Parents call for more childcare help at 'March of the Mummies' protest
Glasgow mums want to shine a spotlight on cost of living issues affecting families.
Last updated 29th Oct 2022
Thousands of mums and dads are marching in UK cities - including Glasgow - to shine a spotlight on cost of living issues affecting families.
They want more help with things like flexible working, childcare costs and maternity pay.
Families including young children donned bandages, vampire costumes and witches' hats as they took part in the March of the Mummies demonstration on Saturday.
Thousands of people are expected to take part in similar marches across the UK, including in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Norwich.
Mothers stood outside Downing Street shouting "Dear Rishi Sunak, we want our choices back" as they protested against unaffordable childcare and parental leave structures.
Demonstrators dressed in Halloween outfits including witches' hats and skeleton costumes banged drums at the front of the procession.
Protesters held banners reading: "My skills got me hired! My wok got me fired!" and "Affordable childcare now" as they marched to Parliament Square.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said:
“Scotland is the only part of the UK to offer 1140 hours a year of funded early learning and childcare to all three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds."
"This would cost families around £5000 a year per child if they purchased it themselves and it will improve children’s outcomes and help close the poverty-related outcomes gap."
“The Scottish Government has set out its plans to expand our childcare offer further, including building a future system of school age childcare and a new early learning and childcare offer for 1 and 2 year olds, starting with those who need it most.
“While powers governing flexible working are reserved to the UK Government, the Scottish Government Fair Work First approach includes action to tackle the gender pay gap and offering flexible working from day one as key criteria for organisations seeking public sector grants or contracts."
"More widely employers, workers and representative bodies should work together to agree flexible working arrangements to ensure that all sides benefit from being able to recruit and retain staff.”