Stella Creasy, a UK member of parliament, has been told that she is not allowed to bring her baby to work with her.
Creasy, a 44-year-old Labour Party MP, had brought her three-month-old son to parliament in a sling on Tuesday Nov. 23 and led a debate.
However, she later tweeted an email she received from authorities from the House of Commons that pointed out “you should not take your seat in the Chamber when accompanied by your child” according to the parliament rules.
Although the rules state that MPs should not have children with them in the chamber, Creasy had been accompanied by both her son, who she is breast-feeding, and her young daughter on several occasions before but was never reprimanded.
“There are barriers to getting mums involved in politics, and I think that damages our political debate,” Creasy told the BBC, adding that the current system doesn’t work for “anyone who isn’t a man of a certain age from a certain background.”
“I’ve had a baby, I haven’t given up my brain or capacity to do things and our politics and our policy making will be better by having more mums at the table,” she said.
Another MP, Alex Davies-Jones, has voiced her support of Creasy, tweeting that the Commons Speaker had told her previously that she could breastfeed her baby in the chamber if she needed to.
In 2018, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats party, Jo Swinson, reportedly became the first MP to bring her baby into the Commons for a debate, according to the BBC.
Creasy, who has been advocating for proper maternity cover for MPs, is now calling for a review and said she has asked for clarification from the authorities about what would happen if she kept bringing her son in with her and where they expected her to leave him.
“It is vital that all democratically elected MPs are able to carry out their duties in and around parliament,” a spokesperson for the House of Commons said, adding that members can consult with the Speaker, deputy speakers, clerks and doorkeepers about their requirements in the chamber at any time.
They added that they are in communication with Creasy about the matter.
