Brexit Vote Prompts British Lawmaker to Delay C-Section

A British lawmaker has delayed giving birth to her second child by C-section this week in order to attend a crucial Brexit vote.

On Monday, London's Hampstead and Kilburn Labour MP Tulip Siddiq revealed she pushed her C-section back two days from Tuesday to Thursday, against her doctor's advice, so she could vote against Prime Minister Theresa May's EU withdrawal deal tomorrow.

Medical professionals advised Siddiq to deliver the birth on Monday or Tuesday after she developed gestational diabetes, however, the politician refused, asking to reschedule to Thursday. "If my son enters the world even one day later than the doctors advised, but it's a world with a better chance of a strong relationship between Britain and Europe, then that's worth fighting for," she told the Evening Standard.

GettyImages-874479344
File photo: MP for Hampstead and Kilburn Tulip Siddiq speaks as Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of the detained British-Iranian woman Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe updates the media following his meeting this morning with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson... Getty/Jack Taylor

Although physicians told Siddiq that the steroid injection, given to pregnant women before childbirth, should be administered 48 hours before the C-section, she requested it be administered earlier, as she would be still in hospital during the vote. Doctors agreed, which meant Siddiq received the injection earlier and spent her weekend in hospital under observation as a result. "The Royal Free (Hospital) has been very clear on their legal and health duties. This is a high-risk pregnancy and I am doing this against doctor's advice," she said.

Siddiq's office confirmed that the MP's husband Christian Percy will push her through the House of Commons lobby in a wheelchair on Tuesday so she can be present to issue her vote. Although the U.K. has made it easier for pregnant women in parliament with a policy that allows absent lawmakers to be "paired" with a member of the opposing party who agrees not to vote in order to balance the results, Siddiq's office told CNN that she doesn't trust the arrangement anymore, after it was broken by Conservative party chairman Brandon Lewis last July.

After five days of debate over May's proposed Brexit deal, the British parliament will vote on Tuesday to decide the future of U.K.-Europe relations. Earlier today, May warned the country that they will face a "paralysis in Parliament that risks there being no Brexit" if her proposed deal isn't approved.

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer



To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go