COLIN BEATTIE SNP MSP CHALLENGES JEREMY BALFOUR MSP OVER ‘BACKWARDS’ MATERNITY PAY COMMENTS

Colin Beattie MSP has called on Jeremy Balfour MSP to call out Kemi Badenoch’s “backwards” comments about UK Maternity Pay, saying it “lays bare their ignorance about the lives of families across the Lothians.”
 
Speaking to Times Radio on Sunday, the frontrunner in the Conservative Party leadership contest said the burden placed on businesses to support mothers on maternity leave was “excessive” and called for people to exercise more “personal responsibility.”
 
In the UK, statutory maternity pay is no higher than £172.48 a week after six weeks. The SNP has long called for an increase to paid maternity leave to one year, with support amounting to 100% of average weekly earnings for the first 12 weeks. The party also wants to see shared parental leave - currently 52 weeks – rise to 64 weeks.
 
Commenting, SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh said:
 
“These comments from the Tory Leadership frontrunner will be deeply concerning for families in the Lothians and reveal incredible ignorance in the upper echelons of Jeremy Balfour’s party.
 
“We know that maternity pay across the UK is far from adequate, and instead of opening the doors to cutting it further the SNP is focused on how it can be improved so that families are better supported.
 
“I urge Jeremy Balfour to call out these harmful comments and, for once, stand up for families in the Lothians who have for too long suffered under a myriad of callous Tory policies.”
 
ENDS