Leading British cultural figures urge Mumsnet to press UK government over Gaza maternity crisis
More than 100 of Britain and Ireland’s most prominent cultural figures have urged the parenting platform Mumsnet to use its political influence to press the UK government to act over what they describe as a deepening maternity and infant health crisis in Gaza.
In an open letter released shortly after midnight on Thursday, the group, which includes senior actors, writers, musicians and artists, called on Mumsnet and its chief executive Justine Roberts to demand immediate action to allow humanitarian access to Gaza, particularly for maternity care, medical equipment and hygiene supplies.
Among the signatories are Judi Dench, Joanna Lumley, Imelda Staunton, Meera Syal, Annie Lennox and Sienna Miller, alongside dozens of other well-known mothers from the arts and media sectors.
Focus on maternity care and infant mortality
The letter highlights the impact of continued restrictions on humanitarian aid entering Gaza, noting warnings from international organisations that infant mortality has risen sharply as a result of malnutrition, lack of medical care and the collapse of the health system.
Citing UNICEF data, the signatories point to a reported 75 per cent increase in infant mortality over the past two years, with many babies born underweight or prematurely to mothers experiencing acute hunger and stress . Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which the letter notes delivers around one in three births in Gaza, is among 37 aid organisations recently banned from operating there, a move the authors describe as “catastrophic” for pregnant women and newborns.
The letter also draws attention to four fully equipped mobile maternity clinics currently stationed across the border in Egypt, funded by grassroots efforts in the UK and Ireland, which have been denied entry to Gaza despite the escalating crisis.
Why Mumsnet is being targeted
The appeal is directed specifically at Mumsnet because of its reach and political standing. The platform has around nine million users annually, and its policy positions have previously been raised directly with successive prime ministers.
The signatories argue that Mumsnet’s own 2024 manifesto, which prioritised maternity care, birth trauma and women’s safety, gives it both the moral authority and responsibility to speak out on the situation in Gaza.
They urge the platform to press the UK government to insist on:
- Immediate entry for mobile maternity clinics and medical equipment
- Full access for independent humanitarian organisations, including MSF, Oxfam and Save the Children
- The delivery of sanitary products and essential hygiene supplies for women and girls
Political accountability
While the letter is framed as an appeal from mothers to mothers, it does not shy away from assigning responsibility. It argues that the crisis facing women and babies in Gaza is the result of political decisions rather than natural disaster, and notes that the UK government continues to support Israel diplomatically while aid remains blocked.
Actor Juliet Stevenson, a co-organiser of the initiative, said the scale of support for the letter shows the issue is far from marginal, describing the suffering of Palestinian families as something “felt right in the heart of British homes.”
The letter concludes by calling on Mumsnet to galvanise its users to demand “tangible actions” rather than statements, warning that without urgent intervention, mothers and babies in Gaza will continue to face life-threatening conditions through the winter months.
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