Parental 'warmth' more important than wealth, says David Cameron.

(From Guardian Unlimited)

David Cameron said today that parental "warmth" was more important than family wealth in determining the likelihood of children succeeding in life.

The Tory leader made the comment in a speech in which he also argued that "goodness and character" could be taught and that new evidence showed that children born in poverty and those born in wealth achieved similar outcomes as long as they were brought up by "confident and able" parents.

In the past politicians were reluctant to comment on issues of behaviour and character "for fear of being intrusive", Cameron said. But now it was important for parties to develop ways of building "responsible character in people". …