Telford MP stands for better paternity leave as 'mental health crisis among new dads reaches worrying point'
A Shropshire MP is making a stand for better paternity leave - by hanging baby-grows in the town.
Telford MP Shaun Davies hung baby-grows emblazoned with the words “two weeks isn’t enough” in front of the Thomas Telford statue in Telford Square on Sunday (May 11).
The stunt was part of a nationwide campaign with more than 100 others – including 15 other MPs – hanging baby-grows at famous locations across the country. Across more than 100 locations, from Premier League stadiums to the White Cliffs of Dover, they hung baby-grows on washing lines spelling out “two weeks isn’t enough".
The campaign is targeted at Britain’s paternity leave laws, with new fathers’ entitlement of two weeks’ paid leave among the lowest in Europe.
Shaun Davies has highlighted this issue before, leading a debate in Parliament last November on new dads’ paternity leave and pay.
This stunt was timed to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week, with new research from The Dad Shift and Movember finding that 45 per cent of UK fathers experience multiple symptoms of depression or anxiety after having a baby, and nearly one in 15 new dads have experienced suicidal thoughts in their first year of fatherhood.
It was found that 82 per cent of fathers said improving paternity leave is the single biggest action the Government could take to improve their mental health.
The Government has already introduced some measures to improve parental employment rights through the Employment Rights Bill, which is currently making its way through Parliament.
Among a raft of major changes to employment law, the Bill makes paternity leave a day-one right for new dads, rather than making them work for 26 weeks before being eligible for even two weeks' leave.
Employees will also have the flexibility to take paternity leave after taking shared parental leave, offering more choice in how families manage their time off.
Shaun Davies said: “The mental health crisis among new dads has reached a worrying point – but it’s great to see so much awareness and will to change.
“I know the Government is aware of this problem and cares about improving dads’ mental health, so I’ll keep working with my fellow MPs, the Dad Shift and Movember, and the brilliant organisations in my constituency, to campaign for progress on this vital issue.”
