The shadow social care minister, Liz Kendall, is expecting to be the first serving MP to have a child through surrogacy. The Leicester West MP said the baby was due in the new year via a surrogate mother after she and her partner had struggled to start a family. In a statement to the Leicester Mercury she said: “My partner and I are delighted to announce that we will be having a baby in the new year through surrogacy. It has been a really difficult time getting here, so we feel unbelievably lucky and happier than we ever imagined.” She added: “We will be eternally grateful to our surrogate for making this possible.” Kendall confirmed she would be taking maternity leave in the new year. She said: “I’ll be taking leave from work to make the most of this precious time with the newest member of our family. But I want to reassure my constituents that my office will remain fully open throughout, and my whole team will continue to provide the very best help and support to local residents.”
After announcing the news she told the Spectator of her fertility struggle, which included two miscarriages. She said: “We have been through a lot to get here but it really is happening now, and we’ve been telling people this week.” Last month during a Commons debate on free hormone replacement therapy (HRT), Kendall, 50, described experiencing the pain of the onset of the menopause. She said she had “no idea what was going on” after being exhausted and aching overnight. The former Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow Oona King had a baby through a surrogate in 2013 when she was a member of the House of Lords. It is believed Kendall will be the first sitting MP to have a child through surrogacy. Politicians from all parties congratulated Kendall, including the former health secretary Matt Hancock and the former leader of the Scottish Conservatives Ruth Davidson, who said the Labour MP would make a “brilliant mum”. Kendall, who is from the centre right of the party, rose to prominence in the Labour leadership contest of 2015 after the resignation of Ed Miliband. She came fourth with 4.5% of the vote, well behind the winner, Jeremy Corbyn.