Tory leadership candidate Kemi Badenoch has suggested that statutory maternity pay is “excessive”.

According to the government website, new mothers are legally entitled to 90% of their average earnings for six weeks, followed by a maximum of £184.03 a week for the next 33 weeks.

But appearing on Times Radio this morning, Badenoch – a former women and equalities minister – said the exact amount was “neither here nor there”.

She said she was in favour of parents taking “more personal responsibility” rather than burdening businesses with more regulation.

The MP said: “Maternity pay varies depending on who you work for, but it is a function, where it’s statutory maternity pay. It is a function of tax.

“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.”

Asked by presenter Kate McCann is she believed maternity pay was excessive, Badenoch replied: “I think it’s gone too far the other way in terms of general business regulation.

“We need to allow businesses, especially small businesses, to make more of their own decisions. The exact amount of maternity pay in my view is neither here nor there. We need to make sure that we are creating an environment where people can work and people can have more freedom to make their individual decisions.”

But McCann hit back: “Well it’s here nor there for people who can’t afford to have a baby, isn’t it?”

Badenoch replied: “We need to have more personal responsibility. There was a time when there wasn’t any maternity pay and people were having more babies.”

McCann then told her: “Well that’s because women often had to not work. They had to stay at home. So is that the solution?”

The former cabinet minister then accused the interviewer of “putting words in my mouth”.

She added: “The point I’m making, Kate, is that we have got to a point where government isn’t working anymore and it’s tinkering everywhere. Me giving you an exact amount of what maternity pay should be when circumstances are different everywhere is not where we’re starting from.”

Her comments soon sparked criticism from her leadership rivals.

Robert Jenrick said the Conservatives should be “firmly on the side of parents”, adding: “Nobody says it is easy having kids, why would we want to make it harder?”

Tom Tugendhat claimed he had not seen the context of her comment but that it is “important that women have the ability to choose how to live their lives”.

James Cleverly said: “When it comes to working mothers the cost of childcare is too expensive.

“It was government meddling that made it expensive.

“Let’s make childcare cheaper so that mums who want to can go back to work and can afford to do so.”

Badenoch later responded to the backlash, writing on X: “Contrary to what some have said, I clearly said the burden of regulation on businesses had gone too far… of course I believe in maternity pay! Watch the clip for the truth.”