Sure Start for Dads…

The Daily Mail delights in the story of the publication of a government- funded guide for new dads. According to the report, ministers have spent £50,000 of taxpayers’ money advising fathers on how to play with their children. The answer, fathers are told, is to take them to a playground.

The leaflet, which is aimed at “broken families” who are targeted by Sure Start schemes, also tells dads not to have an affair, make a picnic and share a hot bath with his partner. It also helpfully tells dads to consider life insurance if they die.

The Mail dryly notes that the Dad Pack “appears to fall in the Blairite tradition of spending large sums of money explaining the obvious to politically-targeted audiences.” It harks back to a “pointless” exhibition organised by former minister for women, Baroness Jay, which cost £10,000. Aimed at encouraging women to look for jobs, it suggested they might try the JobCentre.