Abandon fiscal rectitude all who enter here

I wonder how many MPs were the third child in their family. Quite a few I imagine. I was once among their number. I’ve no idea if any benefits such as child allowances accrued to my family’s great wealth due to me being a third sprog, but in the days when a family of five was seen as the norm there was no stigma attached, if indeed the two-child allowance cap may be interpreted as a stigma. It is certainly a penalty. Rachel Reeves family came with only two children, perhaps a third was prevented by her parents’ divorce. I don’t suppose her personal circumstances have influenced her decision thus far to retain the cap. But it looks like the polls will undo her fiscal rectitude and a U-turn will be announced shortly. This I think will not reverse the government’s unpopularity, it will merely make them look even more unfocused and indecisive. The U-turn will be sold on the suggestion that now that the economy is improving it can be afforded and hard working families should see the benefit. Apparently with the IMF forecast that GDP will grow by 1.2% instead of 1.1% (Wow!) now is the time to be generous. And we know how committed Rachel is, she says so herself:  “How do you achieve your potential as a country if your kids aren’t being given the best education and the best opportunities in life? You can’t.” (her website’s home page, emphasis added) I’m afraid on this one it’s heads she loses and tails she (and the government) loses.