British lawmaker told not to bring baby to Parliament

A British lawmaker was told she could not bring her baby into Parliament on Tuesday. 

Labour Party legislator Stella Creasy posted on Twitter an email she received from authorities at the House of Commons after she took her 3-month-old son to a debate in Parliament. 

The email informed her about a rule stating a member “should not take your seat in the chamber when accompanied by your child.”

“Apparently Parliament has written a rule which means I can’t take my well behaved, 3-month old, sleeping baby when I speak in chamber. (Still no rule on wearing masks btw),” Casey wrote on Twitter.

She added, “Mothers in the mother of all parliament are not to be seen or heard it seems…”

Apparently Parliament has written a rule which means I can’t take my well behaved, 3-month old, sleeping baby when I speak in chamber. (Still no rule on wearing masks btw).

Mothers in the mother of all parliament are not to be seen or heard it seems….#21stCenturyCalling pic.twitter.com/rKB7WbYQrL

— stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) November 23, 2021

House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle ordered a review of the rule following the incident, The Associated Press reported. 

“The advice given yesterday … correctly reflects the current rules. However, rules have to be seen in context and they change with the times,” he said. “It is extremely important that parents of babies and young children are able to participate fully in the work of this House.”

However, Hoyle said there are “differing views on this matter.”

Other lawmakers in Parliament have spoken out in support of Casey and her ability to bring her child to the chamber, the AP noted.

“I think we do need to make sure our profession is brought into the modern world, the 21st century, and can allow parents to juggle the jobs they do with the family time that they need,” Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab said.