Yesterday the people of the UK headed to the polls to cast their votes in the 2017 general election. All the main parties focused on employment matters and worker rights as fertile ground for winning votes – perhaps more than ever before.
Laura Gardiner, policy analyst at the Resolution Foundation, says:
"A key issue gaining traction is that of intergenerational fairness – the idea that what generation you are in can influence how well off you are, the specific pressures you face, and the extent to which politicians respond to these struggles.
"The challenge will be to balance the competing priorities of different generations – from young families struggling to get on the housing ladder to the social care crisis facing older people and their loved ones.
"The will is there among the electorate. The idea of intergenerational war is a myth, and bears no resemblance to how people live as families. Older generations are increasingly sympathetic to the need to build houses, for instance. More housebuilding and a lasting solution to fix our fraying care system are two bold steps the government should take to make the UK work for young and old alike."
Mubeen Bhutta, head of campaigns and policy at Working Families, says:
"There are 11 million working parents in the UK – more than a third of the workforce. Making sure they reach their potential is vital to the success of our economy in the new parliament. We’ve come together with the Families and Work Group to make five key asks of the government:
The way we currently design, organise and advertise work restricts many people with family responsibilities from being economically active at all, causes others to downshift or drop out of the labour market, and is a barrier to returning to work.
