Maternity pay has gone too far

I'd just note that for many women the obligation to keep the job open is as important as the pay. That is an obligation on employers that costs the state nothing. I expect you would oppose that too.

In what way is a woman who works her entire career but takes a couple of maternity leaves depending entirely on the state to support her to raise her children?

Generous maternity leave keeps women in work.

Then she’s attacking the wrong thing because beneficiaries of maternity benefits are by definition women who work.

Perhaps she's of the opinion that parents should pay for their children with a little support from the state, not entire dependence on the state?

They do. And I know this because for the last 20 years of my career I was a beneficiary of it. I don’t believe I was discernibly more skilled or talented (although obviously more experienced) than the numerous younger women I beat in a more than one recruitment process. The major benefit I offered was that I didn’t need childcare and wouldn’t be taking maternity leave. It was blatantly obvious to me.

Apart from being the traditional type of mysogynistic Tory rubbish from one of its somewhere-right-of-Ghengis-Khan spokespeople, this type of nonsense is a gift to a certain type of employer.
I used to lecture in HR and was always amazed/horrified at the number of (young) undergraduates who regularly ventured the opinion that in future, they would avoid employing women between the ages 18&40!
Given the ageing population, low birth rate, Brexit etc why would anyone choose to halve their available workforce?

I think child benefit reduction should be considered before maternity pay. Not that I condone removing either. Workers pay NI all their working lives, it’s only receiving back what we are entitled to, it’s not freeloading.

Lets look at the basics of human life, we are put on Earth to reproduce, that’s what animals do. If we don’t, the human race dies out. We need future workers to fund the social care of those in their later years. No income, no babies!

That's not how I read her post at all.

I’m currently on maternity leave and it’s definitely not enough, I think it should be based on your previous income because when you’re used to a certain amount each week to cover your bills and other costs, it’s not like you can just say “oh well I won’t pay my mortgage”. It’s like they think our wages are only spent on lavish meals out and spa treatments 🙄
Im having to go back to work at a nursery which my baby will be attending at 7 months old. So whilst he’s getting looked after by a stranger in the room next door to me, I’m looking after other people’s kids, and paying to do this. Just because it still works out financially miles better to pay for his childcare and work rather than stay home with him. And I’m not even on an impressive wage.

Looks like it. Didn't ya know us bottle feeding mums don't have the same bond? 🤷😉

And where did I say that? I was asking how the system worked. And someone kindly explained rather than making a snarky comment.

And no I don't read the daily mail - nor any other paper for that matter thanks

Ah OK I see. Thought would be strange. Although if you are working very part time then you are no worse off then really

And that is an absolutely disgusting way to treat people who are doing such an incredibly important thing for vulnerable children.

But it's not a race to the bottom.

It was a really weird interview, in my opinion,

She was talking generally, but not clearly, about businesses and regulation, and maternity pay got brought into the mix.

The interviewer did jump in and put the 'so you think maternity pay....' words into the conversation.

Kemi didn't respond to it clearly though and I'm still not clear what the message of the conversation was supposed to be.

This!

Seeing as MP's get full pay throughout their maternity leave (yes they do need to go in a few times, but cab take baby with them if quiet), she is a bit i
of a hypocrite

Are you saying that women who breastfeed should get longer maternity leave than those who bottle feed?

I’m not saying it would. What I am saying is there are people worse off than moms on SMP and getting no financial assistance at all so your situation is marginally better than theirs

Because people are complaining about how hard it is being on maternity pay/leave not being long enough. There are worse things than not being paid a lot to have a child and then spend 9-12 months off work with it

Oh look someone reads the daily mail and think having kids is a money maker for women.
hmmmm indeed.

Really not sure how this is relevant to a discussing around the amount and length of statutory maternity pay.

@SometimesCalmPerson good for you but my exclusively breastfed baby never took a bottle. We tried every day for 7 weeks, and weekly after that but he refused every single time. When starting nursery at 11 months he ate and drank absolutely nothing for the first month despite everyone’s best efforts. He would have ended up really unwell if that had happened at 6months!

We'll be living in a Handmaid's tale society soon if these women don't stop trashing women and women's rights.

When I had my DCs I got 3m full pay and 3 months statutory. I went back after 3months cos we couldn't afford for me (breadwinner) not to be in work. Admittedly I went back on 4 days a week, but still it was hard. I was pregnant again before by DD was 6 months old, so the second time round it was even harder and because of my DHs health I had to go back full time. He became a SAHP.

Maternity pay is better these days, but still nowhere like it is in Nordic countries. Our society should be aiming to improve not regress...

Remember she was talking to Tory Party members. That's no time to be talking sense or using logic. It's wasted on them.