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| Labour MP in tears as she talks of stillborn daughter in Commons | Labour MP in tears as she talks of stillborn daughter in Commons |
| (1 day later) | |
| Sharon Hodgson describes her pain at fact her daughter Lucy’s birth was never registered | |
| Rowena Mason Deputy political editor | |
| Fri 2 Feb 2018 17.15 GMT | |
| Last modified on Fri 2 Feb 2018 23.55 GMT | |
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| A Labour MP has been moved to tears in the House of Commons as she spoke of how her stillborn daughter was denied the right to birth registration. Sharon Hodgson, who represents Washington and Sunderland West, made the speech in support of a private member’s bill seeking to introduce formal recording for a stillborn child born before 24 weeks’ gestation. | A Labour MP has been moved to tears in the House of Commons as she spoke of how her stillborn daughter was denied the right to birth registration. Sharon Hodgson, who represents Washington and Sunderland West, made the speech in support of a private member’s bill seeking to introduce formal recording for a stillborn child born before 24 weeks’ gestation. |
| The bill also aims to bring in civil partnerships for mixed-sex couples to achieve equality with same-sex couples. Ministers have promised to hold a consultation on the issue. | The bill also aims to bring in civil partnerships for mixed-sex couples to achieve equality with same-sex couples. Ministers have promised to hold a consultation on the issue. |
| MPs could be seen dabbing their eyes as Hodgson told the Commons that she had not been brave enough to talk publicly about her third child, Lucy, until now. “She was buried in a tiny white coffin in the same grave as my nana and grandad. I tell you all this to highlight that to the chaplain, the funeral service, to us, her family, she existed; she was a baby who was sadly born dead. | MPs could be seen dabbing their eyes as Hodgson told the Commons that she had not been brave enough to talk publicly about her third child, Lucy, until now. “She was buried in a tiny white coffin in the same grave as my nana and grandad. I tell you all this to highlight that to the chaplain, the funeral service, to us, her family, she existed; she was a baby who was sadly born dead. |
| “Her heart beat throughout my labour just up until minutes before she was born. She just couldn’t make the final push into this world. Because of that and because of a matter of a few days, she doesn’t officially exist in any records other than in our memories and own family records. Even the entry on the deeds for the grave is in my name, as if I, or in this case a bit of me, is buried there.” | “Her heart beat throughout my labour just up until minutes before she was born. She just couldn’t make the final push into this world. Because of that and because of a matter of a few days, she doesn’t officially exist in any records other than in our memories and own family records. Even the entry on the deeds for the grave is in my name, as if I, or in this case a bit of me, is buried there.” |
| Talking about what would have happened if Lucy had lived, she said: “She would have had a birth certificate, she would have been celebrating her 20th birthday this year. But sadly she was stillborn, so there were no flashing blue lights, no incubator and no birthday parties ever and, as I found out to my horror, no birth or death certificate. | Talking about what would have happened if Lucy had lived, she said: “She would have had a birth certificate, she would have been celebrating her 20th birthday this year. But sadly she was stillborn, so there were no flashing blue lights, no incubator and no birthday parties ever and, as I found out to my horror, no birth or death certificate. |
| “So as I held her in my arms and had to come to terms with what just happened, I also had to come to terms with the fact she officially did not exist and I would not be getting any certificate of her arrival or death. She was three to four days short of the required 24-week legal age.” | “So as I held her in my arms and had to come to terms with what just happened, I also had to come to terms with the fact she officially did not exist and I would not be getting any certificate of her arrival or death. She was three to four days short of the required 24-week legal age.” |
| The bill has been brought forward by Tim Loughton, a Conservative MP and former children’s minister. It also seeks to explore how the government can extend civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples, and include a mother or second parent’s name on marriage and civil partnership certificates. | The bill has been brought forward by Tim Loughton, a Conservative MP and former children’s minister. It also seeks to explore how the government can extend civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples, and include a mother or second parent’s name on marriage and civil partnership certificates. |
| Ministers had until recently been expected to accept the need to extend civil partnerships to mixed-sex couples. But Victoria Atkins, a Home Office minister, said the government would conduct further work and consultation before coming to a decision. | Ministers had until recently been expected to accept the need to extend civil partnerships to mixed-sex couples. But Victoria Atkins, a Home Office minister, said the government would conduct further work and consultation before coming to a decision. |
| Campaigners for civil partnership equality, such as Peter Tatchell, are concerned the government could move to abolish them. But Loughton said he had found the minister’s response “really encouraging”, as a review of the issue would be ordered and the government acknowledged the need for equality in partnerships for mixed-sex and same-sex couples. | Campaigners for civil partnership equality, such as Peter Tatchell, are concerned the government could move to abolish them. But Loughton said he had found the minister’s response “really encouraging”, as a review of the issue would be ordered and the government acknowledged the need for equality in partnerships for mixed-sex and same-sex couples. |
| “The debate showed there was a huge amount of support for this across the house,” he told the Guardian. “The only fly in the ointment would be the possibility that they could achieve equality by scrapping civil partnerships. But there is a very strong case against this. It would be unwise and there could be a big backlash if that’s how they want to achieve it.” | “The debate showed there was a huge amount of support for this across the house,” he told the Guardian. “The only fly in the ointment would be the possibility that they could achieve equality by scrapping civil partnerships. But there is a very strong case against this. It would be unwise and there could be a big backlash if that’s how they want to achieve it.” |
| He pointed out that couples in existing civil partnerships, such as the Labour MP Sandy Martin, would be left in limbo and said ministers had not been able to come up with any downsides to extending them to mixed-sex couples. | He pointed out that couples in existing civil partnerships, such as the Labour MP Sandy Martin, would be left in limbo and said ministers had not been able to come up with any downsides to extending them to mixed-sex couples. |
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| Children | |
| Infant and child mortality | |
| Health | |
| Sunderland | |
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