Article in Mail On Sunday
23 October 2005 - By Alistair Self
“GESTAPO” Social Workers wanted to put my baby on a at-risk register says MP

Millionaire MP John Hemming revealed last night how social workers had threatened to place his newborn baby daughter Isabel on an at-risk register.

The father of four is furious at their behaviour during an investigation into why Isabel’s mother, 30 year old Emily Cox, had not registered the death of a stillborn baby when she was a teenager.

Mr Hemming 45, said the officials even tried to question his mistress Miss Cox as she went into labour in hospital last week. “It was harassment. They are acting like the Gestapo”, he said. The social workers later recommended that the infant should be placed on the child protection register but it is understood that this has been withdrawn.

The Mail on Sunday can also reveal today that the Birmingham MP skipped last week’s knife-edge Commons vote on ID cards after being given “paternity leave” so he could be at the birth of his love child.

He was absent from the Commons for three days after receiving permission from Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Andrew Stunnell.

Miss Cox was recovering last night in hospital. Mr Hemming, who is staying with his wife Christine 46, and their three children, said “Emily is very distressed. I am caring for her as well as my wife and our children”.

Miss Cox, who became Mr Hemmings lover six years ago, told her GP during an ante-natal consultation about the stillbirth which happened when she was 17.

Mr Hemming said a social worker and two police officers later called at Miss Cox’s home. He said the social worker “barged in and told her that the council could take her new baby away unless she co-operated with their inquiry”.

He said he feared there was a hidden agenda because Miss Cox had criticised social workers over their adoption policies.

A social services spokesman said “We do not comment on individual cases”.