Letter: Making a basic judgement of ministerial morality

Sir: The public and Conservative Party workers identify 'back to basics' as relating to traditional morality. Rightly so, for never have the consequences of moral turpitude been so marked in this country.

In Britain today cohabitation is commonplace. Illegitimacy rates are higher than ever, as are the number of abortions carried out and divorces taking place each year. The numbers of single parents and the amount of reported crime are at record levels and rising. Of even more concern is the nationwide evidence of child neglect, as evidenced by the amount of truancy, underage sexual activity, teenage drug abuse and crime carried out by school-age children.

All of these social trends relate to personal behaviour and emanate from the breakdown of the family and the failure of men and women to live together and supervise their children effectively. For thousands, mainly women and children, human misery has been created and the cost to the Government in providing welfare, policing, special education, and so on, totals billions.

It is the duty of political parties to propound realistic solutions to these problems and of government to enact solutions. Hence, 'back to basics' is far more than a moral witch-hunt; it is a much-needed crusade to diminish the effects of moral turpitude and to minimise the human misery that has been so created.

Yours faithfully,

A. ROGERS

Director, The Conservative Family Institute

Exeter