WHERE is New Labour's vision for the future?
Jack Straw's proposals for unmarried mothers to have their babies adopted reverts back to the bad old days.
In the early years of the century, unmarried mothers were put in institutions, and often remained there. An alternative was to go in a mother and baby home for the birth. Then, the baby was taken away for adoption.
What about Labour's plans for getting unmarried mothers back to work, allowances so that there are nursery school places, or money for child minders? Would Mr Straw like a daughter of his to go through the trauma of giving her baby away for adoption?
I think not, but he would be in a position to help her whereas many poorer families are not.
Adoption is not, and never will be, an easy option.
KATHLEEN BULCOCK (Mrs), Wilkie Avenue, Burnley.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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