Madam, – The dignity of John Waters’s finely-judged column “Empathy spurs my writings on family law” (April 3rd), reminded me of Dev’s broadcast response to Churchill in 1945. But it’s likely that it will have no more effect on the family courts than Dev had on British foreign policy. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I spent 15 years in a cohabiting relationship. We had three children, a joint mortgage, and joint bank accounts. When my partner left me for another woman, my solicitor advised me that there was no point in going near the courts.
Because we had not been married, I had no right to any support for myself. The fact that he earned the wages that paid our mortgage, while I looked after our young children and our home, meant that I had no right to any part of that home. My ex and I rose above this ridiculous situation, but many people don’t.
Perhaps Mr Waters would like to have a coffee with me, or with some of the many women I know who are bringing up children with little or no support, either financial or practical, from the fathers of those children. These women don’t begrudge those fathers the shirts on their backs, but they would like to be able to buy their kids a pair of shoes when they need them. We could tell Mr Waters a story or two of our own, in the interests of fair and unbiased journalism. – Yours, etc,