Come September this year, Alex Latham-Reynolds will become the first dad in history to use the UK’s new-fangled, improved paternity leave offer. This milestone sparks renewed celebration for the long, continuing, and fruitful campaign for better parental leave policies. The United Kingdom in particular drew heat for its lax paternity leave policy. Yet these policies are among the worst offenders in all of Europe. Fathers today have a right to just two weeks’ statutory paternity leave, set at a flat rate of £184.03 a week. It’s a dire situation, one that has created a shocking statistic. Unsurprisingly, one in three UK fathers now take no time off once their child is born.
Davies, an MP, has been a vocal and persistent advocate for paternity leave reform. He’s one of the 17 luminaries leading the charge that’s demanding the unprecedented change we need. Accompanying him will be Labour MP Luke Charters. Since then, he’s made the news again for recently announcing his intent to take at least four weeks of paternity leave when his second son arrives. Charters has been deluged with support from constituents, a sure sign that people are catching up with the public demand we are seeing for family-friendly workplace policies.
The need for reform was underscored by a report from the cross-party women and equalities select committee, which deemed the UK’s statutory parental leave system “one of the worst in the developed world.” The committee underscored the need for immediate action, citing “fundamental flaws” in the system. In particular, they called for new fathers to have a minimum of six weeks paid leave from work. It’s in line with the government’s recently adopted legislative agenda. In 2021, they won six months of maternity leave for ministers, with full pay.
Paternity leave is on everyone’s lips, largely due to these efforts, particularly from The Dad Shift campaign group’s “dad strike.” Dads protested in front of the DFBT in London. They made a strong case for improved parental leave policies in their testimony and rallying at the demonstration. The event aimed to raise awareness and encourage male participation in caregiving roles during critical early moments of a child’s life.
Luke Charters was spot on when he explained the need to model positive behavior with respect to parental duties.
“I think it’s really important to kind of model that behaviour and sort of lead by example.” – Luke Charters
Charters made clear that being an MP is indeed a challenging job, but being a father comes first.
“Being an MP is a privilege. It’s one of the busiest jobs in Britain, but I’ve got to be a dad first and an MP second.” – Luke Charters
This protest sentiment reflects an expanding anti-vaccine movement. Most importantly, it acknowledges the central caregiving role that fathers play in the earliest years of child development. As Charters pointed out,
“Paternity leave – any parental leave – is not rest, it’s essential caregiving at the start of a child’s life.” – Luke Charters
Support for these reforms extends well beyond individual MPs. Richard Lloyd, chair of Ipsa, said the independent body was determined to be “on the front foot.”
“continually looking at ways to support a family-friendly parliament.” – Richard Lloyd
This commitment is a true measure of a growing recognition of how crucial it is to implement more supportive policies for new parents.