Stella Creasey forbidden from bringing her baby to Parliament

Ms Creasey should make arrangements for child care and not bring children into the chamber. It has nothing to do with her being an MP or her baby being "well-behaved".

If she were a waitress, would it be acceptable for her to bring her infant to her workplace? Or a teacher? Or a firefighter?

MP's are entitled to take paid maternity leave, but are not guaranteed any cover, meaning that many do not take any leave and carry on working. As there is a creche in Westminster, then that could well be an option for SC to use. There are many jobs where it is just not practical to be working and looking after a young baby at the same time. How is it possible to concentrate on jobs which are public facing and demand high levels of concentration and accuracy, with a young baby demanding attention?

www.theguardian.com/money/2021/feb/04/uk-cabinet-ministers-to-be-given-six-months-maternity-leave-on-full-pay-suella-braverman

However, that isn’t comparable to normal maternity leave because the role of an MP can’t legally be deputised.

If an MP has 2 children in an electoral term and takes 6 months leave each time, that would be a year of leaving constituents without proper representation.

I think the only reasonable alternative is a compromise that accommodates the needs of MPs who have recently given birth.

Ah I see, it was in the link Kimikos put up. Thanks.

I really feel my understanding would be improved if I could know exactly what maternity provision MPs are entitled to. Does anyone know where I can find out?

Also, although she used a locum after her first pregnancy, that was a pilot scheme which won’t be repeated.

Only ministers get 6 months paid maternity leave

That's not correct. It's the other way round. MPs get maternity pay- Ministers do not. This is under discussion to give ministers the same right.

commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9133/

Maternity provision for MPs

MPs taking maternity leave can apply to the Speaker of the House for a proxy vote which allows another MP to vote on their behalf. For new mothers, the duration of the proxy vote is six months.

MPs continue to receive full pay for six months whilst on maternity leave. MPs on maternity leave can also apply for funding for additional staff. This means MPs may be able to hire a member of staff to cover their constituency duties. However, some MPs have said that they still struggle to obtain funds for maternity cover

The problem for me is that

1. She didn't have backfill, so if she went off work then her constituencies would not be represented. She's an absolute champion to be doing both.
2. She's breastfeeding. We are all told "breast is best" but then often not supported to do this in the workplace. When I was breastfeeding it would have been impossible to leave my daughter with a nursery or childcare without damaging the breastfeeding relationship.

Only ministers get 6 months paid maternity leave.
MPs are elected and therefore are just expected to do their job.

MPs are Ministers!

“- full maternity pay for 6 months,

• has the option of a locum,
• has the option of a proxy vote by MP,
• the option of an onsite creche,
• a high enough salary she can get an aupair or a nanny”

Only ministers get 6 months paid maternity leave.

MPs are elected and therefore are just expected to do their job.

Wow, glad to hear the feminism board is running along with my conflicted thoughts too.

On another thread I am on I felt like the only outlier.

I think theres so much scope to improve maternity conditions for working mums, like increasing pay from 6 weeks to 6 months. Or offering free/subsidised childcare from a younger age than 3. And I think these improvements should be made for everyone.

Not one exception made for SC to bring a baby to work; when she has the option of:

• full maternity pay for 6 months,
• has the option of a locum,
• has the option of a proxy vote by MP,
• the option of an onsite creche,
• a high enough salary she can get an aupair or a nanny

She literally has every single opportunity to her which many working mums would give an arm for; and yet she wants some kind of half in/ half out maternity and work arrangement. Again I am literally all for that - but every other self employed or working mother on maternity is not entitled to this. Go over 10 KIT days and thats it bam, no SMP - back to work, or don't.

So I am not asking for a race to the bottom here and saying SC cant because no one else can. What I am asking is that if this is deemed the only reasonable course of action for SC; then why isn't it deemed necessary for the plebs to also have these same options.

Sorry, SC, not SM.

I’m surprised that people on this board aren’t more supportive of SC.

Pregnancy, child birth, breast feeding and post natal care are things that only affect women, and lack of accommodation of those things is a real barrier to women and mothers being represented in Parliament.

I know SM doesn’t see eye to eye with me on ‘TWAW’, but I am very glad she is taking a stand on this.

There is more to being an MP than just following the whip’s voting instructions.

Why bother saying it then?

Because she is human and people often use common phrases in normal speech without thinking through their literal meaning.

I want my MPs to do the job they are being paid to do and to focus on it completely. The same as I expect my staff to and my Boss expects me to. Nursing a baby in the workplace is totally inappropriate and she is doing mothers no favours at all.

So parents of well-behaved babies can work during maternity leave, but parents of criers/shouters/grabbers cannot? That has the potential to be unfair to anyone who is not a superwoman like Stella.

She doesn’t get maternity leave.

The bill that was recently passed only covered ministers.

So parents of well-behaved babies can work during maternity leave, but parents of criers/shouters/grabbers cannot? That has the potential to be unfair to anyone who is not a superwoman like Stella.

I wonder if one way forward would be that at the General Election, a deputy stands for each constituency to rotate in if the MP goes on mat leave, sick leave. Or just a snap election for a cover, without other parties standing, like happened when that MP recently was tragically killed.

That could be fairer as well to women who actually want to take their full mat leave and are not able or willing to juggle to the extent that Stella is.

I'm honestly gobsmacked at the hypocrisy on here given the number of threads I've seen over the years from women dealing with appalling criticism for not having "well-behaved babies" in public places.

There is more to bring an MP than just voting. She was speaking on a subject that is relevant to her constituents.

it shouldn’t matter if the baby is quiet or not - if she has a right to be there, so does any parent whatever the volume level of their baby. So she has confused the issue even more by saying it was ok because she had a “well-behaved” baby

You see pub signs with "well-behaved dogs welcome"

Perhaps the H of C should have signs saying "well-behaved babies welcome"

Perhaps pubs should as well.

*not allowed into the Commons. Don't split hairs.

If she has maternity leave and a proxy vote, I am not clear why she needs to be at work with a tiny baby.

So she can talk and make speeches.

With the best will in the world that is difficult if the baby is screaming.

‘Well behaved’ is just a phrase. I’m sure she didn’t mean anything by it.

No, it's a figure of speech that everyone understands within it's context. She just meant a baby that wasn't likely to be disruptive

The reasons for avoiding that "figure of speech" have been set out.

I've seen so many posts on MN over the years where mothers have, quite rightly, been upset by public criticism for not having "well-behaved babies" or if you prefer , for having babies which are "disruptive"

Language matters and Creasey came across as smug and dim with that choice.

Lobsternapkin I don’t think she thinks her baby is morally superior to other babies. But “well-behaved” is a weirdly old-fashioned thing to say. I would have overlooked it myself but now I am wondering what point she is making. If she has maternity leave and a proxy vote, I am not clear why she needs to be at work with a tiny baby. If there is a reason she needs to be, it shouldn’t matter if the baby is quiet or not - if she has a right to be there, so does any parent whatever the volume level of their baby. So she has confused the issue even more by saying it was ok because she had a “well-behaved” baby.