Ex-Tory MP loses appeal against Commons suspension - paving way for by-election

Shadow chief whip weighs in on maternity pay comments

The opposition chief whip in the House of Commons has weighed in on the controversial comments about maternity pay at the Conservative conference. Kemi Badenoch had said statutory maternity pay, set up to support mothers for 39 weeks after having a baby, is a "function of tax" which she described as "excessive". Stuart Andrew says the Tory leadership candidates are entitled to "stand up for what they believe in and put that forward to the party." Report by Kennedyl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn