SIR Keir Starmer is under fresh pressure to boost paternity leave as dozens of his own MPs rally for a new deal for dads.
A day after Kemi Badenoch sparked a Tory row over maternity pay at the party conference, Labour backbenchers are now piling pressure on the PM to deliver on his pledge to review parental leave.
They branded the UK’s current offer for fathers as “cruelly short” and the worst in Europe, with dads eligible for just two weeks off at £184.03 a week or 90 per cent of their earnings—whichever is lower.
Leading the charge, Makerfield MP Josh Simons told The Sun: “We can achieve equality in hiring, business, and childcare only with reform.
“To give our kids the best start in life, women equality in the workplace, and to value the Dads we want young boys to grow up to be, we must act.
“The Government’s parental leave review should be just the beginning in valuing family and parenthood as we should.”
Telford MP Shaun Davies echoed the sentiment, insisting it’s time to treat having kids as “a benefit, not a burden”.
Meanwhile, Dunfermline and Dollar MP Graeme Downie warned Britain is facing a population crisis, adding fixing paternity leave could be key to boosting birth rates and “building stronger, flexible families for the future“.
Sarah Smith, who represents Hyndburn, shared how extended paternity leave enabled her husband to support her after childbirth and helped her transition into her new role as an MP.
She went on: “This demonstrates that it’s not just the morally right thing to do, it’s also right for economic growth because it gives both parents greater ability to manage work and family.”
George Gabriel, co-founder of the Dad Shift, a campaign for better paternity rights, said he was amazing to see “dozens” of Labour MPs signing up in support.
He added: “It’s clear that there’s been a shift, with 90 per cent of dads saying fathers these days want to be more involved with their kids.
“Keir Starmer showed no fear when defending his efforts to protect time with his kids, we are excited that in this review of parental leave he has the opportunity to stand up for other parents too.”
The Government has committed to completing a review of parental leave, including shared parental leave, within its first year in office.
A row over comments by leadership candidate Ms Badenoch suggesting maternity pay had “gone too far” dominated the first day of the Tory Party conference.
