We need to have more personal responsibility - there was a time when there wasn’t any maternity pay and people were having more babies." Badenoch later said that sh

Badenoch has since backtracked: “of course I believe in maternity pay!” she posted on X. But former MP Jacob Rees-Mogg has also added to the conversation, suggesting that women should not be able to accrue paid holiday while on maternity leave.

Tory leadership contender Kemi Badenoch faced criticism when she ranted about 'excessive' maternity pay - as charities say new mums are being driven to food banks