WARNING: This post has nothing to do with Rupert Murdoch but is about something else important

I thought you may like to consider an issue that doesn’t involve phone hacking but does impact on millions of families across the country – the issue of paternity pay.

One of the things that has impressed me about this government is the way in which Mr Cameron pledged to make his government the “most family friendly” in Europe. He spoke about general wellbeing being as important as economic wellbeing. I think Nick Clegg doing the school run is a great example to Dads all over the country. And yet in one very important respect I feel the government is failing badly.

I have two children and a third due in November. I work as a High School teacher and earn a decent salary – over the national average but certainly now what you would call “rich”. I understand politicians like to call us a “hard working family” and that Mr Miliband would suggest I am the “squeezed middle.” I want to be there to support my wife after she has our baby, and this support is increasingly important given that the other children need love, support, packed lunches and getting to school! My employers at my school are amazingly good to me when I need to perform parental duties but they are tied by local government paternity leave packages.

That package gives me one week – 5 days – at full pay. It then offers a second week but at a fixed lower rate of standard “SMP”. This lower rate is around £128 per week, which is very much lower than my normal weekly wage. I would, therefore, be taking a massive financial hit in order to be able to spend an extra few days with my new baby and to support my wife. I am being asked to choose between the money and my family. Unfortunately the way that the economy is, I have to choose going back to work to keep the money coming in. So within 7 days of the trauma and exhaustion of giving birth, my wife is being expected to juggle 2 kids, a new born baby and everything that comes with you. Of all all people, the one who must understand this is the Prime Minister.

However it isn’t just the lack of support for new fathers that I have a problem with. There is, in my view, a further more worrying injustice. As the rate of SMP is fixed, the more you earn the bigger the drop you will take to be at home with your family and so the greater the problem is. Don’t get me wrong – I believe rich, poor or anywhere in-between, a new father should be there for their new family member. But for the very rich taking the time off isn’t a financial worry because they are, by virtue, very rich. And for the poor paid the SMP is closer to their actual weekly income. For those people, like me, in the middle we are being priced out of spending time with our families.

It is in many ways the same as my opposition to tuition fees - fees don't affect the rich (because they are rich), don't affect the poor (because they don't pay) but do affect those of us in the middle. As usual.

If you could leave a solution in the comments that would be great - but before you are tempted into telling me I ought to be grateful for being on a teachers wage, I would ask you ... at what salary do you consider people rich?

The Day The Shed Came Down

When you are snowed under with survey canvass returns, leafleting Bowthorpe, canvassing in Eaton and campaign planning, when is there a better time to start dismantling the garden shed? To be fair, like a certain government, it was rotten and - also maybe like the government - was going to collapse fairly shortly of its own accord. Why is this worth blogging? Because the shed is the last part of the original garden that we bought back in 2005 - now it is totally unrecognisable from the day that we bought it. Every room decorated in some form or another; I don't know why, but now I feel the stamp is on the house. I should also record my thanks to Cllr Wiltshire who did somethings with a hammer that ought never to be blogged...

Talking of which, I recieved a very interesting letter from a gentleman living in Thorpe Hamlet who said that he lived in our house in the period 1933-35; This man and his family don't seem to be on any register so it helps to explain a little mystery of who owned the house between it being built, in 1933, and the first registered owners in 1935. I am writing to offer him the chance to come back and see it again if he wishes - and when and if he does then he will see exactly what kind of home we have made in our 4 years in 138 Trafford Road.

Ivan Cameron : An Amazing Life

As the father of two young daughters, I cannot imagine losing either of them, and in that respect I have no idea what David and Samantha are going through. I can but imagine how I might be in their circumstances. Those pictures of Ivan's parents caring for him, touching him and holding him are very special indeed.

I am very rarely moved by the news, but watching the BBC tonight I admit to getting very upset indeed; a child is so precious and so wonderful that losing them at any age must be devastating. David and Samantha should thank God for his 6 years tonight and that they showered him with love and affection during that time. Ivan was in a great deal of pain, but the touch of his loving parents no doubt helped him through those times. But we should also keep Nancy and Arthur in our prayers who have lost a brother they both loved very dearly.

