Stella Creasy

[StarryNightSparkles]

Just had a little look on Twitter and seen Stella Creasy is having a rant as she can't take her 3m old into work with her.

This has pissed me right off. How many parents in the UK have child care problems.

Her argument is based on Mat leave which to me is a completely different fight.

Am I being unreasonable to be pissed off by this?

As a society do we want women of childbearing age to be MPs, and to allow them to have children?

If so then we need to make parliament work for them.

She’s an attention seeking embarrassment. Honestly, women like this set the feminist cause back. They are self publicists with no interest in actually making a change. Being strapped to your baby at work is not progress. And yes she could get childcare. But that wouldn’t get her the social media applause, would it?

[quote madisonbridges]@daimbarsatemydogsbone. You've read the article so there's no point quoting it. She was offered £60,000pr, the same as last time, when a locum worked well. This time she thought it unfair that a locum would be paid less than an MP. She wanted £82,000pr. IPSA refused to increase the amount. She hasn't employed a locum. Therefore she's not taking the offer of £60,000 but she would take 82,000. She hasn't used the word refused but she hasn't done it so what else would you call it?

After our meal I offer my child an apple. They ask for cake. I say they can only have an apple. They walk away from the table empty handed. That's a refusal, isn't it?[/quote]
What? Wow women like her really lower the bar for other women.

@Dishwashersaurous

As a society do we want women of childbearing age to be MPs, and to allow them to have children?

If so then we need to make parliament work for them.

This x 100.

It’s so disheartening that people can’t see that making Parliament working mum-friendly means there’s a greater chance of having more and younger women involved in the decision making process.

I do understand that in trying to broaden the intake for MP’s some flexibility is required, but equally there are some things which just come with the job. In my field, long hours and shift work- frequently finishing later etc- come with it. I’d rather not do some if it, and it would be much more convenient if I could work 9-5, no nights or weekends etc- but I can’t do it AND do this job because if the nature of the beast. There are some things which will also come with being an MP- needing to be in London and your constituency (unless a London MP), long and unsociable hours etc, that will just not be compatible with some people’s lives/chosen lifestyle and will therefore prevent some people even considering running or cause some to step down

Nah. Work expectations change all the time. Everything from minimum wage to discrimination law to hours worked. There’s no reason why MP’s can’t do debates from home now.

I agree with her. We absolutely do need more women in politics and women who have children.

@Dishwashersaurous

It wasn't about the pay for a locum but that the locum can't legally do all.the bits of the job, including voting in the chamber as the law says only the MP can do that.

So the situation is the same.

1. She can not get maternity cover to do a vital part of her job.

1. Therefore she has to do that vital part of the job.

1. In order to do that she needs to physically bring the tiny breastfeeding baby with her to do it.

The actual issue is that there is no mechanism to allow part of the job, in many ways the key part, without it being the physical presence of the MP.

That's why for key debates people have been brought in on the back of ambulances too ill to Stan in order to vote.

During COvid there was a facility to speak and vote remotely.

All that is required is to maintain that facility MPs who needed it, whether on sick leave, family leave or any other reason.

No, this is not right. Last time she had a baby she took 6 months maternity leave and fundscwere provided to pay a locum, Kizzy Gardiner, to do her locum work. The pay was £60,000 pro rata. She carried out her constituency work, charity and community work.

The 'locum mp' was a trial which is not going ahead as there is no such provision in the law. The house would need to vote to change that. But someone can be hired to do the bulk of her work.
The staff member can't sit in the chamber, address parliament or vote.

1. Why do we want anyone to just sit in the chamber?
2. How can anyone speak on behalf of Stella Creasy without Stella Creasey writing the speech for her? Then Stella Creasey would have to come off her maternity leave to write the speech which is exactly what she's arguing against doing. There are many people in her party who can speak so she won't be that missed. And she can give any speech she writes to someone else to give.
3. The staff member couldn't ask questions. But mps can ask questions on her behalf.
4. The staff member wouldn't have been elected so has no right to vote but Stella Creasy can either pair or can nominate an mp to vote on her behalf (a proxy vote). This scheme has been in place since January 2019. It's true that in the past sick people have been brought in but this has not been the case for a while and the speaker can grant proxy voting to mps for a range of reasons, ill health being one.

Therefore all aspects of her job are covered. She has said that she actively wants to go into chamber and make speeches herself. So she's not losing out on this and she can vote by proxy.

The term 'locum mp' has been removed but she was offered 60,000pr to employ a senior member of staff to take over her constituency duties.. she said they should be paid nearer to the 82,000pr that MPs receive and requested they be paid more. IPSA refused that because, as you say, members of staff don't do the full amount of work of an MP. She has not taken up the funding to find cover and is working herself.

Taken from the Guardian...
The arrangement worked well but Creasy felt guilty that her stand-in wasn’t paid anywhere near an MP’s rate, so after she got pregnant again last autumn, she applied for another locum on closer to her £82,000 salary. Ipsa refused to authorise more than £60,000, arguing that an unelected stand-in couldn’t legally cover duties such as questioning ministers in the chamber.^

If she wants to turn down maternity leave, there is a nursery in the HoC where she can leave the baby whilst she makes her speech or asks her questions. She can watch the rest of the debates on a monitor out of the chamber, like many mps do.

