This is a stark reminder of how far ahead of Australia the UK is … OK the place may well be a bit of a basketcase, that can’t be denied, but compared to the Australian AG news this week it illustrates the gulf that Australia has to cross
Legal Cheek reports
Overhaul of ‘outdated’ rules made move possible
The Attorney General has made history as the UK’s first cabinet minister to take maternity leave whilst in office.
Suella Braverman QC MP, 40, the government’s chief legal adviser, will be designated Minister on Leave (Attorney General) during her six months of maternity leave.
It follows a change to the law on Monday allowing senior ministers to take time off for pregnancy, before which they would have had to resign their post. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister had said the rules were “clearly outdated and need fixing”. It’s worth noting, however, that the Ministerial and Other Maternity Allowances Act 2021 does not extend to junior MPs.
In a message posted on Twitter yesterday, Braverman thanked parliament for the cross-party support to pass the historic legislation. “I may be the first but I won’t be the last,” she wrote.
“I hope it sends the message to young women who are interested in pursuing a career in politics that having a young family isn’t out of bounds to them if they wish to work in senior roles.”
Braverman, who is due to give birth to her second child, added that she is looking forward to resuming her role in the autumn.
Attorney General makes history as first cabinet minister to take maternity leave
