Actually leveller, it goes a bit further than just child minders. Carers in general.

As we have a welfare state, health and social care is for the vast majority, state funded. it is interesting that the most cost effective form of care is the casual carer. That is also one of my concerns, but not really for this debate.

Lox poses an interesting question. Unskilled miners went out in the 1950s. Every miner has extensive training in skilled and semi skilled engineering and civil groundworks. The scrapheap varies and indeed varied, and many small towns and villages where I was born and raised relied on the pit which was no longer there. Added to that, to move your family invariably meant moving to an area where house prices are far higher.

But many did. Very very many. I have worked around the world, and have always bumped into ex colleagues, from Australia to Doncaster and all points in between. One of my wife's consultant doctor colleagues left the pit when I did and was just young enough to get back to education to become a doctor. That mature entry system is all but impossible now sadly.

Opportunities where I lived? 4 miles from the M1. Nottingham / Sheffield / Derby all within 40 mins drive. Leeds / Manchester / Leicester / West Midlands within or just over an hour. When I chaired the health authority (PCT) my head of finance lived in Leicester, my director of public health in York, chief executive in Derby and many front line nurses and junior clerical on far less money seemed to be based anything up to an hour away.

Tebbit was a dangerous dog and his famous comment was patronising, but I have noticed that those who have got on have also been willing to look further than the end of their road. Even now, when I still interfere with a government body, (!) I travel to London and Leeds mainly, with some Newcastle thrown in.

No, there are not enough jobs for full employment but by the same standard, there are more than some people are willing to look for. As the post above from bubblyrat points out; something needs to be done. I for one look to a government to spend my taxes well, and as there is not enough money available for continuing care, for baseline social care or for making the aims of Surestart a reality... I find it wrong that many people refuse to even look for work and release some of those funds for more appropriate use. My information is not The Daily Mail, but looking around me, in the pubs, in the supermarket, especially in Currys. Even getting Vodafone's tax bill settled doesn't address it, (though it goes a long way,) the country needs to look to BOTH ends of the cheating scale, not just the "eat the rich" that is sadly portrayed by some on this site.

Is the government clawing back money correctly? No. Whatever the reality, it is portrayed as concentrating on the poor whilst leaving the rich alone. My wife as a high earning public sector worker will take home over £200 per month less thanks to Osborne's statement and that's before her pension is looked at early next year when Hutton reports. We don't mind really, the country is in need of restraint and that, plus the voluntary work I do (I turned down being on the payroll when it was offered, I certainly don't need it,) is our bit. It would be nice for others to do their bit too, whether they be a large company with good accountants or a family who knock out kids for the financial benefits.