Our families shape us as much as we shape them; Emily and Olivia have changed me and my politics and we have heard today how Ivan changed David Cameron. Few people can ever say they moulded a Prime Minister, but I think Ivan Cameron has done it. He lived a remarkable life and both he and the Cameron family are in my prayers tonight.

Merry Christmas!

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a fantastic time tomorrow; we're just back from Mass at St. John's and went to see Panto at the Theatre Royal on Monday - both events that really make Christmas, but particularly this year for Emily. I really know what they mean when they say Christmas is about children.

Enjoy the Yuletide season!

How much thought did the LibDems really put into their childcare policy?

Conservatives very much agree that Britain need to be more family-friendly and that creating stronger family units can help to piece back together our broken society - in fact, its been David Cameron thats put these ideas front and centre in British politics. However these latest plans from the LibDems are pie-in-the-sky politics and Nick Clegg - their apparent media-star - go another mauling at the hands of the BBC over it today.

Business people are up in arms about these proposals and they clearly haven't been thought out. We'd all like more time with our kids but how many families could afford both parents on the basic £117 a week allowance? I'd have loved to have taken more time with both of my children but we couldn't afford to do so. Although something has to be done about paternity leave (its currently only 2 weeks), it isn't maternity length thats the problem but the financial impact of it.

Even Nick Clegg, when challenged about it on the BBC, said he couldn't take 7 months paternity leave - its madness. He knows that he could neither afford it, nor could he be sure that his job was still there in 7 months! How would the electors of Sheffield feel about this? Could you imagine the potential chaos in schools, the NHS, small businesses or the police?

Instead we should be looking towards flexible working and better conditions for parents at work, rather than this dogs dinner of a policy. I really do wonder how much thought they actually put into it or if this was rushed out for a headline at a time when they are ignored?

Richard & Julie's Day

Whilst my campaign team were hard at it canvassing this weekend, Louise and I were at the wedding of two of my close school friends down in Surrey. With Emily and Olivia at Nannt's house, this was the first "adult" wedding we've been to in a long time! I've known Julie for as long as I can remember and Richard for about 13 years. Julie looked radiant (and the bridesmaids weren't bad either!) and from the fixed grin on her face she enjoyed the day. It was a really good day - the wine made sure the Barn Dance went well and the balloons certainly made for, shall we say, an interesting dinner! Imagine fully grown adults firing balloons at one another - hilarious stuff after a few drinks - and the screetching noise made by a balloon emptying of air will remind me of that day for a long time. We danced long into the night too - and both Louise and I found new friends twirling around the floor!

The amount of thought that went into the day - Julie's, obviously, not Richard's - meant that it was a real blast. Congrats to them both and its off on honeymoon in the Maldives tomorrow.

First Week of the Holidays

There will probably be some light blogging because the school holidays started last Friday. That evening we went to the Brooke School Carnival and enjoyed some good weather and dancing through the village.

We were lucky enough on Saturday to have Baroness (Gillian) Shephard speaking at a Norwich Conservatives Garden Party; we managed to dodge the rain and had some superb strawberries and scones. There was a large crowd and Gillian made it very clear that Gordon Brown had gone from the "great clunking fist" to a "great girls blouse" in just a year. She was in fiesty form and left the membership in great spirits for the upcoming elections.

On Monday I joined a group of campaigners at the Planning Committee site visit of the new City College Development. It was fascinating to see how the plans would look on the ground (thanks to some yellow paint) and also think about the height and density of the buildings. I still have grave concerns over the suitability of the eco-building given that it is in a conservation area and don't feel it will blend into the community very well. The brillantly organised CRC campaign group will no doubt keep local people informed in a way that others have not.

I then went on to meet some residents regarding the parking situation on Dereham Road and had organised some council officers to meet them. There are so many different factors at play - not least who owns the highway that many of the ideas people have for dealing this situation aren't possible. Most importantly we all agreed on the need to ensure safety and will be working hard to achieve this.

