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Review ordered into whether MPs can take babies into Commons chamber


By PA News

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The Commons Speaker has requested a review into whether MPs can take babies into the chamber amid an outcry over Labour’s Stella Creasy being told she can no longer have her three-month-old son with her.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle stressed it is “extremely important” that parents can fully participate in parliamentary work as he asked the Procedure Committee on Wednesday to bring forward recommendations for the House to make a ruling.

Ms Creasy, a mother-of-two, welcomed the review after she was emailed by authorities about rules prohibiting bringing children to debates after bringing son Pip into a Westminster Hall debate on Tuesday.

Sir Lindsay said he was unaware that the warning was going to be issued to Ms Creasy but accepted it “correctly reflects the current rules”.

“However, rules have to be seen in context and they change with the times,” he told MPs in a statement when he opened the Commons on Wednesday morning.

“This House has to be able to function professionally and without disturbance. However, sometimes there may be occasions when the chair can exercise discretion assuming to the business not being disturbed.

“I accept there are differing views on this matter.”

He said Procedure Committee chairwoman Karen Bradley would review the matter and bring forward recommendations which will be “ultimately for the House to take a view on”.

Ms Creasy said she hopes the move “means some of these rules will be reviewed to make parenting and politics possible to mix”.

She received the warning despite Pip being observed to be behaving “as good as gold” during Tuesday’s debate, during which he received praise from MPs.

The MP for Walthamstow, who does not have maternity cover, told Sky News: “It’s a bit of a mystery to me because I have two children and I’ve taken them both previously into the chamber as needs must to make sure my constituents have representation.

“I think it’s representative of the way as a mum you can’t win because if I had maternity cover it would be a different issue, and I don’t and I don’t want to short-change my residents.”

Labour MP Stella Creasy speaking in the chamber of the House of Commons, in London, with her newborn baby strapped to her (House of Commons/PA)
Labour MP Stella Creasy speaking in the chamber of the House of Commons, in London, with her newborn baby strapped to her (House of Commons/PA)

Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones had written to Sir Lindsay calling for “urgent clarification” on the rules, after saying the warning left her and other mothers “hugely concerned”.

Ms Davies-Jones said the warning appeared to be a “contradiction” to Sir Lindsay’s assurance in January last year that he “wouldn’t be upset by” a mother deciding to breastfeed her baby in the chamber.

Caroline Lucas, the Green MP, said the rule is “absurd” and “absolutely needs to be challenged”, adding that babies are “far less disruptive than many braying backbenchers”.

However, not all MPs were supportive.

Tory MP Scott Benton, who represents Blackpool South, tweeted: “Parents who get paid a fraction of what you do pay for childcare and juggle responsibilities so they can go to work. What makes you so special?”.

Ms Creasy received the warning in an email from the private secretary to Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing and was referred to the section of the MPs’ rulebook, which was updated in September, stating they “should not take your seat in the chamber when accompanied by your child”.

Tory former minister Paul Maynard had told the debate: “I congratulate Pip on taking the sensible decision to fall asleep during his mother’s speech.

“He had a nice long sleep, as we can all observe, which was perhaps a sensible decision by him.”

Labour frontbencher Pat McFadden added: “I also thank our youngest member, who has attended the debate and been as good as gold throughout.”

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said he has “a lot of sympathy” for Ms Creasy and said he would not be distracted at the despatch box by the presence of a baby.

“I think we do need to make sure our profession is brought into the modern world, the 21st century, and can allow parents to juggle the jobs they do with the family time that they need,” he told BBC Breakfast.

“When you see your colleagues with their children given the rough and tumble of politics, I just always think it brings out the best in people.

“Whether it’s the right thing in the chamber, there will be different views on that, it will be for the House authorities to decide, but it certainly wouldn’t distract me or get in the way of me doing my job.”

Then-Liberal Democrat deputy leader Jo Swinson took her newborn baby to the Commons chamber in September 2018 (PA)
Then-Liberal Democrat deputy leader Jo Swinson took her newborn baby to the Commons chamber in September 2018 (PA)

A House of Commons spokesman said authorities are “currently in communication” with Ms Creasy about the issue.

In late September, Ms Creasy’s then-newborn was strapped to her as she rose in the chamber to ask Jacob Rees-Mogg to ensure new mothers were supported rather than “rebuked” when returning to Parliament.

The Commons Leader responded that the rules were “perfectly reasonable and entirely in line with the law”.

Former Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson was believed to be the first MP to take her baby into the chamber during a debate, when she cradled her son on the Commons’ green benches in September 2018.

Meanwhile, Leicester West MP Liz Kendall said she will be stepping back from her parliamentary duties and her frontbench role temporarily next year when she has a new baby through surrogacy.

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