A RISE in childcare charges in Glasgow means that new mums in the city can’t afford to return to work, Richard Leonard said yesterday.

In its first budget since the SNP took control, Glasgow City Council has announced an increase in the standard childcare rate from £2.54 per hour to £4, with the reduced rate going from 65p to £1.

At First Minister’s questions yesterday, Scottish Labour leader Mr Leonard asked First Minister Nicola Sturgeon how many families would be affected by the rise.

After she dodged the question and focused on other reforms to the childcare regime, Mr Leonard said a freedom of information request submitted by Labour had revealed that a staggering 5,000 would pay more.

“Five thousand families like the Spence family,” he told MSPs. “Sarah Spence works for the NHS as an assistant practice manager in Anniesland.

“It is a vital job, but she told me: ‘I feel like I would be forced to give up work to look after my son, which is unfair as I love my job in the NHS and I do not want to not work’.”

Mr Leonard said families would have to find another £220 a month to pay the increased fees.

“First Minister,” he asked, “how many working-class families do you know with a spare £220 a month?”

Ms Sturgeon spoke of her pledge to almost double free childcare provision by 2020. She said the reforms would “save families across the country thousands of pounds a year.”

But the Scottish Labour leader responded: “These charges won’t open the door for working families. They will slam the door shut.”

Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson called for a key breast cancer drug currently offered to patients in England to be made available north of the border.