UK politics live: Kemi Badenoch says maternity pay ‘excessive’ as Rosie Duffield launches attack on Starmer
Badenoch suggests current maternity leave pay may be too generous at the Conservative Party conference
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Kemi Badenoch has claimed maternity pay benefits are “excessive” and called people to have “more personal responsibility”.
The Tory leadership hopeful told Times Radio that the pay varies depending on who you work for but statutory maternity pay is “a function of tax”.
The remarks come after the shadow secretary defended her claim that there has been a recent rise in the number of migrants coming to the UK who “hate Israel”.
She said in a newspaper op-ed on Sunday that migrants’ “feet may be in the UK, but their heads and hearts are still back in their country of origin.”
But when she was asked on Sky News if she was referring to Muslim immigrants, Ms Badenoch disagreed.
Meanwhile, MP Rosie Duffield has launched a scathing attack on Sir Keir Starmer since resigning the Labour whip on Saturday, accusing the prime minister of “having a problem with women”.
She told the BBC that many women backbenchers she’s friends with refer to the “young men that surround him [Starmer] as ‘the lads’ and it’s clear that the lads are now in charge”.
The Independent’s political team will be reporting live throughout the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham.
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Israel should be ‘congratulated’ for Hassan Nasrallah assassination, Kemi Badenoch says
Anti-corruption charity welcomes hospitality rules change
Transparency International UK has welcomed the government’s proposal to change the rules on how ministers have to declare hospitality they have received.
It comes after the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden announced that a so-called “Tory loophole” where ministers did not have to declare tickets for events while all other MPs did will be shut down.
Rose Whiffen, senior research officer at the campaign group, said: “We welcome this move to end the two tier system that has meant ministers, those closest to power, are able to provide less information on their hospitality and provide it less frequently than their backbench colleagues.
“Additionally to show his commitment to improving trust, the prime minister should issue his ministerial code with promised changes to strengthen the independent adviser’s role as well as the Nolan principles featuring front and centre in the foreword.”
Poll: Tories face crisis of confidence across key demographics
The Conservative Party is grappling with widespread public disillusionment, a recent YouGov poll has revealed.
According to the survey, the majority of every key social and political group now holds a negative opinion of the Tories.
Even traditionally strong bases of support are turning away, with 55 per cent of over 65s and 56 per cent of Leave voters expressing dissatisfaction with the party.
Among potential voters, the outlook is equally bleak. Just 26 per cent of 2024 Reform UK voters, only 11 per cent of Liberal Democrats and a mere four per cent of Labour supporters view the Tories in a positive light.
Campaigners condemn Badenoch’s comments on maternity leave
Joeli Brearley, founder of campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed, said Kemi Badenoch’s comments about statutory maternity pay were “yet another example of dog-whistle politics”.
She said: “It is absolute nonsense to suggest that businesses are closing because of statutory maternity pay.
“Statutory maternity pay is not a burden to business as they recoup the cost from HMRC. Small business recoup 100 per cent of the cost plus three per cent in small employer’s relief.
“Statutory maternity pay is absolutely vital. Most families need two incomes to survive, and so without SMP, women would be forced to return to work almost immediately after giving birth.
“Maternity leave has been proven to substantially decrease infant mortality, whilst improving the mental and physical health of women.
“Conservatives are meant to be the party of family – this statement from Badenoch is yet another example of dog-whistle politics that would actively damage families, businesses and society as a whole.”
ANALYSIS | Lack of protests show people don’t care about the Tories
When the Conservative Party gathered in Manchester last autumn for Rishi Sunak’s last conference as prime minister, the streets were lined with demonstrators protesting the event,our political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports from the Tory conference.
Fast-forward a year, and the decline in relevance of the Tories is all too evident.
Walking from a nearby hotel to the party conference venue, there was not a demonstrator to be seen.
It shows that, while the public may still be angry with the party, now that it is no longer in government they simply don’t care.
And, in stark contrast with Labour’s jam-packed gathering last week in Liverpool, there are still rooms available in hotels around the venue.
EXCLUSIVE | Tories only have themselves to blame for terrible election defeat, warns Ben Houchen
One of Rishi Sunak’s most influential critics has admitted that had the party and country listened to the then prime minister it could have avoided calamitous defeat at the general election.
Lord Ben Houchen, the Mayor of Teesside and only leading Tory left in power, insists his party “absolutely can win in five years” but warns Conservatives should not try to become a version of Reform to do it.
Our political editor David Maddox has the full story:
Tories only have themselves to blame for terrible election defeat, warns Ben Houchen
Exclusive: Ben Houchen, Britain’s only senior Tory left in power, says his party can turn things around in five years but should have listened to Rishi Sunak to avoid calamity
In pictures: Tory contenders display campaign merchandise
Jenrick: System of maternity pay is fair
Robert Jenrick said the UK has a “fair system of maternity pay” when it was put to him that the country has one of the lowest rates in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).
Asked for his views on maternity pay on Times Radio, he said: “Well, we have a fair system of maternity pay.
“Of course, there are always ways in which we could seek to improve, but it’s a balance, isn’t it?
“Because we’ve got to ensure that working mums and families have the support they need, but also that we can have the right labour laws in this country so that we maintain one of our great strengths as a country, which is a flexible labour market, which has enabled us to have record levels of employment, even in bad times.”
His comments come after Kemi Badenoch said people need to have “more personal responsibility” as she called maternity pay “excessive”
What to expect form the Conservative Party conference?
The Conservative Party conference is set to kick off in Birmingham at 2.30pm, with the leadership contest taking centre stage in the coming days.
On Monday, candidates Tom Tugendhat and Kemi Badenoch will field questions from party members on the main stage, while James Cleverly and Robert Jenrick will do the same on Tuesday.
Wednesday morning will feature speeches from all candidates as they vie for support.
Following the conference, MPs will narrow the field to two candidates on 9 and 10 October.
Conservative Party members will then cast their votes, with the winner expected to be announced on 2 November.
EXCLUSIVE | Tories facing ‘dire’ finances as donors switch to Farage and Starmer
Donors and businesses are turning their backs on the Tories for Labour and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK as the party enters its conference with question marks over its finances.
Insiders have told The Independent that a number of red flags have been raised in preparation for the first annual conference since the historically poor general election defeat in July.
Our political editor David Maddox has the full story:
Tories facing ‘dire’ finances as businesses and donors switch to Farage and Starmer
Exclusive: Concerns are being raised about the financial health of the Conservative Party ahead of a crucial conference in Birmingham this week
Voters gave up on Tory ‘bickering’, says party leadership hopeful
Voters gave up on the Conservatives’ “bickering”, James Cleverly has said during his campaign to become the party’s leader.
The shadow home secretary, who first became a minister during Theresa May’s premiership, claimed as soon as his party had named a new prime minister, “there were people within the party who set about removing them”.
After David Cameron’s resignation following the 2016 Brexit referendum, four Conservative MPs served as prime minister – Mrs May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.
The shortest among their terms in office was Ms Truss’s, who stayed in Number 10 for fewer than 50 days.
Speaking to Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Mr Cleverly said: “Look, when the voters tell you something, you should listen.
“The British voters told us not that they wanted a Labour government, in fact, in many instances they told us they didn’t want a Labour government.
“But what they did tell us is they wanted us out of office. And we have got to listen to that. We have got to respond to that.
“There’s no point getting angry with the voters. We certainly shouldn’t imply or say that they were wrong. Voters are never wrong.
“Sometimes politics is brutal but it’s beautiful.”
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