It’s a sign of how overheated everything has become that the idea of having a creche at a political meeting is greeted as weird and sinister. Two women in Momentum have recognised that childcare is an issue, and therefore Momentum Kids has been set up. Childcare will be provided at some of the group’s events. This should make meetings more accessible for women.

This is being mocked because it comes from Momentum, who have also said they want to increase children’s involvement in politics through fun and engaging activities. Shrieks of cult, “tiny trots”, “Hitler youth” and “child soldiers” have been the response online to the news they might run some breakfast clubs.

Momentum to start children's wing to boost 'involvement in labour movement' Read more

Really, this response is ridiculous. I am no fan of Momentum or Jeremy Corbyn at all but I applaud any political organisation that seeks to help women engage. This is also a relief compared with most Momentum utterances which seem to be about deselection, betrayal or denials of misogyny. For too long, many of the guys involved in the global class struggle have entirely ignored the more local struggle of who cares for the kids. Any social movement or attempt at participatory democracy needs to bring in women and children and is more effective for it.

Indeed, in the last couple of years, we have seen that many of the protests around housing have been organised by young single mothers who pool childcare. This energy is counter to the professionalisation we’ve seen in political parties, where the conversation around childcare has gone backwards, and it’s regarded as a private and individual issue.

Feminists have long recognised that this attitude curtails women’s involvement in politics and tried to do something about it. When my children were small I was able to go to all sorts of events and conferences because childcare was provided. It didn’t always work out. Children don’t all like creches. Or behave in them. During a discussion on domestic labour, I had to be summoned to the creche as my daughter was in a fracas with another toddler who would not give up the toy iron and ironing board.

James Schneider (@schneiderhome) Amount of Nazi shit I'm getting for Momentum Kids is breathtaking.



Context: compare Schneiders in Poland in 1938 to 1945. Pretty unpleasant

The point is that when we organised a meeting, a high priority would be given to manning the creche. Sometimes, I heard, literally. Men would be doing the childcare, so women could participate. This is simply about opening up political space, making it more woman-friendly. The Women’s Equality party, which I am involved in, provides financial support to candidates for childcare because we recognise childcare is key to women’s participation and empowerment.

The idea of childcare as a cooperative enterprise is surely good, whoever it comes from? Those muttering about indoctrination should go and supervise some soft play – they clearly have not been near a child or a creche for years. The question of who looks after the kids does not exist “outside’’ politics but is fundamental to it. Why shoot down this recognition?