Image: David Precious I'm married. I'm very happy with this arrangement. But sometimes things crop up, things out of your control, that make you question the nature of your relationship. That make you think, are we doing the right thing? Would it be better, perhaps to get divorced?
I refer, of course, to the Tories' proposed tax break for married couples and civil partners.
The government mooted this when they first came into power, and at that time I signed a pledge to donate any money we got as a result of the tax break to charities that support LGBT people or single-parent families. It's still an idea I like. There were lots of reasons I got married and not one of them was about the possibility of getting a little bit more money (or the promise of, we'll come to this in a minute) off the state.
I refer, of course, to the Tories' proposed tax break for married couples and civil partners.
The government mooted this when they first came into power, and at that time I signed a pledge to donate any money we got as a result of the tax break to charities that support LGBT people or single-parent families. It's still an idea I like. There were lots of reasons I got married and not one of them was about the possibility of getting a little bit more money (or the promise of, we'll come to this in a minute) off the state.
I do get that marriage is already about the state recognising and legitimising a certain form of relationship and prioritising it more highly than any other. Civil partnerships may have been included in the proposal, but please let's not pretend that really means anything. As far as the conservatives are concerned there is one type of relationship that means anything: heterosexual, monogamous, and with a ring on it. Ideally with one major breadwinner (male, 'natch) and one person who stays at home, has children and irons socks. That's be the member of this arrangement with the tits.
Hilarious right? Not QUITE as hilarious as the misguided right-wing Christianresponse to the legalisation of gay marriage in America (seriously, go and check it out), but pretty ridiculously funny.
Hilarious right? Not QUITE as hilarious as the misguided right-wing Christianresponse to the legalisation of gay marriage in America (seriously, go and check it out), but pretty ridiculously funny.
| But maybe not. Here's some interesting detail about the proposed 'tax break': it's not that Cameron just sends you a cheque for £150 as a wedding gift (cheers Dave!). What it actually means is that the non-working half of a marriage or civil partnership can transfer part of their tax-free allowance to their spouse. | Single parent? Widowed? Divorced? Polyamorous? Sorry. You're doing it wrong. |
The tax-free allowance refers to savings. So if you're married, and out of work, you can save a bit more. Now, looking at what the government has already done and plans to continue doing to social security it's hard to believe there will be many couples where one is out of work due to illness or disability who will be able to take advantage of this 'offer'. It is definitely reinforcing not just the concept of marriage, but a weird set-up that increasingly doesn't exist.
It's not the money so much as the symbolism. Did you choose not to get married? Single parent? Widowed? Divorced? Polyamorous? Sorry. You're doing it wrong.
Maybe you're a married heterosexual couple and you thought that your lives would be better if you ran them on equal terms? The government disagrees.
Apparently we can spare half a billion pounds to 'reward' the correct type of family (plus several extra million to prop up theroyals who, bless 'em, do try to showcase the whole 'traditional family' thing despite all of the divorces). But we can't afford to support families with disabled members, or who might have special educational needs, or even to give help to victims of domestic abuse. Because showing the Tory backbenchers that Cam and co still have traditional hearts is much more important than looking after the people who need it most.
Squeamish Louise
It's not the money so much as the symbolism. Did you choose not to get married? Single parent? Widowed? Divorced? Polyamorous? Sorry. You're doing it wrong.
Maybe you're a married heterosexual couple and you thought that your lives would be better if you ran them on equal terms? The government disagrees.
Apparently we can spare half a billion pounds to 'reward' the correct type of family (plus several extra million to prop up theroyals who, bless 'em, do try to showcase the whole 'traditional family' thing despite all of the divorces). But we can't afford to support families with disabled members, or who might have special educational needs, or even to give help to victims of domestic abuse. Because showing the Tory backbenchers that Cam and co still have traditional hearts is much more important than looking after the people who need it most.
Squeamish Louise
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