Stella Creasy leads new MPs sworn in with baby daughters strapped to them

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PARLIAMENT welcomed three babies today as female MPs were sworn in with newborns strapped to their chests.

Labour MPs Stella Creasy and Ellie Reeves and the Conservative Kemi Badenoch brought their babies into the Commons as they were sworn in, allowing them to formally take their seat.

Kemi Badenoch, Stella Creasy and Ellie Reeves were sworn in today while carrying their newborns
Ms Creasy will be covered by the country’s first proxy MP while she is on maternity leave
Ellie Reeves, who is married to fellow Labour MP John Cryer, was sworn in with her baby son

Giving the oath or affirmation of allegiance allows MPs to take their seat in the Chamber, speak in debates, vote and take a salary.

Ms Creasy brought her baby Hettie in a sling, and Ms Reeves and Ms Badenoch had their newborns strapped to their front as they held the King James Bible and read the oath of allegiance to the Crown.

Ms Creasy, who has been an advocate for Parliament becoming more family-friendly, will now go on maternity leave, and a proxy will take her place in the Commons.

Ms Badenoch is also on maternity leave with her daughter, but does not have a locum MP covering her. She has another daughter, six, and a son, three.

Ms Reeves gave birth to her baby boy during the election campaign, and is married to fellow Labour MP John Cryer.

Under the current rules, all MPs are required to swear in at the beginning of a new parliament.

Ms Creasy wrote on Instagram: Under current parliamentary procedure I had to go in today to swear in so that I can have maternity leave and Walthamstow still gets a vote via my proxy.

Thankfully Hettie not too bothered by the mother of all parliaments.

Ms Creasy has been critical of Parliaments rules, which she said were forcing her to choose between being a mum and being an MP, with there being no allowance for MPs to take maternity leave.

In a piece for The Guardian this summer, she wrote: Some MPs have tried to be with their newborn child at least for a few weeks, hoping residents dont notice their absence and the correspondence doesnt pile up too much, or begging colleagues to cover casework.

Several have ended up taking their children with them to meetings so they can feed them, with constituents acting as proxy babysitters while trying to talk to their representative.

Since then, the rules have been changed to allow a locum MP to cover MPs who wish to take maternity leave.

Kizzy Gardiner will take Ms Creasys place while she is on maternity leave, and will cover her casework and campaigns.

She will be the countrys first locum MP.

Ms Creasy gave her victory speech in Walthamstow while carrying her daughter Hettie