Tuesday night was Full Council night at City Hall, where we debated a Green motion on renewable energy, but the set piece event of the night was the administration's review of the boundary commission's report on unitary. I think that Steve Morphew actually managed to hit the right tone in his words, but LibDem Leader Brian Watkins seemed to go into full Churchill mode urging everybody to unite around the City. It was a bizarre piece of work and in the fullness of time Brian may regret his words.

Yesterday and today were family days; yesterday spent in Bury St Edmunds and today on the North Norfolk coast.

We are currently in the process of delivering a major city wide survey and I have a breakfast meeting to discuss our campaign tomorrow. Apologies if blogging is light in the days and weeks to come...

Getting Around

On Saturday morning I went to see the Sewell Toy Library, which operates out of the Christ Church Center in Magdalen Road. It was a pleasure to see in action - though my eldest did walk away with a deeply irritating piano - and there was a steady stream of people in and out. For a minimal cost, you can hire out toys and even play with a lot there and then. Knowing how fast my girls favourites come and go, this is a great way of ensuring they have something new to engage in every week. It is run with the help of 2 of the local - Labour - ward councillors and they and their team deserve a huge amount of praise for running a fantastic community initiative.

That afternoon we went on a fmily trip to try and collect as many "elephants" as we could around Norwich. One of the things you could never criticise Norwich City Council for is not putting on, or facilitating, enough free events for familiies in the City. We saw - at my count - roughly 27 of them. Emily enjoyed any with stripes on, although I was quite taken with the conceptual elephant on Millenium Plain outside of the BBC building. Emily literally kissed and hugged every elephant; a great afternoon in the sun.

Sunday morning we went out delivering leaflets in Eaton for our newly re-selected local candidate Niall Baxter. Niall ran one of the most amazing campaigns I have ever witnessed and no candidate could have worked harder. Niall is really well known around the ward now and I am thrilled he is to carry on working for local people; he added 4% to the Tory vote and made Eaton a real fight for the first time in years.

Yesterday and this evening we've spent the time putting the finishing touches to my parliamentary campaign team and writing our next leaflet and survey. Later in the week I am visiting a community group and meeting with the organisers of a youth football team. Busy, but enjoyable; so the hour I got asleep in the garden this afternoon because I was locked out was total pleasure!

Hot, Hot, Hot

Armed only with four gallons of water and a vat of suncream, we all headed to the Garden Show at the Norfolk Show Ground this morning. The weather knocked both of the girls out (pretty much) although Emily shot back into life when she saw a giant flower that you plugged into the garden tap and it squirted randomly around the place a high volume stream of water. Unfortunately, after parting with a fiver, we got home and the damn thing exploded at the plug end and the flower ended up drooping with a disappointing dribble coming out of one end. I felt rather more crushed than Emily, who soon moved on to the next fad, but it played on my mind for the rest of the day.

The show was very, very good and was incredibly diverse; more than just plants, equipment and garden furniture, it also included charities and community groups from around the City and I enjoyed the chance to talk to some of the organisers and businesses about how they views the current situation. Many spoke about increasing burden of red tape, from all quarters including national and local government, and the fact that such problems put people off volunteering.

One advantage of having fought the parliamentary seat before and having a high profile in local government is people knowing who you are and coming over to chat. That was helped today but a rather flattering piece about me in the EDP and also a letter in the Evening News which dug down deeper into the election results which showed the strenght of the Tory vote in Norwich.

We then came home to clear up the garden and set up the kids toys; sadly after about 5 minutes my back went and I was forced to watch my poor, long suffering, wife did all the work (!!!) although I never get away with it for long.

This evening, up until this blog post, I have spent writing our "thank you" leaflets and rather splended they look too.

Something Achieved

By 8.30 this morning I was at the Norwich City Council Group Leader's Meeting - I wish I could say more, but the issues involved are largely confidential - but it is a method by which all the players on a hung council can work together constructively and honestly; it usually works. This morning was a long one and we seemed to go round and round a bit followed by deciding on a volley of reports.

By this afternoon I was at a Norfolk Conservatives Meeting; a forum by which senior representatives of the party can get together and work together constructively and honestly; it usually works. This meeting was, too, a long one.

If you spend a long time in politics, sometimes you leave meetings and wonder what you did when you were then and what was actually achieved. No, come on, we've all been in them.