I don’t think that anyone who is caring for a young child should be bringing the child to work. That includes the HoC or select committee hearings.

Stella Creasy is lucky with current option

• be on Maternity leave completely with a locum for constituency work (at the pay offered by the authorities), proxy voting or not voting as she will not have kept up with debate, getting fellow MP to bring up issues in the Chamber
• be part on maternity leave as regards constituency, be at HoC with child who is now 3 months at the nursery. She can see him, but not when giving speeches, voting or in committees
• end maternity and take on all duties
• if she thinks none of these is acceptable resign and cause a by election.

It might be good if ruled change to allow all MPs to do more remote work but I still don’t thing MP should have their child there.
Either an MP is concentrating or looking after their child. If I was an MP or presenting at Committee (often professionals or members of the public) I want to have the best chance that person is listening. I know that MPs are often distracted but they get called out on it (sleep/candy crush)

@RedDeadRoach

Isn't she doing exactly what MPs are supposed to do? Asking the big questions, making waves, trying to raise awareness of issues that affect her constituents - such as workplace discrimination?

It's 2021, and we still have people saying a woman can't do a certain job because she also has a child. Fuck that. How about society changes so it's not only set up for the needs of rich white men?

Im sure all women with babies are really excited about strapping their babies to their front and working their jobs. I think there are very few jobs where this is even vaguely possible or sensible. Maternity leave exists so is she asking for it to be abolished so every woman van work and carry round their baby?

Maternity leave exists so is she asking for it to be abolished so every woman van work and carry round their baby?

No.

Here is Stella talking about abortion in Northern Ireland whilst holding her older child. She a very cute baby but is undoubtedly distracting!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-52923673

Maternity leave exists so is she asking for it to be abolished so every woman van work and carry round their baby?

.... That's what you think she's trying to say? Really?

The Daily Mash presents a balanced view

www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/lifestyle/where-should-babies-be-allowed-two-unreasonable-idiots-debate-20211125214626

MPs do get maternity leave and someone can vote on her behalf. Stella’s argument is that it’s important for her to be able to talk in debates.

I don’t have incredibly strong feelings on it, but it’s amazing how people are getting the basics wrong.

@mumda I don’t think that’s what she’s meaning to suggest, but I think you make a valid point. Giving the impression that being primary caregiver for a baby is compatible with full time work isn’t incredibly helpful.

constituency, be at HoC with child who is now 3 months at the nursery. She can see him, but not when giving speeches, voting or in committees

I’m not sure of the legal employment status of MPs. But in the UK employees can’t just chose to do part mat leave/part work. You can usually work a maximise of KIT days and any more and your maternity leave automatically ends.

Or at least that’s what I was told by our HR department.

@SparrowNest

MPs do get maternity leave and someone can vote on her behalf. Stella’s argument is that it’s important for her to be able to talk in debates.

I don’t have incredibly strong feelings on it, but it’s amazing how people are getting the basics wrong.

She has said that she wants to give speeches and will do them on her "keep in touch days". "I’m not looking for somebody to come and speak in Parliament, I’ve always said to IPSA I could do that on my keep in touch days " No one is stopping her from doing that, all that has been said is that children are not allowed in the chamber and a nursery is provided where the children can be looked after whilst she gives her speech. How is that unreasonable? I honestly don't see how she is being treated badly here. She is permitted to pick out the bits she does want to do and all the bits she doesn't want to do are covered by other people.

Here's Stella Creasey's take.

Thanks for that. There nothing new there that she hasn't said before. If I were going to work, the last thing I'd want during my breaks is to go into the work cafe (or tea room) and have toddlers running round, screaming like toddlers are wont to do.

'if I were going to work, the last thing I'd want during my breaks is to go into the work cafe (or tea room) and have toddlers running round'

My thoughts exactly. She needs to stop pretending that bringing babies and children in to work has no impact on others, and yes, that includes the tea room

I am livid about the reactions to this. Why shouldn’t she take her child, just because she gave birth and is a woman, why should she not be able to do her job which involves sitting down and voting?! The House is known to be out of touch and anti-women. Look at how Theresa May was treated. But the most depressing thing is how women are hating on women because their own lives have been hard! Wake up, your life is hard because of the system e.g. main earner was always male! This is exactly why we should do everything we can to support women to the fullest, not to necessarily bring babies to all workplaces, but to give women options. To empower women! We are fighting every day against discrimination, against the demands of being the multi-tasker who can meet children’s needs as well as our own earning needs. Until we start supporting EVERY woman, we will be held back. And not all men like it, but it is time we stood up for each other, starting here with Stella Creasy.

I actually thinking sending a “look women can multitask and look after a baby and work at the same time” message is much more damaging and puts much more pressure on women.

@madisonbridges

Her point is that MPs need to come from all sections of society in order to fairly represent the electorate. That includes young mothers. I agree with her. Other countries manage.

@Neveragain990
I am livid about the reactions to this. Why shouldn’t she take her child, just because she gave birth and is a woman, why should she not be able to do her job which involves sitting down and voting?

How is anyone stopping her doing this? She doesn't even need to go into work to vote. She can give her proxy vote to someone else. No one's stopping her going into the chamber to give a speech. All they're saying is, please leave your children in the nursery provided while you're doing it.

@madisonbridges Ha, women stay at home! Nobody needs to see a woman represented in Parliament!