Introducing the world’s first Minister for Loneliness

Jan 19, 2018 by

Who has nothing whatsoever to say about strengthening families.

by Michael Cook, MercatorNet:

Prime Minister Theresa May has good news: she has appointed the world’s first Minister for Loneliness. “For far too many people,” she explained this week, “loneliness is the sad reality of modern life.”

Indeed, the statistics she cites are alarming. More than 9 million people in the UK always or often feel lonely. Around 200,000 older people have not had a conversation with a friend or relative in more than a month. More than one in 10 men are lonely, but would never admit it.

Following recommendations from the Jo Cox Commission on Loneliness, the PM asked the Minister for Sport and Civil Society, Tracey Crouch, to “[drive] action on loneliness across all parts of government”, create a cross-government strategy on loneliness, develop evidence-based strategies on combatting loneliness, and establish appropriate indicators of loneliness.

Bureaucrats wallow in forming committees, writing reports and gathering statistics. But there’s something Monty Python-esque about bureaucrats turning off their computers to hold hands with the Eleanor Rigbys of this world. To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, the eleven most terrifying words in the English language must surely be: I’m from the government and I’m here to keep you company.

But the British government seems grimly determined to jolly its citizens up. Rachel Reeves, a Member of Parliament who co-chaired the Commission on Loneliness, even envisages a new kind of welfare state which doles out less money and more hugs:

Our welfare system is stretched to the limits and too many people have been pushed to theirs after years of austerity. But, as well as more money, we need a new kind of welfare system that acts as a convener bringing people together to help them help themselves.

Can you imagine the horror of opening your door to the rictus smile of Boris Johnson –of Jeremy Corbyn?! – and having to spend the rest of the afternoon reaching out to him and his minders?

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