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In her first interview at a conference during the Conservative leadership campaign, it was more than surprising to hear the only female contender intentionally anger 50 per cent of the population. And the female half too.
What was Kemi Badenoch thinking when she said that “maternity pay is excessive” and that “people should exercise greater personal responsibility”? I’ll tell you what life was like in the days when all we had was personal responsibility. I had my first baby, Ed, in 1983. There was no maternity pay and you only had maternity leave if you had worked for the same employer for at least two years. Only about 50 percent of working women qualified.
I was lucky at BBC South, where I presented South Today. I got my six weeks of leave: two before giving birth and four after. The BBC was very kind. He didn’t have to give me leave since I was on contract instead of being part of the staff. Although they didn’t pay me.
Even six short weeks without my regular salary was a struggle. A small amount of salary would have helped with the considerable expense of a new baby. We did it, but it was difficult and I felt it was difficult to face the loss of my own money.
Appearing on stage at the conference, a defiant Kemi Badenoch insisted she had not been questioning benefits for mothers, but had instead made a broader comment about business regulation and taxation.
In 1987, when Charlie was born, the law had changed. That year, maternity pay was introduced and holiday entitlement was extended to nine months, regardless of how long one had been working.
Personally, however, I thought I was screwed. At that time, presenter of the Radio 4 Hoy program, he was self-employed without a contract of any kind. This meant I had no right to leave or pay, which was uncomfortable because I was the breadwinner.
My husband was setting up a business with no reliable income so far. We needed my money to survive. I had Charlie on Monday and returned to work the following Saturday morning.
That would now be illegal. Since 1994, by law, you have to be off work for two weeks if you have just had a baby and four weeks if you work in a factory. The concern is for the health of the mother and baby, as it should be.
Kemi was talking nonsense when she said: “There was a time when there was no maternity pay and people had more babies.” Of course there were more babies, Kemi. Women were rarely expected to work; in some races they were not allowed to do so. They were expected, if not required, to marry a breadwinner who would assume all financial responsibility while she stayed home, cooked, cleaned, and had babies. We know that there is now a worrying shortage of babies coming into this world, but surely Kemi can’t think that we should turn back time and send women home to keep the population afloat.
She said she was more concerned about small businesses that had to deal with the bureaucracy of managing these hapless women who insist on having a baby or two and claim their right to paid time off.
Some small businesses are closing, she says, because of oversupply of maternity care for their staff. Trash. If they pay the legal minimum, it doesn’t cost small businesses a cent. They can claim money back from HMRC and, with the proper rights in place, they hire women who are skilled and valuable workers. Maternity pay may seem like a pittance to some, but not to those whose needs are great. It is available to women earning an average of at least £123 a week and pays for up to 39 weeks. For six weeks, it is 90 per cent of your earnings (before tax), then 90 per cent of your earnings or £184.03, whichever is less. It will barely cover a fraction of modern mortgage payments, but for some women it will make a significant contribution to heating, food and children’s clothing.
Kemi put her own beliefs about choice and financial responsibility into practice when she had a second child. She is said to have resigned as head of digital at Spectator magazine in 2016, rather than take maternity leave because she thought it would be unfair for her employer to take it.
I’m sure her editor, Fraser Nelson, was delighted not to have to worry about replacing her for a short time. As for her expenses, she presumably had savings and a wealthy husband. Mr. Badenoch is a banker.
But most young women are rightly afraid of having children. It is now illegal for a woman to be fired because she is pregnant, although some employers appear not to have heard of the law.
However, even when they are secure in their jobs, there are women who have worked hard to get ahead in their jobs and advance and know that they risk losing respect if they become mothers.
Young people are saddled with huge mortgages or rents. The cost of childcare is overwhelming.
Men and women are equally committed to their work and are vital to the economy. It is crucial that society takes responsibility for the birth and care of children and that means, not employers, but the State.
We should not be afraid to breed because of the cost.
Scandinavia manages all this very well. Kemi should look at Denmark, Norway and Sweden before tearing down what little maternity and childcare we have.
I expected more from the only woman in the battle for the leadership of a modern Conservative party. What a disappointment.
Levi Strauss & Co. reported a 20% increase in its stock price, a 20% increase in traffic at U.S. stores and $1.2 million in additional revenue after being mentioned by Beyoncé in his country song.
Beyoncé’s new look is not convincing
Levi’s famous 501 ad from 1985 was a big hit for a reason: we saw Nick Kamen, a handsome young man, strip down to his boxers to wash his jeans.
Something unusual on television at that time. Sorry, but Beyoncé’s version won’t have the same effect.
It is no longer unusual to see a half-naked woman.
I also doubt Beyoncé knows what a laundromat is, much less uses one.
Some family secrets are best left alone.
What a surprise for actor John Simm to discover that a DNA test showed that the father he had always loved was not his biological father.
A friend of mine proudly called herself Jewish. His DNA test showed that his father was, but his mother was not. It meant that my friend was not Jewish, since this runs through the female line. I was devastated.
I’m sure my mother never had an affair, my father was my father and his mother was Jewish like he said, but you never know. Some secrets are better left hidden.
John Simm also found out he has a half-sister, Karen, who he meets on ITV’s DNA Journey.
When Liz Truss was photographed in front of her colour-coded collection, she was accused of ordering books only because of their colour.
Researchers found that nearly one in ten say they use books as wallpaper without reading them. My walls are covered with books.
The difference is that none of them appear on display until you’ve read them!
In my own words: Jilly Cooper aired on Monday at 10.40pm on BBC1 and iPlayer.
Thank goodness for spicy Jilly.
You have to love Jilly Cooper. He appeared on the BBC’s In My Own Words, celebrating, at 87, the pleasures of big, strong, beautiful men and urging us all to have more sex. What a joyful antidote to today’s miseries!
My primary care doctor reminded me that I need to get a flu shot. I have it scheduled for Sunday. The flu can make you feel very bad. It can even kill you. The jab is there, free on the NHS if you’re over 65. Don’t miss it.
