UK Conservatives Debated Taking Away Baby Milk

12:26 pm EST August 8th, 2010 | World | 7 Comments

Via Lawyers, Guns & Money comes this nigh-comical tale of David Cameron squashing a proposal to take free milk away from babies. I know UK conservatives are largely well to the left of American Democrats, but this seems to be one of those instances where they’re taking cues from the US right.

Taking away milk. From babies. Really.

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7 Responses to “UK Conservatives Debated Taking Away Baby Milk”

  1. inverseliberal says:
    August 8, 2010 at 12:44 pm

    They want to stop supplying milk to EVERYONE so they can focus on the poorest. Why should the government supply free milk to rich kids?

    Is this just more of your yellow journalism, or did you just not read the link?

  2. jr says:
    August 8, 2010 at 12:51 pm

    Thatcher went on a privatization spree and Cameron is following suit. Nick Clegg should be ashamed of himself

  3. Janus Daniels says:
    August 8, 2010 at 1:49 pm

    Evidently inverseliberal means Republican; all wrong every time.
    From the link:
    Niggard Government Considering Snatching Back Free Milk From The Under-Fives:
    http://jp-ireland.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!7D84D8D85790AC27!15163.entry … Health minister Anne Milton admitted the move – which would echo the Conservative Party’s removal of free school milk in 1971 – would be “highly controversial” and affect children in low income families…
    Tam Fry, honorary chairman of the Child Growth Foundation charity, said scrapping the Nursery Milk scheme would be “disastrous”, adding: “The Conservative minister for health doesn’t seem to have learnt the lessons from Margaret Thatcher. Milk is absolutely vital for children in their growing years, particularly pre-school, and has many other attributes as well. It’s a step towards healthy living.”

  4. MadDog says:
    August 8, 2010 at 2:46 pm

    Observations:
    Because the previous Labour govt *literally* pissed the UK economy up against the wall, every department is reduced to this kind of fire sale situation where ideas like scrapping free milk, which on the face of it sound crazy, are having to be considered.
    The programme was instigated in the 40s when general standards of nutrition were much lower. There’s a reasonable body of opinion now that the programme has little to no real benefit. Plus all the chavs who actually need it are busy feeding their kids McDonalds on a Saturday lunchtime, thus negating any shred of upside.
    There are better ways to spend £50m on helping kids to be healthier.

  5. Zython says:
    August 8, 2010 at 7:05 pm

    No “taking candy from a baby” quip, Oliver? For shame.

  6. sqeptiq says:
    August 9, 2010 at 1:08 am

    Nothing more perfectly calculated to make American conservatives’ brains boil with bafflement than to see Conservatives in coalition with Liberal Democrats. Well, except maybe Canada’s Progressive Conservatives. Or Australia’s (conservative) Liberal Party.

  7. Dr. Psycho says:
    August 9, 2010 at 9:33 am

    “There is no better investment than putting milk into babies.” — Winston Churchill

    “Nah, we could probably make more in currency trading.” — Anne Milton