The government should set an example for other employers and take MPs’ request for parental leave seriously

We are writing as an alliance of charities and campaigners to express our support for the development of a procedure and the allocation of a budget which would allow all members of parliament to have access to six months parental and adoption leave.

Although we appreciate that MPs can make a contingency application for the cost of providing a locum, to cover non-parliamentary chamber duties while on maternity leave, we do not believe this to be a sufficient solution.

Given that 24 MPs have given birth since the inception of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa), yet not a single MP has taken up the offer of making a contingency application, we believe it is not fit for purpose. The statement from Ipsa that it does not recognise that MPs go on maternity leave is deeply troubling. Parental leave must be formally recognised by both parliament and Ipsa.

We understand that in 2017 the chair of Ipsa agreed that an uplift to MPs budgets to enable maternity leave would be appropriate but we have no further information as to what has happened since. It is imperative this is now seen as a priority to ensure other MPs do not have to endure the humiliating and stressful contingency application process undertaken by Stella Creasy MP.

The director of regulation and insight for Ipsa has informed us that Ipsa backs proposals to allow maternity cover for MPs. We therefore call on Ipsa to take the lead on this matter and consult on bringing in new measures without delay. There has been cross-party support for this campaign, including support from Theresa May, Jo Swinson, Caroline Lucas and Valerie Vaz.

We believe the current process discriminates against women and acts as a deterrent to gender equality within Westminster. We also believe it sends a negative signal about how pregnant women and new mothers should be treated when they are working. With 54,000 women a year being pushed out of their jobs due to pregnancy and maternity discrimination it is important that Westminster sets the gold standard in terms of how it treats new mothers.

We would like to see Ipsa implement a scheme whereby MPs who are due to be parents, know in advance what funding will be in place for a locum whilst they care for their new baby. This funding needs to be consistent with the scheme in place for civil servants and should be for up to six months. This should be funded and recorded via the central provision scheme.

This change in policy is important for MPs and the diversity of the parliamentary workforce, but it is also important for all UK citizens; firstly because we need to know that constituents will be in receipt of proper representation but also because by legislating for parental leave for MP’s, the government will send a strong signal to employers that parents who work are valued. There is a desire from the public for this change. Over 30,000 people signed our petition in just a few days. You can view their reasons for signing here.

Finally, we believe that having formal arrangements for parental leave for MPs will encourage wider conversations on caring responsibilities and making sure our employment laws meet the needs of our diverse workforce. We will never make workplaces work for women if Westminster fails them every step of the way, and the current policy is failing women.

We look forward to hearing from Ipsa about when it will initiate this formal process to develop a parental leave policy for MPs.

Pregnant Then Screwed
Parental Pay Equality
Fawcett Society
Happen Together CIC
EqualiTeach
Working Mums
Women’s Equality Party
Women’s Budget Group
Young Women’s Trust
Fatherhood Institute
Fatherhood Network Scotland

Explaining violence against women to young girls

I am saddened to read of the response By Sir Peter Bottomley to Mark Field’s encounter with the female protester.

As a local school governor and someone with two young children, I have recently found myself in the position of having to explain to a young girl how Bottomley’s comments tally with the fair and acceptable treatment of women in modern Britain.

In a country where domestic violence is an ever-prevalent threat, we need to send a clear message to young girls growing up in Worthing that violence against women should not be tolerated. Bottomley’s comments fell far below this standard that we should expect of a public servant.

There are always going to be moments where people who think differently to us, and sometimes challenge our ideas, our events and our activities. It’s at those moments, however, that we need to consider the responsibilities that we hold in public office and the influence that our words and deeds have.

I am genuinely saddened that at a time when many young girls in his constituency are trying to make sense of what constitutes acceptable behaviour toward them, Bottomley has chosen to respond in a way that sends such a belittling message to these young girls.

I would like to take this opportunity to remind people of the West Sussex County Council support we have available for people in West Sussex who are enduring domestic abuse. For more information, click here.

Cllr Carl Walker
Worthing

Never mind Boris’s girlfriend – what about Brexit?

The fuss about what may or may not have happened in Boris Johnson’s girlfriend’s flat is a welcome distraction for both candidates.

While the focus is on Johnson’s private life, neither of our prospective PMs need to worry about answering serious questions.

I am not interested in an argument Johnson had with his girlfriend. I am even less interested in his penchant for making cardboard buses.

What I am interested is hard detail of how Johnson plans to resolve Brexit. I also would like to know why Jeremy Hunt thinks he can renegotiate a Brexit agreement when the EU has categorically said it’s not going to happen. “Trust me, I am a great negotiator”, doesn’t do it for me.

What exactly are their ideas for a post-Brexit Britain (or what’s left of it) in the unfortunate event that they succeed in taking us out of the EU? And how will it all be paid for?

Jack Liebeskind
Cheltenham

Plays on zip wires. Cracks jokes. Builds model buses. Maybe he should be employed as a children’s play leader. Hang on, though. That’s probably how he views the job he’s applied for.

Patrick Cosgrove
Bucknell

Royal earnings

I read today that Prince Charles’ estate earned him £21.6m last year. The taxpayer has funded home improvements for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to the tune of £2.4m. Has this supposedly modernising family never heard of the bank of Mum and Dad?

Deborah Everett
Manchester