Motherhood Becomes Issue in Race for U.K. Prime Minister

Andrea Leadsom told the Times of London that being a mother makes her a better choice for prime minister than Theresa May because it means that she has “a very real stake” in the future of the country.

Mrs. May, 59, and her husband, Philip, were unable to have children and she hinted of their sadness in a recent interview. Mrs. Leadsom, 53, who has two sons and a daughter with her husband, Ben, said that being a mother meant that the future of Britain was more important to her. “Genuinely I feel that being a mum means you have a very real stake in the future of our country, a tangible stake.”

The energy minister made clear that she intended to highlight the difference over children in the campaign. Asked to contrast herself with Mrs. May, she said: “I see myself as one, an optimist, and two, a member of a huge family and that’s important to me. My kids are a huge part of my life.”