A cross-party review has recommended that MPs should not be allowed to bring babies into the House of Commons chamber during debates, following mounting confusion over the rules. The procedure committee report was ordered by Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle in November after Labour MP Stella Creasy was told she could no longer bring her newborn son into the chamber.
The committee ruled that MPs should not bring babies into the chamber or nearby Westminster Hall if they wished to observe, initiate, speak, or intervene in proceedings. However, they said there should be a 'degree of de-facto discretion' that should be exercised sparingly. Creasy criticised the recommendation, calling the rules 'antiquated' and arguing that they deter women with children from entering parliament.
The review was prompted by an outcry over Creasy being barred from bringing her three-month-old son Pip into Westminster Hall. MPs had described the baby as 'as good as gold' during the debate. The committee noted that while babies had been brought in without disruption on several occasions, this had contributed to confusion between practice and the rules.
The committee backed the extension of proxy voting for serious long-term illness. Creasy expressed disappointment that the committee had not consulted anyone outside parliament, saying change would only come when those outside the status quo were listened to. She also highlighted the lack of progress on maternity and paternity policies for MPs.
