Re Stella Creasy’s article (Here’s why my baby was banned from parliament – and why we must all fight this, 25 November), are we stuck in a never-ending time-wasting loop? Yes, dragging a horde of toddlers into the Commons would be mad, but why not allow a quiet breastfed baby, to enable a politician to sit in on an important meeting?
Back in 1989, a year after I was elected as the first black woman on Newcastle city council, I took my baby in with me and breastfed her at committee meetings and in full council. When I had my second baby I did the same, once breastfeeding her while chairing an area housing committee meeting.
The council members as a whole were far from a progressive bunch. I found much difficult as a young black woman serving with many who were old enough to be my grandparents. But the babies were accepted and I was never reproached for being a young working mother while representing my constituents.
Amanda Baker
Edinburgh
