Watch: British MP brings newborn son into House of Commons, demands better maternity rules

A British Labour MP Stella Creasy, who represents Walthamstow, brought her baby into the House of Commons chamber to highlight a "lack of support" for new mothers as she spoke in a debate, demanding rights and protections for women with children.

The newborn baby boy was strapped to the MP's chest as a symbol to support the new mothers' return to work. The 44-year-old Creasy urged Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg to take action.

Earlier this year, Creasy, who has been an active campaigner for better maternity practices for MPs, gave birth to her second child.

She said: "We know that the Leader of the House is keen to see MPs return to the chambers of Parliament, and indeed the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority refused to fund appropriate maternity cover for myself on the basis that people needed to be able to speak in the chamber."

"Yet today, in order to speak I have had to abandon my baby proxy leave vote or else be reprimanded by the House authorities for speaking in the chamber, making Parliament one of the few workplaces in this country where, when a new mother comes in for a “keep in touch day”, she is rebuked, not supported," Creasy added.

"I know some in this place are not fans of mothers in the mother of all parliaments, but I’m sure the leader is not among them, so will he meet with a cross-party delegation of MPs to look at how we can make sure everybody in this Parliament upholds the law on maternity cover and leave?" she further said.

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Rees-Mogg congratulated Creasy for the "impeccable behaviour of her infant" and said it was a "pleasure" to see her in the chamber.

He noted that the rules provide for maternity and paternity leave and for proxy voting for people who want to take that and he said that the rules as they are currently constructed are "perfectly reasonable and entirely in line with the law".