Is juggling parenting and politics challenging? Yes. Is it impossible? No! Join Ellie Reeves MP and Councillor Sharon Thompson for a positive conversation about balancing political careers and caring responsibilities.

From archaic parliamentary cultures to late night votes and muddled maternity leave policies, the cocktail of parenting and politics has had some very bad press in recent years, to the point of deterring many women from pursuing vocations in public life. But with some firm boundaries and disciplined diary management arguably, caring for young children is much more doable alongside life in Westminster than comparable roles in other sectors. Join Ellie- mum to two young boys- and Sharon -single parent to an adult son- as they explore the joys and juggles of representing in public while caring in private, and the extent to which Labour culture supports parents to get on with it.

Ellie Reeves has been Member of Parliament for Lewisham West and Penge since 2017. Having previously served as Shadow Solicitor General, she has been Shadow Minister for Prisons and Probation since 2021, both roles in which she has challenged the terribly weak conviction rate for rape. A former Chair of both Oxford University Labour Club and Labour Students, Ellie served for many years as an employment lawyer and Labour Party NEC member, before setting up her own advocacy service for women's rights in the workplace, following her own first maternity leave.

Cllr Sharon Thompson is a Cabinet Member in Birmingham City Council, the largest local authority in Europe, having been elected as a councillor in 2014. A graduate of the Jo Cox Women in Leadership Scheme, she was elected to the Exectuive Committee of Labour Women's Netork in 2020. Now an expert on homelessness and housing, Sharon was homeless herself aged 16, a single mum by age 19, and barely able to recite her alphabet until she was 26 because of undiagnosed dyslexia. You may find this article interesting.

Join LWN for a treat of an evening as we join two inspirational sisters who say "Kids and constituents? Yes, we can."

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