Andrea Leadsom has come under fire from senior Conservatives for a "vile" suggestion she would be a better choice for prime minister than her rival Theresa May because she has children.
The incendiary comments were published just hours after the Home Secretary had pledged to fight a “clean campaign” and urged her rival to “do the same”. Speaking yesterday Ms May, who is hedging her bets on being the “unity” candidate in the contest, said the“public are tired of people acting like politics is a game, so clean campaign is what our party and country deserves”.
Asked whether she felt “like a mum in politics”, Ms Leadsom, who has two sons and a daughter, told the Times: “Yes. I am sure Theresa will be really sad she doesn't have children so I don't want this to be 'Andrea has children, Theresa hasn't' because I think that would be really horrible but genuinely I feel that being a mum means you have a very real stake in the future of our country, a tangible stake.”
“She possibly has nieces, nephews, lots of people, but I have children who are going to have children who will directly be a part of what happens next,” she added.
“It means you don't want a downturn but never mind ten years hence it will all be fine, my children will be starting their lives in that next ten years so I have a real stake in the next year, the next two.”
Responding to the highly personal interview, Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, said: “I am childless. I have nieces and nephews. I believe I – like everyone else – have a very real stake in our country”.
Anna Soubry, minister for small business, industry and enterprise, added that the interview “shows Andrea Leadsom is not PM material. She should do us all a favour including herself and step aside...we need a PM [with] real experience at the highest level, proven competence, a safe pair of hands, a compassionate on nation Tory… AL [Andrea Leadsom] way out of her depth.”
Conservative MP Sir Alan Duncan said: “I'm gay and in a civil partnership. No children, but 10 nieces and nephews. Do I not have a stake in the future of the country? Vile.” Sam Gyimah, another Tory MP, added: “Wrong and insulting for Leadsom to say those who are childless care less about the future. Being a parent doesn’t qualify you to be PM.
Deputy Commons Leader Therese Coffey, another supporter of Mrs May, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: “Andrea is a friend, I know she's not a malicious person.” She added: “I don't think it matters whether somebody has children. The next prime minister - what matters is what they are going to do for every child in this country. I believe Theresa May has got the proven leadership, she has got the qualities, she could be prime minister tomorrow.”
Just last week Ms May had spoken about how her and her husband, Philip, were affected by being unable to have children. Ms May told the Daily Telegraph she likes to keep her “personal life personal” but says that she and her husband “dealt with” the fact they couldn't have children and “moved on”.
“I hope nobody would think that mattered,” she said. “I can still empathise, understand people and care about fairness and opportunity.”
Ms Leadsom, a junior energy minister who entered the Commons six years ago, responded to the story claiming the journalist had misreported her comments. “Truly appalling and exact opposite of what I said. I am disgusted,” Ms Leadsom said on Twitter.
The 53-year-old added: “This is despicable and hateful reporting. You must now provide the transcript – this is beyond disgusting…this is the worst gutter journalism I’ve ever seen. I am so angry – I can’t believe this. How could you?”
The Independent was unable to reach Ms Leadsom’s team for a comment.
