The Opposition MP who does not have children demanded parents be given financial assistance after lawmakers sat in Parliament on a Saturday for the first time in 37 years. On Friday he took a stand in the Commons to raise the plight of MPs – who earn a basic annual salary of £79,468. He said because the nursery in the House of Commons, where lawmakers can leave their tots during working hours, is not open on a Saturday, they should be reimbursed for the “inconvenience” caused. He said: “I make no argument against the sitting on Saturday but it is very inconvenient for many people who have families.
“Unfortunately the nursery is not able to be open to make sure that there is childcare provided for honourable members.
“Would it not be encumbered upon IPSA to make financial provisions that the costs of childcare can at lease be met for members?”
Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg responded: “I do recognise that it will be difficult for some honourable and Right honourable members in that there are responsibilities.
“It can certainly be raised with IPSA as to whether they feel any special arrangements can be made.
“Though as a general principle I would say that to sit on three Saturdays in 70 years is not an insuperable burden for people.”
Working parents slammed Mr Bryant’s comments on social media, with some pointing to the fact that many working-class mothers and fathers struggle to make ends meet while in full-time employment.
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Another person said: “Unbelievable. And then they wonder why they’re held in such contempt by a massive majority of the electorate.”
And a third Twitter user said: “Don’t forget the many thousand in expenses they take too.
“They have some cheek. If they did their bloody job they wouldn’t be there on a Saturday.”
Mr Bryant has thrown is name in the hat to replace Remainer John Bercow as Speaker of the House.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), the watchdog which monitors MPs’ use of taxpayers’ money, tweeted a response to Mr Bryant’s statement.
They said: “IPSA will accept claims from MPs to cover childcare costs associated with the Saturday sitting.”
