A motion will be put to MPs on Monday (28 Jan) deciding whether MPs on maternity and paternity leave will be able to nominate a fellow MP to vote on their behalf. If the motion is passed, a 12-month trial will immediately take place.

Last week Labour MP Tulip Siddiq had to delay the caesarean birth of her child to vote against Theresa May’s Brexit deal, passing through the voting lobby in a wheelchair.

Wolverhampton North East MP Emma Reynolds, who is pregnant with her second child, commented on the proposed changes:

“It is really good news that we are dragging Parliament into the 21st century. If the motion goes through on Monday, new mums and dads will be granted a proxy vote so they can continue to represent their constituents.”

Under current rules MPs on maternity and paternity leave can arrange to be ‘paired’ with an MP from an opposing party, who would agree to not vote so the result is not affected. However, trust in the pairing system was undermined in July last year when Conservative MP Brandon Lewis broke a pairing arrangement on crucial Brexit votes with Lib Dem MP Jo Swinson – who was on maternity leave at the time.

On pairing, Emma said:

“Trust in the pairing system has been undermined and it doesn’t allow new mums and dads to represent their constituents. In 2017, I was accused of having one of the worst voting records by a national newspaper, with no right of reply or qualification that I was on maternity leave.

“Constituents want their MPs to be able to use their vote and have their say on legislation which affects them. I am delighted that I will be able to represent my constituents and vote on key legislation after I have my baby in June.”

Emma contributed to the debate on Proxy Voting and you can watch her contribution to that debate here.

Wolverhampton North East MP Emma Reynolds has criticised the Government approach to unemployment, as new statistics have been released for the region.

Statistics released today (22 Jan) by the Office for National Statistics show employment rising 0.2 per cent across the UK between August 2018 and November 2018, but in the West Midlands the rate dropped 1.3 per cent – the only region to see a fall over this period. In Wolverhampton the employment rate in the year to September 2018 was the lowest in the West Midlands at 64.9 per cent.

Commenting on the figures, Emma said:

“The Government like to boast their employment strategy is working across the country. But the reality is that here in Wolverhampton we just do not see it. The national trend masks huge regional variations.

“While national employment has gone up very slightly, in the West Midlands employment has gone down – and here in Wolverhampton we have the lowest employment rate in the region. It is deeply concerning that the Government still has not tackled unemployment in our area.

“I will be following up with Ministers to ask why their strategy is not working here, what they are going to do to grow the economy equally across the country, and create jobs here in Wolverhampton.”

Emma has confirmed she will be voting against the Prime Minister’s Brexit Deal when it is voted on in the Commons later today (15 January).

Emma said:

“I will be voting against the PM’s Brexit deal today.

“I cannot in all conscience support a deal with the EU which will make my constituents poorer and the economy smaller.

“I cannot remember a time in British history when the Prime Minister or Chancellor recommended a course of action which their own economic analysis shows will make our country worse off.

“It is hugely irresponsible that the Prime Minister postponed this vote in December in an attempt to run down the clock and present MPs with a choice between her deal and no-deal.

“If the government is defeated tonight, MPs must work across parties to find a way through this mess.”