Reform candidate accused of misogyny over childcare comments lands Senedd caseworker role

Emily Price

A Reform candidate accused of misogyny for suggesting women should stay home with their babies while men “go out and provide” has been hired as a caseworker by a prominent Senedd Member.

Martin Roberts was Reform UK’s fourth-placed candidate in Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr at the recent Welsh election, but failed to secure a seat in the Senedd.

He hit the headlines during the election campaign after making offensive remarks about women during a heated exchange on Facebook with Plaid Cymru’s Heledd Fychan.

The row erupted after Fychan criticised another Reform candidate – Mark Lawrence – for suggesting at a hustings that women should stay home to care for their children rather than go out to work.

Writing on Facebook, Fychan described Lawrence’s views as belonging “in the dinosaur section of a museum.”

Responding in the comments beneath Fychan’s post, Roberts defended his colleague’s comments, saying that “in most cases it is the mother that stays at home with the children”.

He wrote: “Mark was only suggesting help for mothers who are at home with the children, instead of handing them over to strangers at such a young age.

“Like it or not, babies, yes, babies need their mothers, it’s in their DNA. This is a conservative view, not a sexist one.”

The father of three later posted further comments, telling one of Fychan’s female caseworkers to “grow up” after she argued that women are entitled to work and “contribute so much to the workforce and economy.”

Abuse

Roberts went on to claim that Plaid’s flagship childcare policy would cause abuse in nurseries to “skyrocket” adding that “mothers will wish they’d looked after their babies themselves”.

In further comments to Fychan on Facebook, he said: “No way would I hand my baby over to anyone, good intentions or not, I have three of them, and neither would their mother.

“I haven’t said women should stay at home, I’m merely stating that that is usually the case. Women nurture, men go out and provide.If those roles can be switched then fair enough.

“Let’s face it, the parent with the highest salary would probably be the one that continues to work, especially in times like these. Try a civil debate rather than going for my jugular.”

Offensive

Nation.Cymru can reveal that, after his unsuccessful election bid, Roberts has been hired as a caseworker by Reform Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr MS Jason O’Connell.

Roberts’ comments about women were raised in the Senedd this week by Plaid’s Keira Marshall during a debate about her party’s free childcare proposals.

She said: “The opposition are trying to question whether we should have an accessible childcare system at all.

“We heard Reform candidates suggest that the solution to childcare is not investment but complete withdrawal, that women should stay at home. I’ve just had a baby.

“They don’t think that people like me belong in the workplace, that people like me belong in this Parliament. They say that nurseries are unsafe, that abuse will skyrocket.

Intervention

During her speech, O’ Connell tried to block the new mother from raising Roberts’ remarks.

Intervening he said: “Could I just ask you to read back what the original statement was that you’re responding to, please? The motion. Thank you.”

Responding, Marshall said: “Yes, I have. They say that nurseries are unsafe, that abuse will skyrocket, and that the answer is not to strengthen provision, but to question whether working mothers should be relying on it in the first place.”

During the debate, Plaid’s Sarah Rees was heckled by Reform Members as she also raised Roberts’ comments.

She said: “Reform candidates have also chosen to spread fear and misinformation about the childcare sector, claiming that abuse in nurseries will skyrocket if parents are offered more funded childcare hours, adding that mothers will wish they’d looked after their babies themselves. This is misogyny and fear mongering, plain and simple.

“It insults both childcare professionals and parents. Claims that children in nursery are at risk of abuse are not only baseless, but deeply damaging.”

Nation.Cymru asked Jason O’Connell why he was reluctant to have his new caseworker’s misogynistic remarks raised in the Chamber.

We also asked if he had any concerned about the views Roberts has expressed about women. He did not respond.

‘Damaging’

A Plaid Cymru spokesperson said: “Reform have no problem with emboldening damaging and misogynistic voices – exposing their true beliefs when it comes to empowering women and young families.

“While Plaid Cymru is tackling child poverty and supporting women by rolling out the most generous childcare offer in the UK, Reform are choosing to spread fear and misinformation.”

On Friday (June 12) Mr O’Connell joined Reform activists and campaigners in Makersfield to throw his support behind by-election candidate Robert Kenyon.

The self proclaimed “sexist” has faced criticism for making offensive remarks about women, including that they can’t “can’t ref, drive or give instructions”.

He also interacted with and defended graphic sexual comments made about TV presenter Carol Vorderman.