Another story for the ‘You couldn’t make this s*** up!’ file, which is now overflowing:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-24900650
The government is introducing pilot schemes in deprived parts of South Yorkshire and Derbyshire, bribing mothers to breastfeed. If they do so for the first six weeks after their babies are born, the women will get vouchers worth £120, and a further £80 if they’re still breastfeeding at the six months point. At present only 25% of mothers in these areas are breastfeeding at the six to eight weeks mark. These women will be given £120 for doing what they were going to do anyway. That makes sense.
Can there really be any new mothers not 100% clear that breastfeeding is best for babies? What does it say about women that it takes a £200 bribe to persuade some of them to do what they should be doing anyway, in the best interests of their children?
This is just the latest in a long line of initiatives designed to pass money from taxpayers to women only, and of course 72% of income tax in the UK is paid by men. I don’t think I’ve mentioned that statistic for at least two days.
