, in case we had to call home.

 

[Psamathe]

I don't have the stats to hand, but I think I read that the average dad now spends way more time with their kids than the average stay at home mum did in the 50s. Nonetheless, the modern day parent is not considered responsible by the old, wise and extremely forgetful lot.

I don't know that it's a question of time eg time spent watching TV together. A complex question as to what is being done in what time.

 

[Psamathe]

Depending on the definition of 'child' here (i.e., age), my unsubstantiated hunch is that modern parents don't give their children as much time to be feral as was common 50 years ago. Certainly I spent a lot of time just with friends anywhere and everywhere, and going on day-long rides from when I was about 12, or going to three-day cricket matches in Bristol. 2p coin in pocket, in case we had to call home.

Reason my parents gave me my 1st ever watch was I'd head out 1st thing in m orning and they'd get angry when I got home after supper. My excuse "I didn't know what time it was" so they went out got me a watch so I'd have no excuse for missing supper.

 

[Bromptonaut]

John Healey as resigned over defence spending.

Or rather the lack of it!!

Also Burnham has ruled out WASPI compensation:

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/11/andy-burnham-rules-out-compensation-waspi-women

 

[Bromptonaut]

The bigger question IMO, which nobody seems to be asking, is why are kids doing this? Rather than trying to introduce technology to stop it, surely there must be something in the idea of education for children and younger people about this in the first place; the potential ramifications and consequences of sharing images like this, how it can impact their mental health and wellbeing, not to mention the potential legal implications.

I understand that for current generations, the technology has evolved and this has also caused huge changes in social interactions and perceptions, particularly for younger people. What I don't get the sense of, is a society that is doing its part to address the underlying reasons for the way younger people interact now, particularly with regards to intimate relationships and how these intersect with tech and social media.

It's happening NOW. To thousands of girls. Listen to Jess Phillips.

Expecting another generation of parents/educators to work out the whys and wherefores and include them in the classroom won't change anything for years.

If Phillips is right then the solution she very clearly described to Adam Boulton on Times Radio last Sunday can be in place in weeks.

 

[Psamathe]

John Healey as resigned over defence spending.

Or rather the lack of it!!

Did anybody (incl. Healey) really think Starmer/Reeves would be meeting the noises they'd previously been makign about funding the armed forces. Lots of speeches to other world leaders but when it comes to it he needs to "get real" about the Government.