I don't understand this story - MP's and parental leave

Man of Honour
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I've read this story several times and I am still confused as to exactly what MP's get paid for parental leave. The story seems to indicate that there is no maternity leave. But it then explains at the end that "Any MP who takes maternity leave, paternity leave or adoption leave is paid in full for the time they are absent."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48671092

can anyone explain to me what they do and don't get as I am not sure from that story.

Thanks.
 
Soldato
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I've read this story several times and I am still confused as to exactly what MP's get paid for parental leave. The story seems to indicate that there is no maternity leave. But it then explains at the end that "Any MP who takes maternity leave, paternity leave or adoption leave is paid in full for the time they are absent."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48671092

can anyone explain to me what they do and don't get as I am not sure from that story.

Thanks.

Sure. I'll answer with a question.

Who does the MP's job when he / she is absent due to maternity or paternity leave?
 
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Reading Stella creasy's article in the guardian it seems the complaint is that she doesn't get someone to order to do all the things she normally does while she is on maternity leave.

I’m pregnant and forced to choose between being an MP and a mum

https://www.theguardian.com/comment...ant-mp-maternity-leave-equality-stella-creasy

She seems to forget that she is not an employee, and also to largely forget about her constituents and that, as an elected representative, you cant simply delegate that mandate to someone who hasn't been voted for.
 
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Thanks both. OK so if I've understood correctly she's complaining that, despite actually getting maternity pay, she isn't extra money to employ someone else to do her job as an MP?

What the actual ****?
 
Caporegime
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Thanks both. OK so if I've understood correctly she's complaining that, despite actually getting maternity pay, she isn't extra money to employ someone else to do her job as an MP?

What the actual ****?

I think the key part of her argument in the Guardian is this paragraph

No community should miss out on representation because its MP is pregnant – nor should my opponents be able to argue there’s a cost to my constituents because I may succeed in my quest to conceive. For all the talk of being family friendly, Westminster is still struggling to offer deeds instead of words. And if we can’t get this right for MPs, how can we get this right for parents elsewhere?
 
Man of Honour
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I think the key part of her argument in the Guardian is this paragraph

She should try being a sole trader or independent contractor...

Her argument may certainly have some valid points, but they are lost in her special pleading. Effectively she's trying to push the costs and consequences of her choices onto others and expecting sympathy from people who don't get the same luxury.
 
Soldato
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Thanks both. OK so if I've understood correctly she's complaining that, despite actually getting maternity pay, she isn't extra money to employ someone else to do her job as an MP?

What the actual ****?

I think the point that she was trying to make was that there's no funding for somebody to take her place to continue to represent her views and serve her constituency. But as Dolph said, simply delegating or creating a puppet / clone - funded or unfunded - is rather difficult.
 
Soldato
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I don't understand why technology isn't being used. She could use skype from her home (or where-ever she is) to her constituency office where they could setup a computer and webcam.

This would also help all MP's with costs for travelling between parliament and back to their constituencies. I think it was Jo Swinson of the Lib Dem's that was commenting on the story today on the bbc saying she has to travel over 400 miles to her constituency office.

Use Skype!
 
Caporegime
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I think the proxy voting thing is reasonable, then again why not allow for remote voting and/or participation in debates even for members unable to sit in the chamber as a result of acute medical reasons, new mothers etc.. - the technology is available...
 
Soldato
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I don't understand why technology isn't being used. She could use skype from her home (or where-ever she is) to her constituency office where they could setup a computer and webcam.

This would also help all MP's with costs for travelling between parliament and back to their constituencies. I think it was Jo Swinson of the Lib Dem's that was commenting on the story today on the bbc saying she has to travel over 400 miles to her constituency office.

Use Skype!
But then how are you going to claim expenses for the Pasty you buy at the train station or the McDonalds breakfast you get every day on the way in :p.
 
Soldato
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They do get funding for people to assist them in their work and they can now vote by proxy, a lot of MP's hire direct family (son/daughter/spouse) to do their work for them and are paid a lot to do so. The problem is MP's are expected to sit in on meetings all year round and asking them to do so over skype from home is not allowing them the time off they are entitled to on maternity.

Just take the 2 weeks off which are mandatory (plan your child around recesses like school teachers do) and share the maternity/paternity with your husband if you feel you need to be both a mother an a MP.
 
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Maybe they should allow postal voting. In fact we could get that nice chap Tariq Mahmood from Peterborough to run the postal votes scheme. What could possibly go wrong eh?
 
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I think the proxy voting thing is reasonable, then again why not allow for remote voting and/or participation in debates even for members unable to sit in the chamber as a result of acute medical reasons, new mothers etc.. - the technology is available...

That works to an extent for the business of the house (although you're still going to be doing a lot of work to keep up to speed in terms of reading etc, which may be too much for some mothers and some people who are acutely ill).

It doesn't really offer a solution for constituency work though. Now admittedly, the quality and volume of constituency work done is highly variable between mps and constituencies anyway, generally in proportion with how safe their seat is and how much time they spend on pet projects instead, but the issue remains.

Perhaps a solution is for the party they represent to fund it? That's what employers are forced to do after all.
 
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Why? They’re not employed by their respective parties, nor are they obliged to belong to one.

They aren't employed by the taxpayer either in any conventionally understood way. The closest general relationship would be a contractor, who normally wouldn't get any form of maternity support.
 
Soldato
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Why? They’re not employed by their respective parties, nor are they obliged to belong to one.

I would have thought that some voluntary arrangement by the local party to attend the MP's surgeries, take minutes of meetings and report back on the important issues could be planned. Unless the member is extremely unpopular locally.

Not every CEO attends all the meetings he or she has minions for these tasks.
 
Soldato
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If the father is employed, perhaps she could fight for equal parental leave pay (not just statutory) and then the father could take charge of childcare or an equal share for the first year without being penalised?
 
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