LABOUR MP Stella Creasy says she was “not surprised” a review has recommended babies should not be allowed into the House of Commons chamber during debates.

The Procedure Committee report was ordered amid an outcry over Ms Creasy being told she can no longer have her baby son with her.

The group ruled that MPs should not bring babies into the chamber or nearby Westminster Hall if they want to “observe, initiate, speak or intervene in proceedings”.

But they said there should be a “degree of de-facto discretion” that “should be exercised sparingly”.

The committee did, however, back on the “overwhelming balance of evidence” the extension of proxy voting for “serious long-term illness”.

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle ordered the review in November after Ms Creasy was told she could no longer bring her son Pip, then three months old, with her to debates.

The Walthamstow MP, who attended Colchester County High School for Girls, said she was “not surprised” by the recommendation.

She said: “This committee didn’t speak to a single person outside Parliament despite many of us encouraging them to do so, so I’m not surprised they don’t recognise who is put off Parliament by its antiquated rules and approach to women who have children and the need to modernise.

“They are not alone in working like this – in the last year we’ve seen no progress on Parliament having any form of adequate maternity or paternity policy in place, and no progress from IPSA (Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority) on providing proper maternity or paternity funding either.

“Change will only come when we start listening to those outside the status quo.”