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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to wonder if a stay-at-home mum could become an MP?

580 replies

Questionsssss · 08/05/2026 08:33

Do you think a degree educated, middle class 30 year old SAHM without any notable work history would ever have a chance at becoming a local councillor or MP? I feel like most MPs have either a local council or highly skilled professional background (law, finance etc). I’ve googled and I can’t find a single MP who has a SAHM background.

OP posts:
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TheStudioWasFilled · 08/05/2026 11:21

I'm so glad you and I will likely never cross paths...

Given your stance, for their sake, I hope you don't have daughters but only sons.

ClockGoesBack · 08/05/2026 11:20

Questionsssss · 08/05/2026 11:13

Yes I think people should take some personal responsibility for their own mental health.

Jeez, ADHD and autism are not mental health disorders, you numpty!🤣

OP stop embarrassing yourself, get off Mumsnet and go back to your cushy simple SAHM life. Oh and look up the Dunning-Kruger effect

airportfloor · 08/05/2026 11:19

Bananasareberries · 08/05/2026 10:55

There are huge numbers of single parents who are funded by the state to stay at home.

Yes I am aware.

I don't qualify for benefits beyond CB and need to work. My kids are in after school club and nursery.

The poster wants to increase the number of people who can stay at home with kids.

I'm asking if I would qualify to stay at home funded by the state within her proposals or if you need a partner.

Twooclockrock · 08/05/2026 11:19

There is no reason why you can't give it a go. Join and be active in your local party of choice, learn what it takes and bits of the job. Then move up from there.
People vote for policies, people and want someone they can believe in, whatever their political view.
I think if you are interested in this path then start,nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Either you don't even try and put the idea aside, or you just start getting involved in politics and see what happens. Maybe you might find another role rather than MP that you enjoy in politics, or maybe you find that you have a natural talent for fronting a campaign and gravitate to being an MP.
I don't think people care so much what their MPs did as a previous job,more what are they going to do in this job and if they are trustworthy.

Poppingby · 08/05/2026 11:18

Questionsssss · 08/05/2026 11:13

Yes I think people should take some personal responsibility for their own mental health.

But you are arguing that the care of your own children is not you taking personal responsibility and that should be subsidised?

Inconsistent.

honeylulu · 08/05/2026 11:17

I suppose if OP does become an MP she wouldn't be the first female anti-feminist politician ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_Schlafly

Phyllis Schlafly - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_Schlafly

DiscoCherries · 08/05/2026 11:17

You realise an MP is a job, right? So you wouldn’t be a SAHM anymore.

PropertyD · 08/05/2026 11:15

Questionsssss · 08/05/2026 09:01

The things that I’d love to work on would be tax cuts for families with a stay at home parent as I believe there’s massive societal benefits to having a parent at home. I’d like to make it possible for more families to have this option rather than women feeling forced back to work as soon as their maternity leave ends.

Then I definitely wouldnt vote for you! You arent working, paying tax and yet you want more funding for children that you chose to have.

Butchyrestingface · 08/05/2026 11:13

Gigglegiggle · 08/05/2026 11:12

So you think women should stay home with young children and be encouraged to do so but you also want to do a job that will involved you working very long hours, possibly away from home for days (depending on where you live)?

How does that work? What will happen to your children? Won't they suffer the consequences of your working and become delinquents?

I asked that. Still waiting for a response.

Have to assume her obliging husband is willing to leave his high-paying job to take on the role of SAHP whilst she's off conquering the local council.

Questionsssss · 08/05/2026 11:13

user45789032 · 08/05/2026 11:09

I DO have a problem with people with anxiety claiming they can’t work because they find public transport too stressful, or people with depression going on long term sick leave. Or university students being given free laptops as they have ADHD.

It's interesting to me that this is your example. My oldest child could have fallen into all these categories and was truly struggling for a while. But because we're a high earning family, and able to afford private school, get him on a laptop and access mental health care privately, he's now thriving, doing medicine at Oxbridge (and, by the way, I was a SAHM for a long time). Are you saying that people from less privileged backgrounds should just pull their socks up and get on with things? Wouldn't that ultimately cost society a lot more than giving people a hand to pull them up?

Yes I think people should take some personal responsibility for their own mental health.

OP posts:
ClockGoesBack · 08/05/2026 11:13

Isittimeformynapyet · 08/05/2026 11:07

Indeed I have 😂

@Questionsssss .... Have you heard of it?

Apologies, Isittime, my question re the Dunning-Kruger effect was to @Questionsssss.

Not to you, obviously😀Flowers

Gigglegiggle · 08/05/2026 11:12

So you think women should stay home with young children and be encouraged to do so but you also want to do a job that will involved you working very long hours, possibly away from home for days (depending on where you live)?

How does that work? What will happen to your children? Won't they suffer the consequences of your working and become delinquents?

BelleEpoque27 · 08/05/2026 11:11

Questionsssss · 08/05/2026 11:05

Yes I think this is a good idea. Longer parental leave.

Right... but that means a high tax society. Which is the opposite of what your mate Nigel wants.

The money has to come from somewhere.

Zanatdy · 08/05/2026 11:09

Are you planning to tackle the underpaid tax by mainly men (but not always men, plenty of women do too) with their own business taking in cash? Probably many of reformers voters. Bet that’s costing the economy billions of pounds but seems almost acceptable yet the disabled, immigrants and large families are to blame.

user45789032 · 08/05/2026 11:09

Questionsssss · 08/05/2026 11:03

I don’t have the time to answer your whole post at the moment. But I don’t hate disabled people.

