This year the UK celebrates the centenary of the women’s right to vote. Women have come a long way since then but there is still much to be done until gender equality is fully achieved.
One of the changes that needs to be made concerns paid maternity and paternity leave in Parliament.
It is one of Parliament’s tasks to establish regulation concerning maternity and paternity leave. How long a leave can new parents ask for? Is this leave to be paid? Are both parents entitled to leave when their new-born arrives?
The UK Parliament regulates baby leave and yet Members of Parliament do not get formal baby leave. Surely Parliament should be setting the example.
Harriet Harman MP (Labour), who is the longest continuously-serving female MP ever, has introduced a motion to change the leave rights of MPs. The motion, which has cross-party support, will be voted on tomorrow (1 Feb).
The motion asks for MPs to get a certain length of time paid leave after having a baby and that during that paid leave they’re able to vote by proxy.
You can write to your local MP and urge them to support the motion on the writetothem.com website.
> Naomi Round
