Facebook Pixel Maternity pay row like furore over Thatcher's 'society' soundbite | Daily Express - newspaper - Lees dit verhaal op Magzter.com
Ga onbeperkt met Magzter GOLD

Ga onbeperkt met Magzter GOLD

Krijg onbeperkte toegang tot meer dan 9000 tijdschriften, kranten en Premium-verhalen voor slechts

$149.99
 
$74.99/Jaar

Poging GOUD - Vrij

Maternity pay row like furore over Thatcher's 'society' soundbite

Daily Express

|

October 01, 2024

KEMI Badenoch has compared herself to Margaret Thatcher following a backlash after she suggested maternity pay was "excessive".

- Sam Lister

Maternity pay row like furore over Thatcher's 'society' soundbite

The Tory leadership contender insists that she believes paying new mothers is "quite important" after rivals attacked her comments.

But she said the row was similar to the furore that hit Britain's first woman prime minister when she claimed "there is no such thing as society".

Quizzed yesterday on the main stage at the party's Birmingham conference, she said: "Maternity pay is quite important. And this was actually a long discussion we were having about the role of the state in deciding what businesses should do.

"But let's take a step back. Who remembers the phrase, There is no such thing as society'? "Everybody remembers. Mrs Thatcher gave an interview to Women's Own magazine where she was asked the question. She said, "There's no such thing as society.'

"She was talking about people wanting government handouts, but there are only individual people and families, and that very good explanation got cut down into a soundbite that was used to attack her."

Ms Badenoch added: "When you are making the argument for Conservative principles, your opponents are going to try to turn it into something else.

"We need to decide who's going to be leader of the party, not the left, not the Guardian, not the BBC just Conservatives."

Asked about having said that maternity pay was "excessive", she said: "I was answering a different question."

Millionaires

MEER VERHALEN VAN Daily Express

Daily Express

Hill thrill for Lionesses

ENGLAND will play their final Women's World Cup qualifying group match against Ukraine at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium.

time to read

1 min

February 26, 2026

Daily Express

Daily Express

NO KANE, NO GAIN

Lose Harry and England are in big trouble in the USA warns Sheringham

time to read

2 mins

February 26, 2026

Daily Express

Daily Express

Campaigning mum tells Mahmood town won't be 'bullied' over camp

A DEFIANT mum has warned Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood that her community \"won't be bullied\" into accepting a migrant camp she branded a \"simulated war zone\" on the edge of a protected forest.

time to read

2 mins

February 26, 2026

Daily Express

Daily Express

It's hooray for Match of the Day

MATCH OF THE DAY has been hailed as a \"fantastic\" successdespite losing 10 percent of its TV audience.

time to read

1 min

February 26, 2026

Daily Express

Daily Express

It wasn't always LOVELY JUBBLY!

Fresh from filming the Only Fools and Horses TV reunion, actress Tessa Peake-Jones reveals the nerve-shredding reality of making Britain's most beloved comedy, the wardrobe item she kept from the set of Grantchester... and the downside of dating in later life

time to read

5 mins

February 26, 2026

Daily Express

Blow as 370m washing-up gloves ditched

NEARLY 370 million pairs of washing-up gloves may be being thrown away in UK homes each year, a cleaning firm has estimated.

time to read

1 min

February 26, 2026

Daily Express

Teacher ban for pupil sex

A TEACHER has been banned after admitting having a sexual relationship with a pupil in 2003 and lying about it to a recent employer.

time to read

1 min

February 26, 2026

Daily Express

Daily Express

ASTON ROLLS OUT MORE JOB CUTS

NEARLY 600 jobs are at risk at Aston Martin Lagonda as the luxury car maker confirmed plans to axe up to 20% of workers after seeing annual losses widen last year.

time to read

1 min

February 26, 2026

Daily Express

Daily Express

SIR JIM'S SACK OF CASH

Hundreds jobless but it's 'positive' as profits soar

time to read

1 min

February 26, 2026

Daily Express

Daily Express

'BBC should know how to handle my Tourette's'

THE campaigner whose Tourette syndrome caused him to shout out at the Bafta awards said the BBC should have \"worked harder\" to ensure his racial slur was not broadcast.

time to read

1 min

February 26, 2026

Listen

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size