MP criticised for taking maternity leave

Siobhan Baillie has been receiving ‘unpleasant’ emails after taking four weeks maternity leave.

A newly-elected MP who has recently given birth to a daughter has been criticised for taking maternity leave.

Siobhan Baillie, 38, who represents Stroud in Gloucestershire, became a mother for the first time a week ago.

The married Conservative MP has now been receiving “unpleasant” emails, mostly from men, criticising her decision to take maternity leave.

Mrs Baillie gave birth to her first child last week (Baillie family/PA)

Mrs Baillie, who is planning to take only four weeks leave, has received support from fellow MPs including Harriet Harman, Stella Creasy, Flick Drummond, Caroline Nokes and Ruth Cadbury.

One person wrote to the MP: “This is a time of national crisis and it is not acceptable that the constituents of Stroud have no MP to represent them and that their correspondence will be ignored for a month.

“We have a legal right to an MP.  Please inform of where I direct an official complaint regarding the Stroud constituency currently having no MP.

“I believe there is now a breach in our democratic law which needs to be addressed immediately.”