Howard calls for “equal rights” for parents
The Conservative Party Leader has called for family law to be revised so there is a “strong presumption in favour of equal rights” for both parents when a relationship breaks down.
Children’s contact with their fathers and extended family has risen up the political and media agenda in recent months due to the high profile stunts by controversial group Fathers 4 Justice. These include the flour bombs thrown at Tony Blair during Prime Minister’s Question Time and the “Spiderman” stunt at Tower Bridge.
Fathers 4 Justice however were not present at the Conservative Party’s summit on family conflict at which Michael Howard unveiled his plans.
Asserting traditional Conservative values, Mr Howard said: “I continue to believe that marriage is the best environment within which to bring up children.”
However, he acknowledged that “family life has changed dramatically”, and modern families do not conform to the traditional pattern.
Given this change, the Conservative Party leader argued: “We need to review many aspects of family law.”
He reported that in her new guise as Shadow Secretary of State for the Family – a new portfolio created by the Conservative Party – Theresa May had been tasked with conducting a wide-ranging consultation on the Children Act.
Ms May told the same conference that policy makers should take a “holistic and rounded approach” to family policy. She described the establishment of her new role as a “historic moment for us as a Party and indeed for politics”.
The creation of the portfolio was recognition that family issues “will not be addressed simply by working in the silos of ministerial posts” she said.
Identifying the main thrust of his thinking, Mr Howard said: “Children need to have contact with their mothers and fathers if at all possible. Sadly today too many parents are unfairly cut off from their children … It’s also true of grandparents and other close relatives.”
The Conservative Party leader argued that the current system is “hugely expensive, inefficient, unfair, insensitive and often, fairly chaotic” for too many families, and led to “resentment, frustration and anger.”
“The Conservative approach is founded in our belief that when families break down both parents – and their families – should have access to their children if at all possible,” Mr Howard added.
“We believe that there should be a strong presumption in favour of equal rights for parents to have an influence on the upbringing of their children.”
He argued that the absence of this presumption meant that parents with residence had found it easier to obstruct the other parent’s access to their children.
“All too often it is the father who loses regular contact with the child – sometimes much against their will” he concluded.