In between these two meetings I did achieve something; a very tricky housing problem that took a great deal of time and a visit to the Customer Service Centre at City Hall. It took a while, but we got a result - a decision that will make a great difference to the life of one family. I thought little of it at the time but as I sit back blogging tonight, and wonder what I did today it was this act that stood out.

I got back home to spend a few hours in the sunshine with the girls ...

Cameron's Family Values

In what was meant to be an aside to the launch of the Tory families policy, the political story has appeared to move onto the decision of Leader David Cameron to invite the ITN cameras into his home to film the family at work and play (read more here). Actually I believe this can only add to the news coverage of what are set to be an excellent set of policies.

So should Cameron have done this? Undoubtably the answers is that this is a personal choice. Tony Blair played the family card really well and benefited; clearly Brown isn't going to, and thats his choice. I actually think Cameron is right about one thing - the British public want to know what makes him "tick" and if we are to have this man as our next Prime Minister we'd want to know more about the kind of man he is.

I have never used my wife or family on any party political campaigning (although we did get our picture in the paper when Emily was born - a media hit that wasn't reproduced for Olivia, may I add) but I do talk about my children both on this blog and on the doorstep - because they shape who I am and what my political beliefs are. People ask if I have a family and I always reply to them, normally in gushing terms!

Louise is ultra-shy when it comes to publicity and politics; she married me, not my career. She stays out of everything; occassionally coming with me to a fundraiser or even but her focus in life is being a great mum and a great teacher. She isn't a trophy Tory-wife and I don't expect her to fawn by my side at events and suchlike. If she ever chose to get involved, I'd support her, but I don't think it's likely! She supports me 110% - by keeping my feet on the ground, telling me when I'm being an idiot and occassionally smacking me with reality. That's more important to me than anything else.

So, if Samantha Cameron was fine by it then why shouldn't Cameron open his doors to the news, and thus by extension the nation? That's what personal choice is all about; I may not do it, but I admit I was fascinated by the news coverage.

Mother's Day!

We've had a great day in our house and I am rather pleased to say that Louise had no idea what we had planned for her in the morning!

After the complusory lie-in and breakfast in bed (at which she wasn't prepared for a two-girl fight over a pain-au-choc - Emily won, but Olivia gave as good as she got) came the present. Now Daddy really wanted to buy Mummy a smoothie maker, but as he has foolishly promised a nearly-3-year-old that she could choose, Mummy instead got a ...

... toy sweet shop. Well, the shop was a toy but the sweets were very much real. Emily loves playing shop - she has a great imagination - but Olivia seemed to be more into shoplifting than paying for her goods. Oh well ...

Then after this I managed to completely pull the wool over her eyes by arranging a surprise lunch at a new restaurant in the City, complete with family and friends on standby. Louise was totally stunned; more so for the fact she almost managed to walk past everyone she knows! The food was amazing and service very good; the restaurant was heaving and I don't think I've seen anywhere that busy in a long time - but newly opened restaurants and Mother's Day seems to attract a lot of people! Then from there, back to ours...

A really fun day out; the girls have been non-stop so we're both shattered. Now settling down for an evening working on election material. A great end to a great day!

My Dad's in his sixties

We've had a weekend away (aside from an interview with Radio Broadland on the Congestion Charge and with the Evening News about city council finances) to celebrate my Dad's 60th birthday. Needless to say there was a surprise party - photos and a brilliant video of my half-cut father trying to pay tribute to his family but failing miserably to come - and a fantastic night of eating, drinking and dancing. Emily was the star of the show and did a turn in her new spotty party dress; Olivia slept through most of it. This morning we went out, just the immediate family, for a meal at a new local French restaurant and then headed back to Norwich. This evening I have been working on some events and publicity for the new Norwich CF and writing to all those people who signed our petition against the Congestion Charge.

Back to work tomorrow ... reality strikes!

Are you watching, Simon Cowell?

Emily performs a classic; Happy New Year Everybody!

We're 1 in 25,000,000

Louise recieved a letter yesterday confirming that our details were amongst the 25million lost by the govenrment last week.

