The UK has one of the lowest maternity pay rates in the OECD.
Tory leadership hopeful Kemi Badenoch has caused outrage after saying that she thought statutory maternity pay is ‘excessive’, with her comments being condemned by fellow leadership rivals and opposition MPs.
Badenoch made the comments on Times Radio, where she said that she was in favour of parents taking “more personal responsibility” rather than burdening businesses with more regulation.
Asked if she thought maternity pay was at the right level, Badenoch replied: “Maternity pay varies, depending on who you work for – but statutory maternity pay is a function of tax, 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.
“Businesses are closing, businesses are not starting in the UK, because they say that the burden of regulation is too high.”
Presenter Kate McCann then asked her if she believed maternity pay was excessive, to which she replied: “I think it’s gone too far – too far the other way in terms of general business regulation.”
She added that “the exact amount of maternity pay in my view is neither here nor there.”
New mothers are legally entitled to 90% of their average earnings for six weeks, followed by a maximum of £184.03 a week for the next 33 weeks.
The UK has one of the lowest maternity pay rates in the OECD.
Rebecca Reid wrote on X: “I shouldn’t need to clarify this but we have a solidly mediocre maternity offering in this country and a worsening birth crisis, so Kemi Badenoch is suggesting that we pay women less to do one of the hardest jobs imaginable can really only be appealing to people who hate women.”
Labour MP Andrew Lewin tweeted: “After the first 6 weeks of being a Mum, statutory maternity leave is just £184 per week. @KemiBadenoch believes that is “excessive.” A reminder of how desperately out of touch the Conservative Party is with families across the country.”
Tory leadership contender Robert Jenrick said he didn’t agree with Badenoch and added: “Our maternity pay is among the lowest in the OECD. I think the Conservative Party should be firmly in the side of parents and working mums who are trying to get on.”
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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