Opinion

Michael Pettavel: 'Value isn't just about what something costs'

All of the main political parties have lost sight of what ‘value’ means beyond its connection to monetary and individual benefits, says our columnist Michael Pettavel
Michael Pettavel: 'A smile, a kind word or just time can make more difference than a five-pound note'
Michael Pettavel: 'A smile, a kind word or just time can make more difference than a five-pound note'

Well, now in possession of the relevant manifestos (and one ‘contract’), I am feeling underwhelmed. Perhaps that’s not overly surprising as out of the two (or could it be three) main parties, one is attempting to deny the past and the other is playing it very safe.

The one thing lacking from all is a commitment to longer-term support. Free childcare, although important to parents caught between a rock and hard place, isn’t aspirational, it’s functional. The silence of parties on early support highlights a sad, simple truth; we are being asked to vote for ourselves, not our community, not our country and perhaps not our future.

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