Leeds city centre: 'March of the Mummies' saw hundreds of parents take to the streets to protest inequality

A national protest, led by campaign group Pregnant Then Screwed, will see parents from across the country marching through 11 regions to call for urgent government reforms.

The Halloween-themed event, dubbed March of The Mummies, aimed to demonstrate the “frightening lack of consideration” mothers have been granted by the Government in areas such as childcare, maternity leave and in the workplace.

The march started in Leeds city centre on Briggate at 10.30am finishing outside Leeds Town Hall.

One of the protesters, Paul Thomas, said: "We are supporting the cause for decent child care, affordable childcare, decent parental leave."

Another, Heather Winterburns, added: "It's ridiculous that people have to plan to have babies around when they will be able to afford not to work.

"It's taken livelihoods off everyone to not be able to work and it's ridiculous."

Sita Carr-Hill, founder of a mum-and-baby dance group, was dressed as a “mummy” with her baby strapped to the back.

She said: "I had to set up Mama's Got Moves because I am a single mother and on one income childcare is just completely unaffordable. So, I had to create a business where I could take my daughter to work, so my daughter comes to work with me, instead of going to childcare which is just unaffordable. It's been tough."

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin spoke to the crowd outlining her own experiences. She said: "For 30 years I was a freelancer as an actor, my husband was a freelancer and together we really understood how hard it is raising a family. No parental leave, no flexibility. Too often, too many women are stepping back from work and we are losing that talent in our society.

"We know that it is beyond even rent and mortgage. How do people make it work?

"We get it, we are going to make a difference and we are going to make sure that Flexi is a day-one entitlement because surely that is got to be the way forward.”