Over 50 Telford Dads join Shaun Davies MP to get a better paternity leave deal
Telford MP Shaun Davies hosted an event at Telford's Exotic Zoo last week for around 50 dads, their partners, and children to discuss challenges facing fathers, such as limited paternity leave.
Around 50 dads, their partners and children attended Telford MP Shaun Davies Dads event in at Telford’s very Own Exotic Zoo in the heart of Telford Town Park last week to discuss the challenges facing dads today, including limited paternity leave.
The event here in Telford joined in a string of similar events around the country. The date marked the 22nd anniversary of Labour’s introduction of Statutory Paternity Leave, which new research shows has benefitted 4 million babies across the UK. The new Government has committed to paternity leave as a day one right of employment, meaning you are entitled even if you just started your job.
The Government has also pledged to review paternity leave after research demonstrated British Dads get the worse deal in Europe with just 2 weeks of paternity leave at around £187 per week statutory paternity pay.
Shaun met Dads at the Exotic Zoo where families were given free access to the zoo then joined Shaun to talk about the pressures on new Dads, bringing up children in Telford and what the Government can do to support them and also to share their personal stories.
Alex Graham from Telford was one of the Dads who attended Shaun’s event with his daughter. He said: ”It’s been a great event. My little one loved the visit to the zoo – laughs and smiles all-round. It was brilliant to speak to people who understand and want to aid and give fathers the support they deserve.”
Shaun added: "I am a Telford Dad and meeting with local Dads meant a lot to me. Across our area, families have really struggled in recent years, and I know that Dads in particular struggle to get enough time with their children in those first months. We need to deliver a fairer deal – 2 weeks isn’t enough - and I am fully committed to supporting The Dad Shift campaign in making this a reality.
“I’ll be pushing the Government to build on the Employment Rights Bill, reform paternity leave laws, and bring the UK into the 21st century. It’s time for change, not just for families in Telford, but across the entire country."
Research by the Dad Shift shows that over 4 million babies have benefitted since the introduction of Statutory Paternity Leave by the last Labour government 22 years ago. Ten years ago, the coalition introduced Shared Parental Leave - by which mothers can share some of their leave allowance with their partners, however with uptake of SPL at less than 2% nationally momentum is building for further reform.
Labour’s Employment Rights Bill will make statutory paternity leave a day 1 right, meaning you are entitled to it from the day you start your job, and campaigners hope an upcoming review of parental leave will see the UK’s dads given more time off with their new babies.
