THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018 LEICESTER MERCURY 5

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❚❙ Sixty classmates were invited to Fun Valley centre event Palmer to

BY JACOB JARVIS
BIRTHDAY TREAT: Ruma
seek views
on Brexit
A mum has defended her Ali with twins Kiyan, left,
decision to charge for children and Shiyan
to attend her twin sons’
birthday party after a parent
MEP Rory Palmer was today due
questioned the fee. to meet members of East Mid-
Ruma Ali, 29, is a single moth- lands Chamber of Commerce
er of two boys who will be five to discuss their priorities for
on Thursday, February 8. the UK’s Brexit deal.
She is hosting a party for He will hear an update on the
Shiyan and Kiyan and invited impact of the Brexit process so
60 of their classmates from a far at the chamber’s quarterly
school in Evington, Leicester. Strategy and Influence Group
The event will be at Fun Val- meeting.
ley, Evington, on the Sunday Labour East Midlands MEP
after their birthday and Ms Ali Mr Palmer will also be seeking
has asked for parents to con- their views on what the Gov-
tribute £6 per child to the costs. ernment should be prioritising
One parent posted anonym- in negotiations to get the best
ously in a Facebook com- possible deal for the East Mid-
munity group and said: “My lands, and using that to put
four-year-old has been invited pressure on negotiators on
to a classmate’s fifth birthday both sides of the Channel.
party. Speaking ahead of the meet-
“The said parent has hired ing, Mr Palmer said: “I’m de-
Fun Valley and stipulated a termined to do everything in
payment of £6 per child on the my power to get the best Brexit
birthday invitations. deal for the East Midlands.
“My older kids are in second- “Businesses across the region

Twins’ mum
ary school and in all my years need clarity about what the
of hosting and being invited to that was before extras such as Government is seeking to
kids’ parties, I have never been goody bags and cakes. achieve so that they can plan
asked to pay for attending a Even with the parents subsid- and adjust. We can’t go on be-
party. Is this the done thing ising the cost she expects the ing kept in the dark.
nowadays?” bill to be about £500. “I’m delighted to be joining
Ms Ali, who is in her second Apart from the one anonym- the East Midlands Chamber of
year at De Montfort University ous poster she said no other Commerce for what promises

under fire for

studying for a degree, said that parents queried the fee. to be an interesting discussion.
despite her contact number be- Ms Ali also said that if any “I’m looking forward to work-
ing on the invitation, the par- parent could not have afforded ing with their members to
ent had not contacted her dir- it she would have understood make sure our region has a
ectly. She said she made the de- and still wanted their child to loud voice during Brexit – we
cision as the boys are in two attend. need an outcome that works for
separate classes, so have a lot of “Everyone is entitled to their our businesses, workers and
friends. own opinion, but this was the communities.
The former council worker best way for me,” she said. “I’ll be listening to the con-

£5 birthday
said she did not want any Lots of people have defended cerns of businesses across the
youngsters to be left out, but her on the original Facebook region and making sure their
felt she could not afford to pay post that sparked the debate. message is being heard by both
for all of them on her own. One person said: “Not all par- the UK Government and the
“I didn’t want anybody to get ents can afford to pay for EU.
left out,’’ she said. “I thought I parties but also they want to Chris Hobson, director of
don’t want to pick and choose make their child happy by hav- policy and external affairs at
which friends can come. ing a party for them. Instead of East Midlands Chamber, said:

party charge
“I thought, invite the whole buying a gift you could pay the “At a time of uncertainty for
class and then nobody’s upset. £6 and buy a birthday card.” business as far as Brexit is con-
“I thought they (the parents) Another poster thought it was cerned, the chamber welcomes
would understand the charge.” nice that Ms Ali wanted to in- Rory’s participation at the
As the basic charge for the clude all the children, adding: event so he can ensure their
venue was £11 for each child, “I personally feel if you want to interests are represented at
she said it would have cost £660 attend and pay then do so, and the upcoming trade negoti-
if all those invited attended and if you don’t that’s fine, too.” ations.”

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