Folks,
I would remind many of you, who malign the MPL, that the majority of the non-US airline have been putting the product of cadet schemes in the RHS with 200-250 hours, since the early 1960s.
All the MPL does is allow a more effective training, within the hours, by more fully utilizing Level 5 through 7 FSTD, instead of accumulating a few hours on light singles and( if you are lucky) twins.
If you seriously look at recent accidents, there is no correlation with being a low hour pilot, and the accident record.
I do most certainly agree that hand flying standards have seriously deteriorated, with the results that most of us who have been around since the only "computer" on the flight deck was labeled Dalton, had no trouble predicting years ago ---only to be labeled dinosaurs by the "progressives" (great description, whoever came up with it).
The reality is that the REAL basics of flying have not changed since the "airline" was invented, just improving design has made the basic job easier.
The automation is there as an aid, to help, it should not (but probably has) become a workload increasing hindrance ---- a situation that is entirely reversible, now that Airbus and Boeing have had the message rammed down their throats by the recent record.