He is actually pro-family, the Times reports:
Brown goes to aid of mothers who breastfeed in public
Lois Rogers
THE chancellor Gordon Brown is supporting a campaign to outlaw harassment of mothers who breastfeed their babies in public.
Brown, who is anxious to increase his appeal to women, has endorsed a pressure group presenting a petition to Tony Blair on the issue tomorrow. The campaigners believes it ought to be an offence for anyone to try to prevent a baby being breastfed. Similar legislation was introduced in Scotland last year.
The call for change follows reports that up to 50% of breastfeeding women say they are made to feel uncomfortable in public. In some cases passers-by have called police.
Brown posed for a photograph last year alongside Michelle Atkin, a member of the group, called Little Angels, as she suckled her baby at the opening of a children’s centre in Blackburn, Lancashire.
He chatted to the women about the benefits of breastmilk and offered to support them. “He was really interested in what we had to say and the need for better services nationally,” said Atkin.
Brown’s wife Sarah, who accompanied him to the event, and is expecting another child in less than two months, said she had breastfed their son John until he was six months old and “thoroughly enjoyed” the experience.
The chancellor, who has a long-standing interest in children’s welfare, is nevertheless struggling to transform his image as custodian of the national exchequer to family friendly prime minister in waiting — and chief opponent of Tory leader and father of three, David Cameron.
The breastmilk campaigners now believe a change in the law may be on the way. Brown has contacted David Kidney, a Labour backbencher, who has made repeated efforts to introduce legislation to bring England into line with Scotland.
“I have had a message inviting me to go to see him to talk about my bill,” said Kidney. “We do look forward to having a new team at the top and a more friendly approach to breastfeeding.”
Yesterday a spokesman for Brown confirmed he is supportive of the campaign but declined to comment further on conversations he and his wife had had with the campaigners.
Research has shown that breastfed babies have better immune systems and are less likely to become overweight in later life. The benefits for mothers include a lower risk of breast cancer.
However, according to the National Childbirth Trust, reluctance to breastfeed is blamed on Britain’s tradition of prudery. Although nearly three-quarters of mothers start by breastfeeding their baby, six out of 10 give up within the early weeks, despite government campaigns to promote the practice.
“It is quite outrageous that this is happening when we are surrounded by media images of naked breasts,” said the Liberal Democrat MP Annette Brooke, who has supported Kidney, and attracted the signatures of 180 MPs to an early day motion of her own, calling for a Scottish-style anti-discrimination law.
In April Frances Newell, 40, from south London, was forced to give up her role as a volunteer teaching assistant at her son’s infant school because the headmaster objected to her breastfeeding her baby in front of other four-year-olds while she listened to them read.
The actress Kate Hudson also drew comment for breastfeeding her son in front of the director when filming The Skeleton Key.
Catherine Gulati, 34, a former personnel adviser, was told to stop feeding her baby as she sat in the National Gallery, a few yards from Tintoretto’s picture The Origin of the Milky Way, which shows the infant Hercules benefiting from the abundant magical milk of the goddess Juno.
“It is a ridiculous situation,” said Gulati.
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IMO special extra child credit should be available to those mums, it will only cost few hundred mil to have the job done by a consultancy
Brown goes to aid of mothers who breastfeed in public
Lois Rogers
THE chancellor Gordon Brown is supporting a campaign to outlaw harassment of mothers who breastfeed their babies in public.
Brown, who is anxious to increase his appeal to women, has endorsed a pressure group presenting a petition to Tony Blair on the issue tomorrow. The campaigners believes it ought to be an offence for anyone to try to prevent a baby being breastfed. Similar legislation was introduced in Scotland last year.
The call for change follows reports that up to 50% of breastfeeding women say they are made to feel uncomfortable in public. In some cases passers-by have called police.
Brown posed for a photograph last year alongside Michelle Atkin, a member of the group, called Little Angels, as she suckled her baby at the opening of a children’s centre in Blackburn, Lancashire.
He chatted to the women about the benefits of breastmilk and offered to support them. “He was really interested in what we had to say and the need for better services nationally,” said Atkin.
Brown’s wife Sarah, who accompanied him to the event, and is expecting another child in less than two months, said she had breastfed their son John until he was six months old and “thoroughly enjoyed” the experience.
The chancellor, who has a long-standing interest in children’s welfare, is nevertheless struggling to transform his image as custodian of the national exchequer to family friendly prime minister in waiting — and chief opponent of Tory leader and father of three, David Cameron.
The breastmilk campaigners now believe a change in the law may be on the way. Brown has contacted David Kidney, a Labour backbencher, who has made repeated efforts to introduce legislation to bring England into line with Scotland.
“I have had a message inviting me to go to see him to talk about my bill,” said Kidney. “We do look forward to having a new team at the top and a more friendly approach to breastfeeding.”
Yesterday a spokesman for Brown confirmed he is supportive of the campaign but declined to comment further on conversations he and his wife had had with the campaigners.
Research has shown that breastfed babies have better immune systems and are less likely to become overweight in later life. The benefits for mothers include a lower risk of breast cancer.
However, according to the National Childbirth Trust, reluctance to breastfeed is blamed on Britain’s tradition of prudery. Although nearly three-quarters of mothers start by breastfeeding their baby, six out of 10 give up within the early weeks, despite government campaigns to promote the practice.
“It is quite outrageous that this is happening when we are surrounded by media images of naked breasts,” said the Liberal Democrat MP Annette Brooke, who has supported Kidney, and attracted the signatures of 180 MPs to an early day motion of her own, calling for a Scottish-style anti-discrimination law.
In April Frances Newell, 40, from south London, was forced to give up her role as a volunteer teaching assistant at her son’s infant school because the headmaster objected to her breastfeeding her baby in front of other four-year-olds while she listened to them read.
The actress Kate Hudson also drew comment for breastfeeding her son in front of the director when filming The Skeleton Key.
Catherine Gulati, 34, a former personnel adviser, was told to stop feeding her baby as she sat in the National Gallery, a few yards from Tintoretto’s picture The Origin of the Milky Way, which shows the infant Hercules benefiting from the abundant magical milk of the goddess Juno.
“It is a ridiculous situation,” said Gulati.
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IMO special extra child credit should be available to those mums, it will only cost few hundred mil to have the job done by a consultancy
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