Maternity pay has gone too far, says Kemi Badenoch

Tory leadership contender Kemi Badenoch has proposed that maternity pay may be excessive and that the government should minimize its involvement in people's personal affairs.

In an interview with Times Radio, Badenoch described statutory maternity pay, designed to provide financial assistance to mothers for 39 weeks post-delivery, as a "function of tax" that she deemed "too much."

She mentioned that "the specific amount of maternity pay doesn’t really matter to me." She continued by saying, "We should focus on taking more personal responsibility—there used to be a time when there was no maternity pay, yet people were still having larger families."

She later expressed that her views had been "mischaracterized" and clarified that her remarks were intended to address the broader issue of reducing regulatory pressures on businesses.

In a post on social media, Badenoch, the shadow housing secretary, expressed, “Naturally, maternity pay isn’t overly generous... no mother of three would believe that.”

In a video that went along with her post, she mentioned that while she was talking about the challenges businesses face due to regulations, she was interrupted by someone asking about maternity pay.

Statutory maternity pay begins at 90% of your average weekly earnings for the first six weeks. After that, it decreases to either £184.03 or 90% of the mother’s average pay, whichever amount is lower, and lasts for 33 weeks.

During an interview with Times Radio, Badenoch was questioned about her views on whether maternity pay is set at an appropriate level.

She mentioned that maternity pay can differ based on your employer, but statutory maternity pay is linked to taxation, which relies on individuals who are employed.

We're redistributing resources from one group to another, and I believe that's too much.

Companies are shutting down and new ones aren't being established in the UK, mainly because they believe the weight of regulations is excessive.

She was subsequently questioned if this implied that "maternity pay is too high."

Badenoch stated, "In my opinion, we've taken it too far—now we're overly strict with regulations on businesses."

She mentioned that, in her opinion, the specific amount of maternity pay isn't really significant.

"It's essential for us to foster an atmosphere that allows individuals the freedom to work and make their own choices."

She stated, "We've reached a stage where the government focuses solely on detailed technical policies. This approach won't help our country thrive."

Subsequently, Badenoch took to X to clarify, stating, "Despite what some people have claimed, I explicitly mentioned that the regulatory pressures on businesses have become excessive... And yes, I absolutely support maternity pay!"

In his biography of Badenoch, Lord Michael Ashcroft notes that she chose to resign from her position as head of digital operations at the Spectator rather than go on maternity leave.

Robert Jenrick, another contender for the Tory leadership, expressed that he sees things differently than Kemi on this issue.

During his speech at the Conservative Party conference, Jenrick expressed, "As a father of three young daughters, I want to ensure they receive the assistance they need when they start their careers."

Our maternity leave payments are some of the lowest within the OECD. I believe that the Conservative Party ought to strongly support parents and working mothers who are striving to make ends meet.

"Parenting isn't a walk in the park, so why would we choose to complicate things further?"

In reaction to Badenoch's remarks, Tom Tugendhat expressed, "I won't dictate to people how to manage their lives or share their caregiving duties."

Tugendhat, who is also campaigning to become the party's next leader, expressed, "I believe that support for maternity and paternity is very crucial."

"One thing I regret from years back is that we didn’t have the same rights when it came to paternity leave. I believe many fathers, including myself, would have really appreciated the opportunity to spend more quality time with our children."

The fourth candidate from the Conservative Party leadership race, James Cleverly, also dismissed Badenoch's assertions.

He expressed that the price of childcare is simply too high for working mothers.

"It was interference from the government that drove up the costs."

"Let's reduce the cost of childcare. This way, mothers who wish to return to work can do so without financial stress."

Joeli Brearley, the founder of the campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed, called the idea that companies are shutting down due to statutory maternity pay "complete nonsense," pointing out that they can recover those expenses from HMRC.

Statutory maternity pay (SMP) is essential for many families. Since most households rely on two incomes to make ends meet, the absence of SMP would pressure women to go back to work soon after having a baby.

"Conservatives are supposed to represent family values, but Badenoch’s comments illustrate a form of political maneuvering that could actually harm families, businesses, and society at large," she continued.