Tory leadership candidate Kemi Badenoch has said maternity pay has "gone too far" and the government needed to interfere less in peoples' lives. Speaking to Times Radio, Badenoch said statutory maternity pay, set up to support mothers for 39 weeks after having a baby, is a "function of tax", calling it "excessive".

Kemi Badenoch says ‘of course’ she believes in maternity pay after appearing to call it 'excessive' - The Tory leadership hopeful said that ‘contrary to what some have said’ she does support maternity

Statutory maternity pay is “excessive” and the red tape around the benefit has “gone too far”, Kemi Badenoch has suggested.

Leadership rivals Jenrick, Cleverly and Tugendhat reject her comments, as row over her ‘excessive’ claim escalates. Sunak urges Tories to abandon backbiting and squabbling 18:09 Rishi Sunak ended his speech to Tory members with an appeal for unity.

Conservative leadership candidate Kemi Badenoch has been criticised for saying that statutory maternity pay is "excessive" in Britain.

Speaking to Times Radio, Badenoch said statutory maternity pay, set up to support mothers for 39 weeks after having a baby, is a "function of tax", calling it "excessive". The shadow business secretary did not say what she thought the right level of maternity pay should be,

There was a time when there wasn’t any maternity pay and people were having more babies’. Kemi Badenoch remains the clear favourite amongst Tory members to be next leader, according to the latest survey of members from the ConservativeHome website.

Robert Jenrick said that the party should be ‘firmly on the side of parents’ in the wake of Ms Badenoch’s interview.