The shadow Cabinet minister raised concerns about taking tax from one group of workers to give it to new mothers and suggested the system had "gone too far".
Ms Badenoch said women had more babies before they were allowed to take 39 weeks' leave.
She told Times Radio: "Tax comes from people who are working. We're taking from one group of people and giving to another. This in my view is excessive. We need to have more personal responsibility - there was a time when there wasn't any maternity pay and people were having more babies."
Ms Badenoch later insisted that "contrary to what some have said", she does support maternity pay and she was talking about the "burden of regulation" going too far.
Leadership frontrunner Robert Jenrick said: "I don't agree with Kemi on this one. I'm a father of three young daughters. I want to see them get the support they need when they enter the workplace. The Conservative party must be on the side of working mothers."
Rival Tom Tugendhat said it was "important that women have the ability to choose how to live their lives". He added: "It's not for me to tell you whether you should go to work or stay at home or which job to do, or how many kids to have.
"That's none of my business.
What's my business as a politician is to make sure that you have the support for choice."
Bu hikaye Daily Express dergisinin September 30, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Daily Express dergisinin September 30, 2024 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
BAXTER BASICS
Fin has a simple plan to end jinx
LEWIS MAKES QUICK U-TURN
Hamilton admits he wanted to leave Mercedes early
War hero Ray dies at age 105
RAYMOND Whitwell an ordinary man who did the extraordinary for Britain during the Second World War - has died aged 105.
Adventurer's discovery in remote ocean shocks marine science experts
THERE'S no escaping microplastic pollution in our oceans...traces have now reached the most remote water on Earth.
Woman battles ex in row over £18m property
A WOMAN is locked in a court fight with her tycoon ex after claiming she was promised half of their £18million house.
UK choir is world's favourite boyband
THEY can lay claim to being the world's biggest boyband with millions of fans globally - yet many of us haven't heard of South London sensations Libera.
Helping terminally ill patients to end their suffering is one of the most rewarding things that I've ever done
HAVING the option of an assisted death \"takes the fear out of the dying process\" for terminally ill patients, a US medic says.
Storm Bert sweeps in as snow shuts schools
HUNDREDS of schools closed yesterday as snow hit parts of the UK - and there is weekend chaos to come when Storm Bert barrels in.
£72m cost of Charles' cut-price Coronation
TAXPAYERS spent £72million on the King's Coronation last May less than half that of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth, according to Government figures.
British lawyer, 28, dies with four others after free shots' poisoning
A BRITISH lawyer has died on holiday in Laos after apparently being poisoned by a drink contaminated with methanol.
