Nigel Farage leader of Reform UK speaks at a press conference in London, Thursday, April 2, 2026. Reform UK’s plans for a Women and Motherhood Protection Act have been compared to the dystopian Handmaid’s Tale in a scathing takedown.
Nigel Farage’s party has promised to “strengthen women’s rights, protect motherhood and restore equality before the law” in a new policy document.
It claims the Equality Act does not go far enough and that sex based rights have been eroded.
The party vows “Reform UK will be the most pro-woman and pro-mother government in modern British history”.
It pledges to protect existing maternity rights and extend the time limit for pregnancy and maternity claims of unfair dismissal to 12 months.
“This Act will make Britain one of the best countries in the world to become a mother,” Reform alleges.
But the pledges fell flat with Labour MP Stella Creasy, who has long campaigned against the “motherhood penalty” in the UK.
She told HuffPost UK: “Reform reveal they think only women have responsibility for bringing up children.
“This is a charter for bringing in the Handmaid’s Tale, not equality in the home or the workplace – reinforcing the motherhood penalty and not ending it.”
The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian novel and drama series about forcing fertile women to bear children in a totalitarian society.
Creasy continued: “That’s why we need to align with Europe in giving all parents rights to paid parental leave so that no parent is left holding the baby.
“If Reform are serious about helping end discrimination, they should back my amendment to do that instead of failing to even mention the responsibilities of dads and second parents.”
Bridget Phillipson, minister for women and equalities, also criticised the policy suggestion.
She said: “Nigel Farage has spent years arguing women don’t need the protections and rights we fought for.
“From their leader praising Andrew Tate, to running a self-professed sexist as a candidate, Reform prove time and again they have a problem with women.”
Reform’s candidate for the upcoming Makerfield by-election, Robert Kenyon, made sexist remarks in unearthed social media comments and even admitted: “I’m sexist, sorry but I am.”
Phillipson continued: “Tearing up the Equality Act on day one just to replace it with something weaker is a complete waste of time and money.
“It was a Labour government that put women’s rights into law, and a Labour government now that is safeguarding and strengthening them.”
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