Parents should have a choice whether to smack their children says the education secretary. Rejecting calls by England’s Children’s Commissioner to follow Scotland and Wales by banning smacking, Nadhim Zahawi has weighed into the debate saying there is nothing wrong with a 'light smack on the arm'.
He says mums and dads are 'entitled' to be able to discipline their youngsters and does not believe in the state 'nannying' parents about the way they bring their children up.
The father-of-one made the controversial comments when responding to England Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza's support for a smacking ban.
When asked about his personal situation on Times Radio, Mr Zahawi said: 'I've got a young child. I've got a nine-year-old Mia, and I don't think I've ever smacked her.
'But I think her mother, on occasion, has felt the need for a light smack on the arm, if she's been completely naughty and misbehaving."
The minister added: “My very strong view is that actually we have got to trust parents on this and parents being able to discipline their children is something that they should be entitled to do.
“The discipline of children should be left up to parents … I trust parents. And I think it’s much better to do that than have a nanny state.”
Currently parents in England and Northern Ireland have a legal defence for smacking if the action constitutes 'reasonable punishment'.
Scotland banned the physical punishment in 2020 and the Welsh parliament introduced a ban last month.
Dame Rachel has spoken out about her support for changing the law to give children the same protection from assault as adults.
She told Times Radio: “I absolutely abhor, and I’m against, violence of any kind against children. Because children are more vulnerable than adults, I think we do need to ensure that their rights are supported.”
A survey commissioned by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children found more than two thirds of adults in England believe it is wrong for parents or carers to physically punish their child, with 58 per cent thinking it was already illegal.
What's your view? Do you think smacking should be banned? Let us know in the comments here.
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