Julia Hartley-Brewer v Stella Creasy

There's a nursery at the H of C - what more does she want?
www.parliament.uk/about/working/nursery/

I wonder whether she is lobbying Sainsbury's, Tesco's, Aldi's, local Councils etc to allow their workers to bring their babies to work. How about bus drivers, teachers, sewage workers, police, NHS workers, dustcart workers etc? They truly have no idea how ordinary people adjust to accommodate working and juggling childcare. Goodness in my extended family it's often a matter of co-ordinating three people for a child pick-up, after-school care, and eventual return to a parent. We manage on far lower salaries and benefits than an MP gets.

Voting at 1am does seem a bit ridiculous.

Why should “one size fit all”? If she has to turn up to vote what’s wrong with bringing a sleeping baby in a sling? She’s not saying bring a couple of toddlers in for the day. Agreed, she’ll have to sort out childcare eventually but if she’s breastfeeding and isn’t bothering anyone I can’t see why not. Julia HB is right up her own fundament.

Thanks for the HoC link Callistemon. The prices for under 2’s especially are prohibitive.
Stella Creasy is representing her constituents by remaining to vote at 1 am. That’s the ludicrous issue here, not a mother keeping her breast fed baby with her. MP’s don’t get maternity cover for their constituents.
Hartley-Brewer is a judgemental, opinionated individual whose dislike of breast feeding seems a key factor here.
It’s the HoC that needs over-hauling. The comparison with Sainsbury staff doesn’t stand up to scrutiny

As my mother used to say - JHB. - “terribly common” ?

I wouldn’t say that but I can’t say she is one of my favourite people.

Basically it comes down to the archaic way our parliament is run versus the needs of a working mother.

I will say that when our children were infants and I had no choice other than work we had to pay for a Nanny who slept over if work circumstances needed a late night. I was breastfeeding also.

I earned considerably less than Ms. Creasy, maybe she should look into appropriate childcare.

Many working Mums in my experience, express their breast milk, then partner or nursery , or Grandparent feed the baby with their mothers milk. Is that a problem. Creasey seems to be out to prove a point, she earns a decent amount, and I would suggest she takes advantage of the subsidised nature of the child care in the HoP. Wonder who looks after the baby if she has to go away on Parliamentry visits. Yes other working mums need to be also taking into consideration, this woman seems to think she is owed special priviledge.

GrannyGravy13 managed to constructively sum up the whole issue without swearing, referring to someone as 'whinging' or trying to shame a working, breastfeeding mother who was doing her best whilst her husband was away on duty with the services.

It's a shame that JHB is in the public eye and not GrannyGravy13.

Good posts GG and Coastpath.

Thanks for the HoC link Callistemon. The prices for under 2’s especially are prohibitive.

www.nct.org.uk/life-parent/work-and-childcare/childcare/average-childcare-costs

Actually they look to be in line with average Inner London costs. I'm surprised they're not subsidised like the restaurants and bars in the HOC are. No doubt that lack of subsidy is because the male dominance of the HOC has had little to no need of such a facility!

I'm not really familiar with JHB so have no idea of her bias or whether she hates breast feeding. Seems an odd thing to hate, a perfectly natural activity..

Just a couple of things.

The nursery closes at 10:30 and the picture was taken at 1:20am.

This is a different baby. Her second. Presumably the first one is at home with the granny/babysitter/random person she found to look after it.

There's an awful lot of "I had it hard, why doesn't she stop moaning instead of trying to make things better" going on here.

I wonder whether she is lobbying Sainsbury's, Tesco's, Aldi's, local Councils etc

Yes, she is actually.

www.progressive-policy.net/events/what-women-want-ending-the-care-penalty-in-the-workplace

The requirements of some jobs - hours, travel- just aren’t child-friendly. SC knew that when she stood for parliament. I do wish that women who have or intend to have babies wouldn’t take jobs that they know are going to be difficult to combine with childcare (unless they can afford nannies) and then whinge. It makes life more difficult for the many women who anticipate the difficulties and, whilst children are small, make their job choices accordingly and quietly get on with things.

I do wish that women who have or intend to have babies wouldn’t take jobs that they know are going to be difficult to combine with childcare

Good morning and welcome to the 1950s.

She's not whinging, she's trying to make the system fairer, which is demonstrated by the link I posted. But yes, I suppose there are still those who think she should have stayed home and got a nice little voluntary part time job down the charity shop.

That’s exactly how I feel Germanshepherdsmum

volver

^I do wish that women who have or intend to have babies wouldn’t take jobs that they know are going to be difficult to combine with childcare^

Good morning and welcome to the 1950s.

She's not whinging, she's trying to make the system fairer, which is demonstrated by the link I posted. But yes, I suppose there are still those who think she should have stayed home and got a nice little voluntary part time job down the charity shop.

Yep

volver

^I do wish that women who have or intend to have babies wouldn’t take jobs that they know are going to be difficult to combine with childcare^

Good morning and welcome to the 1950s.

She's not whinging, she's trying to make the system fairer, which is demonstrated by the link I posted. But yes, I suppose there are still those who think she should have stayed home and got a nice little voluntary part time job down the charity shop.

You are twisting GSM’s post volver

I did say that the U.K. parliament workings are archaic, should they be reviewed? In my opinion yes.

Ms.Creasy having a moan doesn’t help the plight of 1,000’s of women in the U.K. the majority on a much lower salary who make provisions for their children.

I loved working, building up a SME with DH was rewarding, I had to explain to my little ones that not seeing us some days would mean we could pay all our bills and then hopefully have nice holidays etc. I m not bemoaning my earlier working life, I wouldn’t change a thing.

How do women paramedics, women police officers , women
doctors manage

Germanshepherdsmum

If all women of childbearing years who may want to have a family were only to do child-friendly jobs, we would be back in the dark ages.

volver

^I wonder whether she is lobbying Sainsbury's, Tesco's, Aldi's, local Councils etc^

Yes, she is actually.

www.progressive-policy.net/events/what-women-want-ending-the-care-penalty-in-the-workplace

That's good, although I can't see many employers being willing or able to provide on site nursery provision like the HOC. More flexibility and accommodating of anyone (male or female) with caring responsibilities can only be a good thing.

I do wonder how people think the laws get changed, things about employment for instance. I'm no expert, but I imagine its through MPs like Ms Creasey seeing that things need to change and actually doing something about it.

Then all the paramedics, doctors and Sainsbury's workers will find it easier in the future.

So she's not whinging, she's showing what things are like now and actively doing something about it, which is what we pay her the £80k+ a year for.

NotSpaghetti

Germanshepherdsmum

If all women of childbearing years who may want to have a family were only to do child-friendly jobs, we would be back in the dark ages.

Back in 'the dark ages'! What, the days when mothers put their children first you mean.

Chestnut

So Stella Creasy MP is still bringing her baby to work and whingeing about Parliament not being child-friendly. I must say I agree with Julia Hartley-Brewer here. Parliament is not the place for babies. Is anyone on Ms Creasy's side?
Julia Hartley-Brewer attacks Labour MP Stella Creasy

Let's now just wait for the usual avalanche of GN "I can't do it , so why should she?" replies.