This is staggering incompetence, although we have become used to such things from this government. When we signed up to receive Child Benefit we were assured of the safety of the data we were providing.

Getting a letter from HMRC that tried to reassure us has done the opposite. I have no faith that the discs are still on government property and am still having to monitor our bank account very closely.

Gordon Brown has heaped pressure after pressure on HMRC, making them perform more tasks on a smaller budget. The Chancellor has proved he is no “safe pair of hands” either. There are a lot of questions that need answering.

Families, like mine, from across Norwich will not forget this blunder for a long time to come.

Weekend with a Bang

Sorry - I had to use a terrible Firework pun sometime! Yesterday we hosted our first firework party at home, so much time was spent digging holes and making tubes from which to fire rockets. Sausages were burnt (I mean, cooked), beer was drunk and enough high explosive to ensure a breakout at Norwich prison was detonated. Following the complete failure of the afternoon test run - during which Norwich almost had two by-elections - I was slightly concerned but it did go without a hitch, execpt the one rocket that went up and fell straight down to earth exploding in the garden. Just like my childhood - and Emily had a great time!

Today we have been on a bit of a mission - Emily has been hurling herself out of the cot recently and so this morning I made her bed up and we have bene searching for a Thomas the Tank Engine duvet cover. When we found it, Emily declared that she wanted a Monster duvet cover instead! When she should have been looking at the Disney Princess range, my daughter had Spiderman in her grip walking up and down saying she wanted a monster on her bed!

The Garden of England

We're back after a whistlestop visit to friends in Kent and we were lucky to have glorious weather for our time there. I have always loved that area of the country and we were lucky to be able to see the best of the county with the kids. Next couple of days will mean getting ready for school next year and catching up on council work and party stuff. Tonight I am going to a Norfolk Conservative Campaign Meeting and tomorrow at a Norfolk & Suffolk one. I also have the Norwich South Exec next week - for a party that is committed to slashing bureaucracy, I wish we'd start with ourselves!

Lost Days

Sorry about the lack of posts - no, I wasn't out searching the Norfolk countryside for people who fake facebook pages - I was in fact having an away-weekend withe my darling wife and lovely children in London. And rather nice it was too. However, the reality of a fortnight more off has now sunk back in and the task of getting B&Q to actually install a bathroom begins in ernest.

This evening I attended a Conservative campaigning meeting and there the general consensus was that Brown wouldn't call an early poll but by all accounts we are now geared up for an Autumn election. In fact, some of the more eager among us are now willing it on. I'm not sure - as I've said before, I don't did Brown has the cash or the inclination to do it.

Returning home...

We got back from our family holiday in France late last night - a wonderful time had by all, though particularly by Emily as she had sheep on hand to talk to day and night. The gite was advertised as "real France" and boy that was an apt name - very rural, very France.

By this morning my head was starting to clear from all the travel and driving but my brain was going to explode - with all the e-mails and mail I had. A fortnight back copies of the EDP and EEN to read! All the council gumpf too - it doesn't matter that it's August they still pump it out! So many people to catch up with. I have spent the whole day working and have only just caught up, and that's on admin and paperwork alone. I haven't even started with e-mail, facebook or this blog!

There is an adage in teaching that there is no point taking a day off work because the crap sits on your desk waiting for you to return. I have, only today, realise that elected politics is the same!

Baptism of Olivia Grace

A bit of deja-vue last Sunday as we baptised Olivia in much the same way as we did Emily two years earlier - same parents, same church, same priest and roughly the same people! There were, of course, 3 key differences - the Godparents for a start plus also the decision to switch from homemade jam butties to M&S platters!

Most strikingly though was that two years ago the only child present was Emily herself ... this time it was a real kids party with thes babes almost outnumbering the adults (or, given the noise, it felt so!) We must be at an age where all our friends are having children.

We were clearly trend setters! Our redoubtable priest, Father Tony McSweeney, very clearly took charge and even put my brother in his place! And we even managed (somehow) to get cleared out before evening mass at St. George's. A great day!

Photos: Top: Ft. Tony at work, Middle: The Godparents (Katie, Pauline & Chris), Bottom: The Parents & Olivia talking to God