The Opposition has lost an attempt to reverse the Government's planned abolition of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).
The means-tested allowance, worth between £10 and £30 per week, is available to teenagers in post-compulsory education. It is intended to support their studies, but recipients are permitted to spend the cash as wisely (or otherwise) as they like.
How many cranial-vacant teenagers are taking worthless post-16 qualifications to secure free beer tokens and dodge meaningful employment? Quite a few I'd suggest. How many hard working and socially responsible teenagers would continue with their education even if EMA was scrapped? An even higher proportion I'd say.
Twenty years ago, long before EMA even existed, people stayed on post-16 because they had the academic drive and commitment to do so. Being paid for that privilege never crossed their minds. Talented individuals, regardless of personal circumstance, somehow managed to attend their studies, work diligently and gain worthwhile qualifications.
Contrast that with today.
The whole EMA system epitomises Labour's time in office - conceptually socially benevolent, but marred by financial miscalculation when you scratch the surface. I could be even blunter - EMA is a policy to buy votes with other people's money.
Which bright spark had the idea of paying teenagers for benefiting from a free education? Should we really be luring them into the misapprehension that the state is obliged to bankroll their lifestyles?
And the most galling thing is that even now, with the benefit of 7-month's hindsight, Labour can't see the economic trail of destruction they left in their wake.
No wonder the nation is broke.
The means-tested allowance, worth between £10 and £30 per week, is available to teenagers in post-compulsory education. It is intended to support their studies, but recipients are permitted to spend the cash as wisely (or otherwise) as they like.
How many cranial-vacant teenagers are taking worthless post-16 qualifications to secure free beer tokens and dodge meaningful employment? Quite a few I'd suggest. How many hard working and socially responsible teenagers would continue with their education even if EMA was scrapped? An even higher proportion I'd say.
Twenty years ago, long before EMA even existed, people stayed on post-16 because they had the academic drive and commitment to do so. Being paid for that privilege never crossed their minds. Talented individuals, regardless of personal circumstance, somehow managed to attend their studies, work diligently and gain worthwhile qualifications.
Contrast that with today.
The whole EMA system epitomises Labour's time in office - conceptually socially benevolent, but marred by financial miscalculation when you scratch the surface. I could be even blunter - EMA is a policy to buy votes with other people's money.
Which bright spark had the idea of paying teenagers for benefiting from a free education? Should we really be luring them into the misapprehension that the state is obliged to bankroll their lifestyles?
And the most galling thing is that even now, with the benefit of 7-month's hindsight, Labour can't see the economic trail of destruction they left in their wake.
No wonder the nation is broke.
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