Stella Creasy has defended her decision to take her three-month-old son to a meeting in Parliament.
While leading a debate about buy-now-pay-later consumer credit schemes during a conference on Tuesday at subsidiary chamber Westminster Hall, the Labour MP and mother-of-two notably had her infant son strapped to her chest in a sling.
According to The Guardian, she has since been reprimanded for taking her infant to the House of Commons, despite doing so on previous occasions, and without any issues.
The Walthamstow MP later tweeted an email she had received from the private secretary to the chairman of ways and means (Conservative MP Eleanor Laing), which reads in part: 'We have been made aware that you were accompanied by your baby in Westminster Hall earlier today.'
Stating the rules in the House of Commons, which includes MPs being instructed not to take their with a child, the message read: 'I would like to draw your attention to the fact that this also applies to debates in Westminster Hall.'
In response, Creasy tweeted: 'Apparently Parliament has written a rule which means I can’t take my well behaved, 3-month old, sleeping baby when I speak in chamber. (Still no rule on wearing masks btw).Mothers in the mother of all parliament are not to be seen or heard it seems… [sic]'
The MP went on to call for a change in the system which makes it ‘harder for parenting and politics to mix’, when responding to a comment from the Greater London Authority (GLA) leader of the Conservatives, Susan Hall.
'Yes Stella, mothers have to find childcare in the real world, it’s what they do,’ Hall tweeted, to which Creasy replied: ‘Hi Susan sorry to hear this is attitude of GLA conservatives - in the real world mothers would have maternity cover so they could be with a very small baby. Perhaps rather than making it harder for parenting and politics to mix, join with us in changing the system. [sic]'
As well as maintaining that parenting and politics don’t have to conflict, Creasy also stressed that her demanding role and lack of basic maternity benefits supports her decision to bring her newborn to work.
TV presenter and journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer tweeted Creasy: ‘Does any other mother take their baby into their workplace every day?! The absurd sense of entitlement of this MP astounds me. Why doesn't @stellacreasy go and enjoy her maternity leave with her baby - she's lucky enough to be on full pay and I'm sure her baby would prefer it. [sic]'
The politician replied: ‘Going out on a limb here and suggest Julia same sort of person who would criticise me for being AWOL if I actually did as she suggests and abandoned my constituents for six months- as without maternity cover I don’t actually get maternity leave as no one else to do my job. [sic]'
Commons rules currently state that MPs should not have children or infants with them in the chamber. However, MPs are permitted to take their children and babies through the lobbies to vote.
Labour MP, Alex Davies-Jones, later tweeted that the rule seemed 'a complete contradiction' as she when she was breastfeeding her child the Commons speaker, Lindsay Hoyle, assured her 'that if the need arose I would be able to feed my child in the chamber or Westminster Hall'.
The Canadian comedian Katherine Ryan, who resides in the UK, has shown also her support for Creasy following Tuesday's email.
During a segment with Good Morning Britain on Wednesday, during which she was asked about Creasy’s decision to take her baby into Parliament, Ryan said her choice to do so has created ‘a formidable image and sometimes that has to be done’.
Ryan revealed during the show that she takes her own baby on tour with her, while admitting ‘it isn’t easy'. 'We make sacrifices as parents,' she added. 'We do what we have to do. It’s not because we love it.'
Following her appearance with her son at Westminster Hall, Creasy tweeted about other countries where the parliamentary rules regarding children aren’t as restrictive as UK law.
‘Other countries show it doesn’t have to be this way - If you want things to change so politics and parenting can mix, please join our project to help directly support mums of young children to stand for office - sign up here at http://thismumvotes.org! [sic]’ she wrote.
On September 23, when she was asked by Commons leader Jason Rees-Mogg whether he could revise other rules that force MPs to give up the proxy vote they’re permitted (allowing a decision-making member to delegate their voting power to a representative) while on parental leave.
While Rees-Mogg defended the rules, he congratulated Creasy on ‘the impeccable behaviour of her infant’ who she had with her in a sling at the time.
In response to the email, Creasy told the Guardian that she has been told the email was not prompted by a complaint from a particular MP.
'Without maternity cover, the residents of Walthamstow would be denied representation if I didn’t keep working – but anyone with a three-month-old baby knows they are too young to leave on their own,' she said.
“Having already taken my baby into the chamber previously without any complaint, I’ve asked for urgent clarification as to what would happen if I keep bringing the baby with me, and where they expect me to leave him – issues like this are why we have set up the This Mum Votes project so we can ensure that the mother of all parliaments ensured mothers can be seen and heard in our politics.'
Meanwhile, a House of Commons spokesperson told the publication: 'It is vital that all democratically elected MPs are able to carry out their duties in and around parliament. Members can at any time consult with the Speaker, deputy speakers, clerks and doorkeepers about their requirements while in the chamber or in Westminster Hall at any time. We are currently in communication with Stella Creasy about this matter.'
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