CONSERVATIVE MP Miriam Cates has denied accusations that she is blaming slack working mums for a growing number of children who are sent to school wearing nappies.
She told GB News: “No, working mums aren’t to blame. I never said that. It’s been widely reported that I said that – I absolutely didn’t say that.
“I said our economy is to blame and that it is the cost of living crisis and actually in that article yesterday, the journalist did say that the cost of living prices was to blame, which is exactly what I said.”
Speaking to Patrick Christys, she continued: “It’s sometimes frustrating that people don’t read or watch the speech and they report on something that’s been reported by someone else who’s reported it.
“But having said that, I’m pleased that the issue is getting some attention because this is a massive deal for schools just to start with.
“I’ve spoken to headteachers who are having to move teaching assistants down from higher years in primary school into the lower years just to change nappies and clear up the mess. That’s a huge cost.”
She added: “We’re talking about children aged four and five. I have heard of children as old as six…but we’re primarily talking about children who start school in nappies.
“And that isn’t just a UK phenomenon. I spoke to a Dutch MP at this conference we were talking about, who said that there’s been an extraordinary rise also in Holland of children starting school not wearing nappies.”
