Statutory maternity pay has become 'excessive', claims Kemi Badenoch

Kemi Badenoch gesturing with her hands while speaking
-Credit: (Image: PA Media)


Conservative leadership candidate Kemi Badenoch has said she does “believe in maternity pay” after previously describing it as “excessive”.

She insisted on X that, "contrary to what some have said", she is in favour of maternity pay.

Badenoch took to writing to express her position: "Contrary to what some have said, I clearly said the burden of regulation on businesses had gone too far... of course I believe in maternity pay! Watch the clip for the truth." She then added, "Back to conference.."

READ MORE: Family of London student killed in knife rampage blasts 'shameful' BBC Panorama show

Her remarks from Sunday morning (September 29) have ignited controversy, with a source close to Badenoch's campaign suggesting that other candidates using the issue to "score political hits" shows they "aren't serious about getting back to government".

Earlier on Sunday, during an interview with Times Radio, the shadow communities secretary seemed to question statutory maternity pay, commenting that the Government is involved in "too much".

She described statutory maternity pay as "a function of tax", explaining: "Tax comes from people who are working, we're taking from one group of people and giving to another. This, in my view, is excessive."

She continued by saying that the weight of regulations is forcing businesses to shut down, adding: "We need to allow businesses, especially small businesses, to make more of their own decisions."

"The exact amount of maternity pay, in my view, is neither here nor there. We need to make sure that we are creating an environment where people can work and people can have more freedom to make their individual decisions."

When challenged during the Times Radio interview about the significance of maternity pay for those who may struggle financially to have a baby, Ms Badenoch responded: "We need to have more personal responsibility."

"There was a time when there wasn't any maternity pay and people were having more babies."

These comments emerged as the Conservative Party conference kicked off in Birmingham, with the leadership contest to replace Rishi Sunak taking the spotlight.

Statutory maternity pay, established in 1987, is reserved for employed women earning on average at least £123 per week. It provides 90% of a person’s salary for six weeks, and then whichever is lower of 90% of their salary or £184.03 per week for the next 33 weeks, and the payment is liable for income tax and national insurance.

Tom Tugendhat
Tom Tugendhat speaking at an event ahead of the Conservative Party Conference -Credit:PA Wire/PA Images

Fellow leadership contender Tom Tugendhat said he did not know the context of Ms Badenoch's statements, but emphasised the importance of choice for women, saying: "I do know that it is incredibly important that women have the ability to choose how to live their lives,".

"It's not for me to tell you whether you should go to work or stay at home or which job to do or how many kids to have, that's none of my business," he told an audience at a Conservative Women's Organisation event.

"What's my business as a politician is to make sure that you have the support for choice."

Meanwhile, Robert Jenrick, also vying for the Conservative leadership role, has openly disagreed with Kemi Badenoch's standpoint while attending a conference fringe event. He said: "I don't agree with Kemi on this one. I am a father of three young daughters. I want to see them get the support that they need when they enter the workplace.

"Our maternity pay is among the lowest in the OECD. I think the Conservative Party should be firmly on the side of parents and working mums who are trying to get on."

Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg
Robert Jenrick waiting to appear on the BBC One current affairs programme, Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg in Birmingham -Credit:PA Wire/PA Images

Joeli Brearley, founder of campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed, said it's "absolute nonsense" to say businesses are shutting down due to statutory maternity pay because they can reclaim the costs from HMRC.

Speaking to PA news agency, she said: "Statutory maternity pay is absolutely vital. Most families need two incomes to survive, and so without SMP, women would be forced to return to work almost immediately after giving birth.

"Maternity leave has been proven to substantially decrease infant mortality, whilst improving the mental and physical health of women. Conservatives are meant to be the party of family this statement from Badenoch is yet another example of dog-whistle politics that would actively damage families, businesses and society as a whole."

The Labour Party chairwoman Ellie Reeves said Ms Badenoch's remarks are "symptomatic of the Conservative Party as a whole".

She said: “The Tories and their continuity candidates are completely unserious about the problems they inflicted on the country over 14 years of chaos and decline.”

Liberal Democrat women and equalities spokeswoman Christine Jardine said: “It is this kind of out-of-touch comment that shows yet again why the Conservatives got trounced at the last election.”

Want more from MyLondon? Sign up to our daily newsletters for all the latest and greatest from across London here.