"My husband drops my son down here at eight o'clock every morning, and I pick him up every evening," says Ms Francis as she waits in the lobby for her six-month-old son.

Ms Francis says childcare is a very difficult issue for politicians

"He is only here part-time at the moment because I only work part-time, but I intend to go back into full-time work, then I'll have to leave him here all week.

"I would love to stay at home and look after him. If politicians really wanted to help, they would pay parents to stay at home and see more of their children.

"I do get tax credits, but it's just not enough. At the minute I only get enough credit to pay for half a day's nursery a month.

"It's a strange situation because all my wages go to paying the nursery fees. I'm working for nothing."

Tony Blair's plan for primary schools to provide care from eight in the morning until six at night is "not fair on the kids", she says.

"The kids already have far too much homework and are under far too much pressure. This would just get worse under those proposals."

Ms Latty-Dennison works part time to help support her eight-month-old son, Benedict.

Ms Latty-Dennison does not see an alternative to working

"The children are going to end up having a longer day at work than their parents," she says of Labour's proposals.

"And it's all very well for Michael Howard to say he'll give us money to pay for childminders, or pay our relatives, but where does the money come from?

"There does need to be more support for working parents. I have to work part-time for four days every week just to get by.

"The cost of living is so high, and childcare is so expensive you just have to work."

She says she does not see how politicians could change the situation.

"All of these proposals seem to be encouraging parents to spend more and more time away from their children," says 36-year-old Mr Eisa.

Mr Eisa says he had to go self-employed to be a good parent

"As for getting relatives to look after the children, well I don't live anywhere near my relatives, so that's not really an option.

"What politicians should be looking at is more paid paternity and maternity leave. They should try to legislate for more flexible working hours.

"I tried to get more flexibility, but ended up having to go and work for myself because I couldn't get what I wanted."