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Iain Duncan Smith reiterates David Cameron's promise to implement tax breaks for married couples

By Joseph Willits 
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Ids In his address to the party conference today, Iain Duncan Smith reiterated the promise that David Cameron had made to proceed with, and implement tax breaks for married couples.

Duncan Smith said that the tax breaks for married couples were not "about government interfering in family life" but "about government recognising that stable two-parent families are vital for the creation of a strong society."

He continued:

“It is about government realising that we have to create a level playing field for the decisions people make about family. This means reversing the biases against stability we’ve seen in recent years, including the damaging financial discouragement to couple formation, despite the evidence of its stable outcomes for children”

The renewed focus which Duncan Smith has put on Cameron's promise, comes at a time when fears are rising that the issue has been cast aside due to the coalition with the Liberal Democrats. In a very powerful speech, Duncan Smith said that "strong economy requires a strong social settlement", and that in order for economic recovery to take place, societal breakdown had to be repaired also.

Today the Centre for Social Justice, founded by Duncan Smith 7 years ago, published a report, 'Strengthening the Family and Tackling Family Breakdown'.  The report calls for ministers to pledge their support for the institution of marriage, and the much needed social benefits it provides.

The overriding message of Duncan Smith's speech was that of the importance of the family. Duncan Smith's speech was unashamedly adamant about the positive benefits of the institution of marriage.  He described the role of the family as being one of the most important issues facing the country, especially poignant and relevant after the August riots.

Duncan Smith described gang culture as a "perverse kind of family", an opposite to the institution he believes is responsible and "vital" for repairing society. He assessed the similarity between gang members and "child soldiers of the third world" saying their "young minds are deeply scarred" by a "life filled with anger and violence".

You can read the speech in full here.

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