A charity that protects the labor rights of pregnant women and newborn mothers has been expelled from a government advisory council following the publication of critical tweets.
In recent months, senior Tories, including Culture Minister Nadine Doris and her predecessor Oliver Dowden, have sought to position themselves as defenders of free speech, condemning the “culture of abolition.”
So it was a surprise for Maternity Action, the charity said when it was removed from the group tasked with advising on discrimination in the workplace after its director broadcast his views on social media about the limited scope of the board and the lack of progress.
Ross Bragg tweeted: “We have an advisory council that is considering ‘non-legislative improvements’ to reduce maternity discrimination, which will meet quarterly by March 2023. There is no action plan. There are no recommendations for legislative change. “After highlighting the sector’s recommendations, she added:” Disappointing. “
The charity told the Observer that employees referred to the tweets when it was said they would be removed.
Department of Business, Enterprise and Industrial Strategy [BEIS] did not deny the decision to be based on Bragg’s tweets.
Heather Wakefield, chair of Maternity Action, said: “We were surprised to be removed from the board, the reasons for which were not adequately explained. BEIS staff were aware of our criticism of the disappointingly narrow powers on board when they invited us to join last year.
“In July 2019, ministers promised a working group to draw up an action plan to keep pregnant women and new mothers in the workforce. We are still waiting for this action plan. “
Labor and Civil Society Shadow Labor Minister Barbara Keeley said: “Instead of abandoning a charity because they don’t like the CEO’s tweets, conservatives need to focus laser on tackling energy bills and the crisis. life “
It was confirmed in parliament on Tuesday that the charity would not be invited to a second board meeting. It was absent from the list of 12 members presented by Conservative MP Paul Scully.
Other members include the Fawcett Society, Working Families and Pregnant Then Screwed, whose founder Joelie Brierley said she would raise the issue with BEIS at next month’s meeting.
A BEIS spokesman said in an earlier statement from Scully: “The aim of the Advisory Board on Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination is to consider non-legislative improvements to reduce discrimination in pregnancy and maternity in the workplace.
It is a collaboration between government, employers and families, and membership needs the right balance between these different groups so that the board can do its job.
Add Comment