PENISTONE and Stocksbridge MP Marie Tidball spoke in Parliament to mark the ‘historic commitment’ of the Labour government to repeal the presumption of contact.

Claire Throssell MBE’s campaign to ensure Jack and Paul left a legacy that no parent should ever have to endure the ordeal she has.

Her boys aged just 12 and nine at the time were killed by their own father after he deliberately started a fire during unsupervised child contact.

Children will be protected from domestic abuse and harm under the plans announced by the government this week to repeal the presumption of parental involvement from the Children Act 1989.

The repeal is founded on the clear principle that every child deserves to be safe yet new evidence published this week shows that assuming it’s always in the best interest of a child to have the involvement of both parents can perpetuate abuse.

Marie said: “It was a privilege to speak alongside the formidable Claire Throssell MBE as well as Dr Charlotte Proudman , Dr Adrienne Barnett, Claire Waxman OBE, Alex Davies-Jones MP , and Apsana Begum , who have all worked tirelessly to put children at the heart of our family courts.

“Every child in our family courts deserves to be heard, believed, and protected.

“One of the most poignant moments of my life was walking into 10 Downing Street with Claire and Minister Davies Jones, on the week of the 11th anniversary of the deaths of Jack and Paul, to hear our Prime Minister make his personal promise to Claire that our government would repeal the presumption of parental involvement in law.

“I will not rest until Jack and Paul’s law is in the statute books.

“This monumental change in the law is going to save the lives of generations of children to come, giving them brighter and safer futures.”