Gang members have invariably grown up in broken, chaotic homes, often experiencing domestic violence; they have truanted from school and many have been formally excluded; and they live in neighbourhoods where worklessness, addiction and crime are rife.

When families are strong and stable, so are children - showing higher levels of wellbeing and more positive outcomes. But when things go wrong - either through family breakdown or a damaged parental relationship - the impact on a child's later life can be devastating.

That thing, 'You must stay together for the kids,' is out of fashion but is right. It's not arguing parents that children don't like, it is having one parent.

There are few more powerful tools for promoting stability than the institution of marriage.

Too many couples break up without understanding the consequences for their families.

I went up to the top of the career ladder and I came down again, I am past all that.

We do a disservice to society if we ignore the evidence which shows that stable families tend to be associated with better outcomes for children.