It’s horrifying to think that an MP has been forced to delay her caesarean section in order to vote on the Brexit deal tomorrow.
Hampstead and Kilburn’s Tulip Siddiq told The Standard
If my son enters the world even one day later than the doctors advised, but it’s a world with a better chance of a strong relationship between Britain and Europe, then that’s worth fighting for.”
The Royal Free has been very clear on their legal and health duties. This is a high risk pregnancy and I am doing this against doctor’s advice.
Any idea that a pairing arrangement would be honoured was blown apart by Brandon Lewis’s failure to honour the agreement with Jo Swinson when her baby Gabriel was just weeks old last Summer.
People were also horrified to see Labour MP Naz Shah, who was sick and in pain, wheeled through the voting lobby.
There is a much more humane way of doing this – allowing MPs who are incapacitated in some way to cast their votes by proxy. Nobody should have to be taken to their place of work by ambulance to perform part of their duties.
Jo Swinson made it clear how she felt about the situation:
The Government should be thoroughly ashamed of refusing to bring forward proxy voting for MPs with tiny babies.https://t.co/BMR17MrZWo
— Jo Swinson (@joswinson) January 14, 2019
You have to wonder if they’d have been swifter to act if any of the babies due had been pm their side.
Laura Gordon, Lib Dem candidate in Sheffield Hallam, had this to say:
https://twitter.com/LibDemLaura/status/1084936258231648256
We cannot allow MPs to be put in this position. Let’s hope that Tulip, Jo and Naz are the last to have to endure this injustice.
* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social
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8 Comments
Caron, you are dead right on this. But, as a recent Fawcett report revealed, this is about the culture of political parties as well as the culture of parliament.
I left the party in September, amongst other things, tired of 15 fruitless years of prevarication and excuses about formalising maternity leave for Lib Dem candidates. Yes it was a few years ago now but as a Lib Dem parliamentary candidate I had a miserable 48 hours full maternity leave and six weeks semi maternity leave after an emergency Caesarean. Just a few months ago on LDV I was told by a Lib Dem peer to get real when I wrote that candidates should have rights to parental leave.
I have not posted on here for a little while. I return to discover an excellent piece with sensible argument and a very poignant response which must be considered.
The argument Caron puts is so obvious that it is unbelievable such proxy arrangements have not been implemented.
Tulip Sadiq should be admired on this, but my view is the better thing would have her stick two fingers up to the process by making clear why she cannot vote, rather than risk her and her baby’s health. It is true to say the experience of our own deputy Jo Swinson was appalling, pairing was considered essential, reliable, once upon a time when parliament, for all its faults, had some degree of loyalty , decency.
It saddens me to think the terrific Ruth above, left our party. Ruth, if you read this, consider a return, we need you, no amount of experience to the contrary should make you think your viewpoint is not valued, or your effort.
Lorenzo – you are a true European and you are a very kind person. Not a bad combination on a day like this.
@ Ruth 100% agree with Lorenzo. Three of my daughters had to go through what you (and Tulip) describe and its no laughing matter. Time some people took a good hard look at themselves before others do it for them.
Thanks to Ruth for your lovely comments, as a British patriot of part Irish and a full half Italian, with an American born, bred, wife, I am , if not one of the Theresa May mocked, citizens of the world, certainly, an internatonalist!
Good to see David Raw here, in agreement, and solidarity.
Ruth is right, we need to get our own house in order on this – and quite a lot of other employment matters as well – as well as pushing for the commons to be better.
I know he’s not always the favourite of contributors to LDV, but I thought Speaker Bercow’s comments in response to an SNP MP (a Doctor) raising this issue were very good. Lets hope he will now force the issue with the dinosaurs in Parliament.
Ex-MP Oona King’s “House Music: The Oona King Diaries” and Jo Swinson’s “Equal Power” are really worth reading on this.