The Brit's "MARRIAGE" Leader - Feb/8/01

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subject: The Brit's "MARRIAGE" Leader - Feb/8/01

from: Smart Marriages


> From AOL News
> 
08/02 (12:12) HAGUE DEFENDS `IMPORTANCE OF MARRIAGE'

By Sara Nuwar, PA News

Tory leader William Hague pledged his support for married couples today at
the launch of the fifth annual Marriage Week.

The Conservative Party leader, who married bride Ffion in December 1997,
said: "My whole life has shown me the importance of marriage. I grew up with
unfailing care of a wonderful family built around my parents marriage. Now I
have been fortunate enough to marry Ffion and become part of her extended
family too.

He joked about how lucky he was to have found his wife.

"Politicians often avoid promoting the family because they fear the reaction
when their own or colleagues' relationships experience difficulties as sadly
they sometimes do. But such cowardice is irresponsible.

"I believe in marriage not because I want to impose a lifestyle on people
but because I want to help the majority fulfil their aspiration to marry and
stay married."

He spoke passionately about the institution of fatherhood. "Children need
fathers. As role models for support, encouragement and financial stability.
Yet hundreds of thousands of children will go to bed tonight without a dad
in the home.

"We need to give a fresh dignity to fatherhood."

Other guest speakers included Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Agony Aunt Anne
Atkins, Angela Sibson from marriage counselling service Relate, David Lock
MP and Stacey Young, wife of singer Paul Young.

Rabbi Sacks spoke of his own enduring 30-year marriage and the support and
joy it had brought him.

He told the conference, at London's Commonwealth Club, that the only regret
he had about his married life was that it took him three weeks to propose to
his wife Elaine.

"Marriage is a privilege - let's not under-value it.

"The difference between a holiday and a job is the difference between love
that nearly happens and love that you turn into marriage and you turn into a
life."

Stacey Young, whose been married for 13 years, said married life and raising
a family alongside the demands of a busy career could be difficult.

She joked: "Finding the right partner helps. It's about growing together,
you have to be proud of your partner, proud of yourself and proud of being a
couple."

The mother-of-three added that listening to a husband or wife was the most
important element of a successful relationship.

David Lock, Parliamentary Secretary to the Lord Chancellor's Department,
also described the extra funding that married couples would receive in the
next few years, including the rise to £4.5 million for organisations such as
Relate.

Social Security Secretary Alistair Darling insisted that Labour did
recognise the importance of supporting families through targeted help for
families with children.

"Where families actually need help is when they have got children because
that is when you start getting additional costs," he told BBC Radio 4's the
World at One programme.

"That is why we have decided to spend more money than the last government
ever did in helping families with children, not only through the tax system
but through child benefit."

Labour MP Douglas Alexander, the party's general election co-ordinator,
said: "William Hague's long-trailed speech ended up saying nothing new. By
only repeating his previously stated commitment, William Hague offered
nothing new in terms of policy ... William Hague left his audience today
none the wiser as to Tory policy, which has clearly now descended into utter
confusion."


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