Reform UK's deputy leader says mothers having to work is a 'travesty' and behind a rise in anorexia and bulimia among children

Reform UK's co-deputy leader has said it is a 'travesty' that working mothers 'don't have enough time' for their children.

Dr David Bull suggested children 'desperately' need a parent at home, and not doing so meant they were not getting enough emotional support.

The TV presenter-turned-politician pointed to a rise in eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia in girls and boys, as well as harms from social media.

Dr Bull was quizzed about his party's stance after Reform yesterday unveiled their 'contract' with British voters ahead of the general election on 4 July.

The document outlines Reform's plans to support marriage through the tax system and frontload child benefit between the ages of one to four.

The party said this would 'give parents the choice to spend more time with their children'.

Speaking to Sky News, Dr Bull said Reform believed that 'children do better in stable relationships across the board'.

'In marriage, you know, and that marriage is an important bond, isn't it?,' he added.

'Because I think what children desperately need is someone at home, and they need someone to be there and support them during that education.

'So we think that's a cornerstone, actually. And one of the things that I find really strange and very difficult to understand is the disconnect that children now have.

'Because they have when you come home at night, you want to be able to offload what's been going on at school, and you need someone at home to be able to do that.

'And if we can incentivise that through tax breaks or whatever it is, that has to be a good thing.'

Analysis of Office for National Statistics data has shown a plunge in the number of stay-at-home parents.

Just 1.4million were inactive to care for family or a home in the first quarter of last year, compared to 2.9million in March to May 1993.

Thirty years ago home-makers made up 35 per cent of the 'economically inactive' population - but now the level is just 19 per cent.

Dr Bull denied he was suggesting that families with two working parents were not providing a good upbringing for children.

'Of course, it's incredibly difficult,' he said. 'And parents have to work because of the cost of living.

'But actually, the ideal would be to have a parent that is there available when children need them.'

He added: 'So we polled extensively, actually. But I think if you talk to any mother, of course, they want to spend time with their children.

'They want to see them grow and develop. And if you're spending all your time at work and you don't have enough time with your kids, I think that's a travesty.'

Pressed on whether he thought children were being damaged by parents' work commitments, Dr Bull replied: 'I think, emotionally, children need support as they grow and develop. There are lots of questions they have.

'You have to look at why children are now so obsessed with social media and - certainly from the point of view of having nephews and nieces - that are being told all sorts of stuff on social media that needs correcting immediately.

'One of the biggest things we've seen is the rise of anorexia and bulimia in young women and in young boys as well.'

Asked if that was because of parents' absence from home, he added: 'Well, I think actually the parents are there and they need to counter some of the myths that are on social media. You know, these are not realistic images.'

Dr Bull continued: 'In an ideal world, I think stability and support from whichever parent can do that, or indeed one parent one day, another parent the other day is the ideal. And if we can encourage that, and that's great.'