Rose Hill parents showed no respect for rank when they gave Foreign Secretary Jack Straw an hour-long grilling.

Mr Straw meets resident Vim Rodrigo Residents of the estate -- one of the city's poorest wards -- voiced their concerns to Mr Straw and Oxford east MP Andrew Smith as part of Labour's Big Conversation campaign -- a Government initiative to involve communities at grass roots level in suggesting future policy.

People gathered at the Rose Hill Sure Start community centre on January 16 to tackle the Foreign Secretary about the difficulties faced by low-income families and lone parents, and to voice concerns over debt, tuition fees, lack of childcare facilities and activities for young people.

Mr Straw told them he was proud of his Government's work developing services for children under five. But parents insisted otherwise.

Single mother-of-three Jo Giles said: "No mother will work when she will only get a tenner a week from it.

"I can only earn a minimum wage, but I can't afford to get myself into full-time education to enable me to get a better job, as I cannot pay for childcare."

Faith Salih, 24, a married mother and Cambridge University graduate, asked Mr Straw: "Why, when the Government wants to promote family living, does it make it financially more rewarding to be unmarried?"

Mr Smith told the mothers that as part of the Government's New Deal they would have a personal childcare adviser. But Mrs Salih said: "I have been going to the JobSeekers' centre since October but I have only seen my personal adviser for five minutes and she could not help me."

To the outrage of the families present, Mr Straw added: "Life would be very boring if it was perfect."

Mr Straw said extra money was going into housing. He said: "Often there are facilities for young people but they do not use them, which is why they are on the street."

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