Better rights for parents and a fairer start for every family

There are few moments more exciting, exhausting and life-changing than having a baby.

Those first few weeks are precious. They are a time to recover, bond with a new child and work out what life looks like as a family. But for too many working families, financial pressures and limited rights mean one parent has to return to work far sooner than they would like.

I think we should be supporting families better than that.

The UK currently has the worst paternity leave entitlement in Europe. Fathers and partners are entitled to just two weeks of statutory leave, paid at less than half the minimum wage, while self-employed fathers have no entitlement at all.

For many families, even taking those two weeks is simply unaffordable. Official figures show most paternity leave claimed goes to higher earners. Having a right on paper is not enough if families cannot afford to use it.

This matters for mums, dads and babies.

A mother recovering from childbirth should not have to worry that her partner has to rush back to work. I know from my own family’s experience that, following a Caesarean section, mothers can be advised not to drive for up to six weeks. In rural areas like parts of High Peak, that can be particularly difficult and isolating if their partner has already returned to work.

Fathers should have the opportunity to build that early bond with their children and play an equal role in caring for them.

That is why I am helping lead the campaign for better paternity leave as part of the Government’s review of parental leave. The review is due to conclude this December, and I want it to deliver meaningful improvements for working families.

Sadly, not everyone believes we need to do more for families. Kemi Badenoch has argued that maternity pay has gone too far, while the previous Conservative MP for High Peak personally attacked me for rearranging one of my jobs fairs so I could be with my wife for the birth of our daughter.

This is not simply about fathers. It is about giving parents genuine choice and creating a fairer workplace for everyone.

Research by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation found that giving fathers six weeks of leave at 90% of earnings could generate £2.6 billion in economic growth, with much of the cost offset by increased participation by women in the workforce.

Labour has a proud record of improving rights for working families. The last Labour Government introduced statutory paternity leave, and I was proud to help steer the Employment Rights Act through Parliament, making paternity leave a day-one right.

By contrast, Reform UK has said it would scrap the Employment Rights Act, putting hard-won protections for working people at risk.

Britain’s falling birth rate will have long-term consequences for all of us. We should be making it easier, not harder, for parents to have children and give them the best possible start in life.

Over the coming months, I will continue campaigning for families in High Peak and across the UK to get the support they deserve.