MP Layla Moran announces birth of first child

Layla Moran has said she is "delighted" to announce the birth of her first child with her partner and will be taking parental leave for about five months.

The Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon said the baby had been born at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford and was "doing very well".

Ms Moran first confirmed her relationship with ex-Lib Dem head of media Rosy Cobb in 2020.

She said her office would remain open for all casework while she was on leave and a proxy vote would be in place to ensure her constituents were represented.

Ms Moran added: "In this moment of joy for our family I want to thank the NHS staff who are taking such good care of us.

"I also want to thank in advance my amazing parliamentary and campaigns staff, the clerks of the select committee and my fellow MPs for supporting me in taking parental leave.

"Finally, thanks to those who have sent their good wishes. We feel blessed indeed."

Ms Moran's proxy vote will be made by another Liberal Democrat MP, who is yet to be confirmed.

The MP also chairs the Health and Social Care Committee. She said it would be "ably shepherded" by Labour MP and committee vice-chair Paulette Hamilton, to whom she was "extremely grateful".

Her leave will encompass the House of Commons Whitsun recess dates, from 22 May until 2 June, as well as the Summer recess from 30 July to 2 September.

Parental leave provisions are made available to MPs through the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

Ms Moran was elected in 2017 and was the Lib Dems' foreign affairs spokesperson between 2020 and 2024.

The daughter of a former EU ambassador and a Christian Arab from Jerusalem, she was the first ethnic minority female Lib Dem MP and the first MP of Palestinian descent.

She lost out to Sir Ed Davey in the race to become the new leader of the Liberal Democrats in 2020.

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