10000% people with disabilities should be helped. Houses and cars adapted, adjustments made, benefits paid. I obviously have no issues with actual disabled people claiming for anything. I DO have a problem with people with anxiety claiming they can’t work because they find public transport too stressful, or people with depression going on long term sick leave. Or university students being given free laptops as they have ADHD. Or people claiming carers allowance as their partner is autistic. There are too many people taking advantage of how relaxed our criteria is.

I DO have a problem with people with anxiety claiming they can’t work because they find public transport too stressful, or people with depression going on long term sick leave. Or university students being given free laptops as they have ADHD.

It's interesting to me that this is your example. My oldest child could have fallen into all these categories and was truly struggling for a while. But because we're a high earning family, and able to afford private school, get him on a laptop and access mental health care privately, he's now thriving, doing medicine at Oxbridge (and, by the way, I was a SAHM for a long time). Are you saying that people from less privileged backgrounds should just pull their socks up and get on with things? Wouldn't that ultimately cost society a lot more than giving people a hand to pull them up?

BelleEpoque27 · 08/05/2026 11:09

Bananasareberries · 08/05/2026 10:23

Still... a rock could probably get in as a Reform councillor given their vetting procedures, so you'll probably do fine

Do you not see how damning this statement is of the party you support?

Eh? What party do I support? Certainly not Reform!

ItTook9Years · 08/05/2026 11:08

Questionsssss · 08/05/2026 11:03

I don’t have the time to answer your whole post at the moment. But I don’t hate disabled people.

10000% people with disabilities should be helped. Houses and cars adapted, adjustments made, benefits paid. I obviously have no issues with actual disabled people claiming for anything. I DO have a problem with people with anxiety claiming they can’t work because they find public transport too stressful, or people with depression going on long term sick leave. Or university students being given free laptops as they have ADHD. Or people claiming carers allowance as their partner is autistic. There are too many people taking advantage of how relaxed our criteria is.

I was recently a uni student with ADHD and could have had £20k or so of specialist software but they absolutely wouldn’t buy me any form of electronic device.

i don’t think you really understand the things you want to change.

And who the fuck are you to decide what “genuinely disabled” is or isn’t?

Daftypants · 08/05/2026 11:07

Oh I was with you until I read

  1. Reform Party
  2. PIP cuts and carers allowance cuts
  3. you can’t spell 😂
Overwhelmedandtired · 08/05/2026 11:07

ClockGoesBack · 08/05/2026 11:05

OP only cares about women who managed to bag high-earning husbands🤣

And doesn't believe childcare is in their best interests but is considering a high pressure full time job with young children???

Isittimeformynapyet · 08/05/2026 11:07

ClockGoesBack · 08/05/2026 11:01

Delusions of grandeur, entitled, self serving, not much going on in terms of intelligence - perfect Reform candidate🤣

OP, have you heard of the Dunning-Kruger effect?

Indeed I have 😂

@Questionsssss .... Have you heard of it?

ClockGoesBack · 08/05/2026 11:07

Kirbert2 · 08/05/2026 10:59

I'd also suggest spending some time volunteering with disabled children and asking their parents about their experiences with claiming DLA and living life as a carer to a disabled child.

Exactly this.

ItTook9Years · 08/05/2026 11:05

Questionsssss · 08/05/2026 11:05

Yes I think this is a good idea. Longer parental leave.

Paid for by………?

ClockGoesBack · 08/05/2026 11:05

airportfloor · 08/05/2026 10:53

I'm a single parent. Do I get funded to stay at home and be able to pay the mortgage? Or does it only work for two parent families?

OP only cares about women who managed to bag high-earning husbands🤣

ItTook9Years · 08/05/2026 11:05

Bananasareberries · 08/05/2026 11:01

That all sounds very community minded but you say she ‘pesters the council’ - she IS the council. None of what you mentioned is the core job of being a councillor. How does she do in that role? What motions and amendments does she propose? How does she get alongside other councillors to make sure they get cross party support? How does she vote? What requests does she make from her officers? How carefully does she read their reports and raise appropriate questions about them?

She does all that as well. The community stuff is how she gets votes. Otherwise they whinge that they only see candidates at election time and only get a leaflet and no interaction.

She is incredibly diligent and on several committees. She’s in the majority party so doesn’t always need cross party support for anything. She spends a lot of time ensuring her constituents are supported in understanding council business/activity.

She’s both a council and community council councillor, hence the cross over.

Questionsssss · 08/05/2026 11:05

BelleEpoque27 · 08/05/2026 11:00

Hang on... financially this makes zero sense. I earn about 3.5k per month before tax etc. That money allows us to do more then the bare minimum - DP's salary more or less covers the bills, so with mine we can afford holidays, days out, nice food, pets, going out for dinner occasionally, we employ a cleaner, we get our milk delivered, we have various insurances, and we have savings. We spend money in the economy, which allows businesses to survive and pay tax, which in turn keeps the country running.

If I'd been a SAHM for the last six years, that's a hell of a lot of money not going into the economy. My son is happy and thriving in school, absolutely no sign that going to nursery four days a week had any ill effects. And I don't feel guilty for spending money, like my mum did when I was young. She was a SAHM for 12 years and regrets it now.

I would support a longer parental leave, available to both parents, like they have in many Scandinavian countries. I did feel that 12 months was a bit young to go to nursery, and would have been more comfortable with 18 months or 2 years. But people don't want to pay tax in this country, so that's not going to happen.

Yes I think this is a good idea. Longer parental leave.

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