Thread by @RachelReevesMP

Can't wait to read this book on working mothers from @HistorianHelen. A couple of fun facts on mothers in parliament... (1/8)
newstatesman.com/international/…

The 1st 4 women in cabinet Margaret Bondfield, Ellen Wilkinson, Florence Horsbrugh and Barbara Castle didn’t have children. It's hard to see how they could have combined the job with having a family at the time. (2/8)

The 1st woman cabinet minister with children was Judith Hart in '68. Hart found it difficult spending long periods away from her family in her Lanark constituency and eventually relocated them to London. (3/8)

She would become a radical Minister for Overseas Development (69-70, 74-5, 77-9). Refugees and exile politicians were often welcomed into the family home. Her son @SteveHartUnite recalled 'anti-apartheid people going in & out of our house. It was a normal part of life.' (4/8)

The first woman to have a baby whilst serving as an MP was Helene Hayman in 1976. Ten days after giving birth Hayman had to come to Parliament, with her baby, to take part in crucial votes. (5/8)

When I was pregnant with my second child in 2015 a male Tory MP suggested that I should step back from the front bench because I might not be able to ‘handle’ the pressure. (6/8)
huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/02/23/and…

In 2019, proxy voting was introduced so that for the first time new parents could nominate another MP to vote on their behalf. Maternity leave still doesn’t exist for MPs. (7/8)

The government's decision to end the hybrid parliament has made Parliament a much less safe & accessible workplace - particularly for MPs who are elderly, have health conditions, or caring responsibilities. In the 'mother of parliaments', progress is still needed! (8/8)