She says May's childlessness means she doesn't have a ‘stake in the future'
The race for Britain’s next prime minister is down to two candidates—Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom and Home Secretary Theresa May—both, yes, women. But Leadsom made one big differentiation by suggesting that being a mother gives her a lead on her opponent.
BBC editor Nick Sutton posted a photo of Saturday’s issue of The Times, which has the headline, “Being a mother gives me an edge on May—Leadsom.” The article clarifies that Leadsom thinks she has more of a “stake in the future” than May, who has gone on record to discuss the “heartbreak” she and her husband experienced over infertility.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]The energy minister and underdog in the fight for No. 10 declared that Mrs. May ‘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.’
In recent interviews, Leadsom has mentioned her family-oriented attitude as something that would make her a good leader. During the BBC referendum debate, The Telegraph reports that Leadsom “reminded viewers she was making her arguments ‘as a mother’”
“For me, family comes first,” Leadsom told The Telegraph in an interview last week. “My real passion is social justice, resolving the lack of empowerment, the lack of skills, the fact that young people can’t get on the housing ladder, they feel they can’t have a decent job, they feel they aren’t in control of their lives.”
“When in doubt, cook a Sunday roast, get the family around you and you’ll feel fine afterwards,” she said in the same interview.
Leadsom had previously commented that having a female prime minister will be a positive step for Britain. “It would be great for young women,” she told The Telegraph. “There is still a sense in our society, a holding back of girls and young women, and I don’t think there should be. To give young women the confidence to think ‘I can do this’ —as Margaret Thatcher did to me— is great.”