New Labour government 97-2010

• what did Labour gov agree with?


  -nuclear heterosexual couples were the best
• what did their policies favour?


  -dual-earner, neo conventional families
• family diversity


  -more in favour of family diversity than New Right predecessors
• laws to do with family diversity

  -2004 Civil Partner Act

  -2005 Adoption Law
• cut welfare dependency 


  -less concerned with 'perverse incentives'

  -didn't deal with tough decisions on welfare
• more state intervention


  -seen more positively

  -2007 : Department of Children, Schools & Families
• like the new right...

  -believe the family is the bedrock to society and saw families headed by heterosexual married couples the best environment for raising kids

  -emphasised need for parents to take responsibility for children

  > Parenting Order
• Silva & Smart


  -New Labour rejected New Right view that family should have one male earner
• examples of policies :

  -longer paternity leave, 3 months unpaid leave for both parents

  -working family tax credit > parents claim some tax relief on childcare costs

  -the new deal > helping lone parents return to work
• argue certain kinds of state intervention can improve life for families
• New Labour's support for alternatives to nuclear family


  -civil partnerships for same sex

  -giving unmarried couples same rights to adopt

  -outlawing discrimination on grounds of sexuality