Today I spoke at a very wet Parent Strike, in support of six weeks' paternity leave at...

Today I spoke at a very wet Parent Strike, in support of six weeks' paternity leave at 90% pay.

I've got two boys, eight years apart.

For my eldest, I took the statutory two weeks. Like a lot of dads, I couldn't actually afford it, so I used my annual leave instead. Being back at work within a few weeks, and having to work away overnight within the first month of my son's life, was hard.

For my youngest, I got four weeks on full pay, because by then I worked for an employer that had chosen to do better.

That time mattered. Being there for the bonds you only get once, and supporting my wife through recovery from a c-section rather than leaving her to it while I sat at a desk.

The difference between those two experiences came down to the good fortune of who I happened to work for.

Every dad deserves that time. Every mum deserves that support. Every child deserves those bonds.

My boys are a big part of why I got into politics in the first place, and this is exactly the sort of change I want them to grow up with.

Rights are never given. They are taken through collective action. If you agree, please write to your MP and back the call.

https://act.parentstrike.org/email-your-mp

Six weeks. 90%. Every dad. 💙

@[61571750638951:2048:Stockport Who Let The Dads Out?]

@[100057411640889:2048:Just 4 Dads St Chads]