If only Rhondda MP Chris Bryant has linked the plight of ordinary members of the public who find themselves (often compelled) to working weekends instead of cauing outrage by saying MPs should receive money for childcare when Parliament sits on a Saturday.
The MP, who wants to become Speaker of the House of Commons, stood up in the Commons and said he did not disagree with the need to sit yesterday but said the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) should consider financial provisions to cover the cost of childcare when MPs have to attend Parliament on a Saturday.
Mr Bryant said the nursery within the House of Commons is closed on a Saturday.
"It's very inconvenient for many people who have children. Unfortunately, the nursery is not able to be open to make sure there is childcare provided for honourable members. Would it not be incumbent upon IPSA to make financial provision so the cost of childcare can at least be met for members?"
Mr Bryant, who doesn't children, said he was not making the comments on his own behalf but for colleagues.
Normally, MPs sit in London during the week and return to their constituencies for the weekend.
The basic annual salary for an MP is £79,468. MPs also receive expenses to cover the costs of running an office, employing staff, having somewhere to live in London or their constituency, and travelling between Parliament and their constituency.
However, his comments have earned him controversy. and Wales online carry many derisirary comments
On his own Facebook page, constituents complained about his comments:
The MP responded: "I’m not asking for anything for myself and I expressly said that I was not complaining about working on Saturday, which I do most weeks in some shape or other."
One suggested a charity single to help MPs
Another called him 'despicable'
In response to the comments, Mr Bryant said: "People may not be aware that I have no children myself so I was not seeking anything for myself. There is normally a nursery in Parliament which is paid for by MPs.
"Sadly it cannot be open today. I have always campaigned for free childcare for all as they have in Sweden and am proud parents in Wales now have 30 hours of free childcare a week for three and four-year-olds.
Cynics however will feel that Mr Bryant was trying to ingratiate, himself with MPs in his bid to become speaker .
If so it may have backfired and his potential voters in the commons may not thank him for giving the impression of self-serving money grabbers remote from the realities of normal daily life.
We often rely on people working weekends some of who do it on regular basis and never consider how they face the same problems of childcare , and who do not have tevenhe already lamentable provision parents have during the week.
The sad thing is that instead of highlighting this Mr Bryant , has managed to give the impression that MPs are a special case when they face working on a weekend in Westminster for the first time we can remember.
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