So what's been stopping you learning to ride a bike since then Yas? I guess when someone else is footing the bill to ferry you around in taxis, what's the point eh?

Phew we got through the newspapers without mentioning that debate last night, good nobody noticed now onto the next mumsnet inspired topic "are umbrellas good for us?"

Yas on a boris bike. a nice picture there.

They'd have to burn the seat afterwards!

School report week over thank god. What did we learn sweet fanny adams. At least Matthew is happy

We are also a very happy child free couple, much prefer animals. Totally agree we get sick and tired hearing about hard working families with children from Politicians and in the media. We are both hard working but don't count because we don't have any brats, as my husband refers to them!

I do agree with Straker however and don't undesrand Matthew's vitriol towards children when he went through IVF with his first wife and I'm sure I've read articles that he has also done the same with his second wife. Surely you don't go down that route if you don't want children.

When my husband was at his school reunion recently he was asked the ususal questions, where do you work, are you married do you have kids etc He was amazed at the number of men who said they were envious of him and wished they didn't have children. I would bet they wouldn't dare say that in front of their wives/partners! I do think some men just go along with having a child because the woman has a strong desire to have one but they're not that fussed, although I couldn't imagine Matthew Wright doing that!

Rav Wilding, Marc Foster and Yvette "I used to be a credible presenter once" Fielding next week. They seem to be having trouble getting the same two people to commit to a full week lately. Maybe just find those who can and don't book the part-timers?

Just switched on at the bit before Kev and he's gushing over a woman with 3 slightly annoying kids, saying what a delight they are. Did I miss something earlier, where they were delightful because I'm just not getting it?

Delightful kids ???

3 show off brats more like.
Just as well their topic got dropped, or we would have had to put up with them for more than a couple of minutes.

Same. People who are child free get no type of hand out for anything, not saying i want any handouts but why people get child benefit for breeding is beyond me. Nothing in this country caters for child free people. And we are the ones NOT cluttering up the planet!

Has the lovely Alexis been on since his Masterchef win?

Once I think.

Are cyclist ever taught NOT to ride on the pavement?

Anyway, I stopped riding a bike when she dumped me

If Leadsom had become PM she'd probably have had non-breeders rounded up and shot for not fulfilling their Godly duties because, as we all know, you're a lesser human being if you've not reproduced, according to her.

I do agree with some of what you and others are saying. I particularly think it can be annoying to hear politicians always bang on about hardworking families (meaning with kids) as if simply hardworking people are not important. It is arguably an illogical strategy too.

But in the interests of a contrary view, there is more to it. Child benefit is at least supposed to be for the welfare of the kids, not for the parents as such. We also have social services that are meant to protect children which is surely only right in a civilized society. Whether these things are done well or whether, for instance, child benefit is the best way to protect the welfare of children is another issue that I am not commenting on either way. Ultimately, though, the idea (at least) is that the benefit helps the kids themselves, who should be protected.

Also, the whole "breeding new polluters" perspective is too simplistic and quite misleading. That idea really is about population growth but that is far more of an issue in other parts of the world than here. There are also varying theories about that anyway but that is a tangent. The point is that increasingly the concern here is that the population is getting older, basically people not dying as much or as early. This is a problem for many reasons. So in some ways the people "breeding" are helping bring the average age down and ensuring there are at least some younger workers for the future. If no one had kids we would be in big trouble. Of course, this is also a simplification but there is some truth to that view, I think. Maybe the people having kids are helping, while we can only help by not staying alive too long.

That said, I do feel quite similar to you but am also loathe to be on too similar a page to the twonk that is MW. Although he probably just says that stuff because it's so hilarious, like his "hide the sausage" and "Kevin is so old" zingers.

Yvette complaining about something creepy scaring her in the night. She'd make a series about it but she's not really used to making factual television.

More Vaz excuses. Maybe matthew is a fat lazy 'journo' for not reporting that seemingly quickly forgotten labour debate last thursday.

What the hell is going on with Wrighty's bizarre defence of Vaz over the last week and a half? It is seriously weird.

...

Let's all savour Yvette calling other people "dodgy".

...

Wrighty playing the race card on behalf of Vaz is one of the most ludicrous things I've ever seen him do or say. And that's a long list.

How many days did wrighty go on about whittingdale? I lost count. Matthew has a very short memory about Vaz and his dodgy dealings over the years when he was in government.

So some politician says something he disagrees with and they should resign. With this reasoning there wouldn't be many in government. I see emily thornberry put on a real class show yesterday on sky news. She talks so much crap that i don't agree with, should she resign matthew?

Can't believe Matthew is trying to compare the Vazeline story with this Liam Fox comment. Utterly bizarre. In no way are they comparable imo. The desperation from Matthew to try and find a Conservative "scandal" is beyond pathetic. And this isn't the first time Vaz has been involved in dodgy stuff either. Get a grip Matthew. Vaz is still an MP even if not in Government.

Thornberry is a sanctimonious hypocrite.

This Fox bit here seems to boil down to, he called somebody else fat and he's fat therefore that's not fair.

This is dickish, even by your transparently partisan standards Wrighty.

Literally frothing at the mouth this morning. Matthew should be Vaz's pr man.

An ex-journo defending a liquid lunch as if it's a productive business meeting. Never heard that before....

Fox shouldn't have been given a job again just because of his prior scandal but to try and spin something out of this as an excuse to fire him is stupid.

HS2 - An actual Gravy train.

Which will be passing very close to his manor of primrose hill.