Afternoon:
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When men started appearing at the school gate in increasing numbers, I thought I was imagining things. Then I realised: it's the recession, stupid. Some are redundant. Others are working reduced hours to help their companies out. What all of them have in common, according to Lib-Dem leader Nick Clegg, is that they just don't know how lucky they are.
Oh dear. Another week, another crass misjudgment from Clegg. In an article headlined “There is always a job at home for out-of-work dads”, he argues that recession can mean liberation for men. He then claims that we're in a situation similar to the Second World War, when the female workforce increased by two million and 40 per cent of engineering jobs went to women. This is irrelevant and insulting. He cannot have seen the faces of the newly redundant or he would not say these things.
You can see where some of this is coming from, though. Clegg's wife is about to have a third child. High on the joys of imminent fatherhood, he has confused the personal with the political.
He wants us all — men and women — to look upon the faces of our children with glee and gratitude. What he forgets is that parental devotion, while admirable, does not pay the mortgage.
We all want to look on the bright side at the moment. But politicians come across as idiotic by suggesting the recession is “all for the best”. Along with unemployed fathers, I take Clegg's ineptitude as a personal insult.
Because I am still — stupidly, hopelessly — expecting the Lib-Dems to offer a credible alternative in the next election. Why must their leader insist on appearing so out of step with people's thinking?
The worst thing is, the Lib-Dems have some good ideas. But they are terminally incapable of articulating them. Clegg also said this week that it would make more sense to offer universal childcare from the age of 18 months than to spend billions bailing out the banks. This is sound policy — and a reflection of many people's anger with the Government. So why bury it under a load of sentimental waffle about full-time fatherhood and the comradely joy of the munitions factories of the Forties?
Similarly, Lib-Dems have interesting proposals for transferable parental leave. Is anyone aware of this? Of course not. Clegg drowned out the sensible stuff by trumpeting that fathers need a year off work with their new baby. Not even the most rabid, hippy feminist (I count myself in that number) would support this idea. Please can someone muzzle this man before he can do more harm?
On second thoughts, he might have his uses. The more nonsense Clegg spouts, the better the prospects for the man who is, surely, the anointed Great One, the only politician who predicted the crash and the future leader of us all (in spirit, at least): Vince Cable. Mark my words, the age of the daddy is over. It's time to make way for uncle.
Here's to a bold First Lady
We often give to others the advice we are unable to follow ourselves. Speaking to an American magazine this week, Cherie Blair has some hints for Michelle Obama. She says the most important thing for a First Lady is to know your place and bite your tongue. Funny, that. When it was her turn, Cherie did neither of these things.
Now her top tips read as a grumpy warning: be invisible or risk being as reviled as she was. Being equally headstrong and intelligent, it seems unlikely Mrs O will pay any attention. Let's hope not anyway. Come on, Michelle, speak out of turn. Be outrageous. We want some entertainment — not a geisha standing in the wings. Cherie never played it safe and neither should you. On with the show!
Hayley, queen of Brooklyn
A brilliant new production of Arthur Miller's A View From the Bridge at the Duke of York's Theatre has it all. Ken Stott — surely an underrated national treasure? — plays the uncle who can't quite let go of his 17-year-old niece: he is heart-breaking, masterful and more than a little creepy. Even the Brooklyn accents — always a huge risk — were spot on, no doubt greatly assisted by having Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in the cast (the daughter of an Italian immigrant, she played Gina in Scarface).
The real draw, however, is Hayley Atwell, who acts everyone off the stage. Last year she was a revelation as Julia in the new film of Brideshead Revisited. Here she is voluptuously perfect. A male Judi Dench, a touch of The Godfather and a Keira Knightley with breasts — does theatre get any better?
Reader views (6)
It seems Labour and the Lib Dems are competing to be the most anti-male. I think Labour wins by a nose. I think I'll vote Tory next time.
- Bill Smythe, London, UK, 19/02/2009 22:15
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I was unemployed for 18 months a few years ago. Believe me, it's only liberating if you know you can walk into another a job whenever you like or you can afford not to work. Not knowing when the next pay packet is coming in is far from liberating.
- Pete, London, 19/02/2009 17:38
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"Clegg also said this week that it would make more sense to offer universal childcare from the age of 18 months than to spend billions bailing out the banks. This is sound policy"
If you think that's sound policy, you might want to do a little reading around about the likely effects of a collapse of the banking system.
- Richard Hancock, Bracknell, UK, 19/02/2009 16:44
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How is it that everyone recognises Vince Cable as the leader we want, yet the Lib-Dems managed to ignore him? He comes across as reliable, honest, trustworthy and knowledgeable, and would, I am sure, boost the Lib-Dems chance of getting into government if he was their leader.
I think the Menzies Campbell leadership damaged Vince Cables' prospects because it brought up the issue of age; Vince Cable becoming leader after Campbell had been forced out because of being too old would have been insulting to Campbell. Yet Campbell looks and sounds a decade (or more) older than Cable; the Lib-Dems would never have won a general election under Campbell.
I am disappointed in Nick Clegg's performance as leader. If there were a possibility that Clegg could be ousted, we might still get the opportunity to have Vince Cable as Prime Minister.
- Colin, Derby, 19/02/2009 13:49
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If your job was vacuous, pointless and responsible for creating and perpetrating rubbish in society it would be liberating.
- Daveb, london, 19/02/2009 11:00
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I think you knew exactly what Clegg mean't- high flying/overpaid males in City-type jobs who can actually well afford to take a reduction in pay/sabbatical, might secretly welcome the chance to get off the 'conveyor belt' for a while and spend some time with their children or even have a life.
I don't think he was referring to male car-workers losing their jobs and plunging the family into poverty.
It came out clumsily, that's all.
- Susannahq, Colchester, 19/02/2009 09:25
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