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

[Questionsssss]

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.

I’d want to reduce the overall welfare spend - things like PIP, carers allowance are given out too freely at the moment. I’d also want to re-instate the child benefit cap for families where neither parent works. I’d also like to make it more difficult to gain citizenship/ILR so there would be less eligible for welfare.

Conservatives or reform.

Yes this is a concern.

I haven’t always had a privileged life.

Read Everywoman by Jess Phillips. You will find your answer there!

Your posts are illogical and lacking in evidence of either intelligence or empathy.

I’d suggest election success is guaranteed!

🤣

Jess Phillips has not had a privileged lifestyle. She is a highly successful MP and her book argues that any woman could do this.

There is absolutely no reason why not! But you do need to build a bit of experience in public service such as serving the community (volunteering) and also get a bit of political savvy, which you could do by joining a party and learning about campaigning (even if you don't stand for that party later).

things to consider:
Getting elected as an independent is very hard, most independent MPs built a reputation inside a party and then left
There is huge hierarchy inside parties. You would need to be a loyal members for a while, support others in local elections and demonstrate your value (lead a local campaign successfully, get elected to parish, town or other local council) before they would consider standing you as an MP candidate

Jess Philips wasnt a struggling young single mum was she? I thought she was mid 20s graduate when she became a mother and is still with their father.. she has a very different backstory to Angela Rayner. Comfortably off professional parents, educated at a very highly rated girls grammar school and then university.

I was a neighbour when she was little.

I give you Angela Rayner! She was a sahm at 16 she says she became a care worker straight after but I don’t believe it was as soon as she says. I was also a mum at 16 and am younger than her. Even then there just isn’t the childcare for it to be possible unless you’re someone who gets their parents to raise your child for you (her mum is bipolar so can’t be possible)
Id say she was probably a sahm for at least 4 years (when Ryan starts school)

Yeah i think realistically before you managed all those other welfare cuts just to give pay mums not to work, you’d be ousted from your seat.

It looked pretty privileged to me.

With no experience I think you'd be perfect for Reform.

There's a huge community of very politically aware people around here (I'm on a 3000+ local WhatsApp group) and they are all very connected, galvanized and active. Some of them already have a public profile because they've been involved in community initiatives for years.

Those are the people who stand a chance in local politics. Are you one of them?

What have you been doing locally to build your community and connect with a LOT of people?

I think the benefit on society would be huge. Less children and adults with mental health issues, less stress in the household, stronger family values, children raised on a better diet due to more time available etc.

This. It’s not the sort of job I’d want to do with young children. I can barely cope as it is 😂

Ah, so you only want to encourage SAHPs in families where there is a high earner?

For low to middle earning families you want to starve them into working longer hours, so they won't be able to contribute towards the 'massive societal benefit' of being a SAHP?

You also want to cut the state pension, which takes up nearly half the welfare bill?

What about the people with severe disabilities who are cared for by a relative? They don't matter do they? Leave them to rot and send their carers out to work.

You've got my vote.

No I wouldn't vote for you. I'm quite bemused that anyone could claim carers allowance is given too freely. The princely sum of £86.45/wk for providing around the clock care which often renders you unable to work is not too generous in my world.

That you've been a stay at home mum would also be a huge turn off. What have you actually done with your time since your children went to school? Have you volunteered in your community, campaigned for improvements, been involved with the organisation of groups etc? Or do you just have frilly ideas with zero substance?

Oh and I’ve also seen a lot of videos of MPs who are only 19/20/21 lately so can’t be much life experience/extensive career going on there. Go for it if you want

Why do you think PIP is “given out too freely atm?” and why do you think disabled people should pay for the tax breaks for SAHMs? When I did my last PIP review I has to send in almost 500 pieces of supporting medical evidence. It’s not just a case of ringing them up, filling in a form and getting an award. It’s really hard.

What would be refreshing would be if we had some MPs, or wannabe MPs, who thought of policies without thinking “the disabled could pay for that” for a bloody change.

I would consider voting for a sahm but I would expect them to be very active in the local community, lots of voluntary work, supporting causes etc.
I wouldn’t vote for you if you were standing for reform but that’s not because of you being a sahm.

No, I think it should be available to all families - not just where there is a high earner. Hence tax cuts for families with a SAHM parent.

The only people I personally know who were selected by their parties to run for parliament had been activists since university and had worked as advisers. You need to get involved with your local party and you need to get involved in grassroots activities.

Angela Rayner had a lot of trade union experience before she was elected as an MP.

Bollocks. These issues aren’t caused by parents simply going to work.