Just because something is so patently a good idea and has been outstanding for such a ridiculous length of time, it doesn’t mean that one shouldn’t congratulate and indeed thank the person who rights that earlier wrong.
Therefore step forward Nick Clegg and take your bow for seeking to replace maternal leave with parental leave whereby either parent can take the ten months paid leave to look after their newborn child and give it the best start in life.
This isn’t the end of the story for parental leave of course – what about cohabiting couples who aren’t married? Should they have access? Should that exclude/include same sex couples? (and there’s no reason why they should be excluded). Should an employee have to work for 6 months/1 year/2 years before they are entitled to the benefit? Plenty of babyfood for thought remains.
However, the positives should be focussed on.
I can’t reference it, but I do recall reading that clear evidence exists that fathers who take extended leave to be with their newborn child during their formative years tend to stick around longer and the benefits that parental leave will mean for equality and treatment of females in the workplace are obvious. Any discrimination against employees ‘of child-bearing age’ (whatever that means these days) can now be applied equally across both the sexes rather than just against females.
The gender inequality to one side, there is something quite pleasing about the three party leaders (four if one includes Gordon Brown) all being fathers of young children and all having real life experience and an emotional investment in this issue. The ‘tone at the top’ can do wonders to change attitudes across a country, and goodness knows that large parts of this country needs attitudes to change, so it is gratifying to see Ed Miliband take his full paternity leave and to know that David Cameron makes sure he does the weekly shopping. We might need a few football stars to publicly do the same to get the message across more fully but political leaders are doing their bit and, amidst the cynicism and snide remarks, they deserve praise for that.
Politically speaking, this is clearly Nick Clegg’s policy and it is through these announcements that Lib Dem redemption may yet be realised. This won’t be the end of the ‘easy wins’ that the coalition junior partners will have accrued for the years ahead in return for assisting the Conservatives so resolutely and, like this policy, it should pay off. Labour had 13 years to act on parental leave and only started to far too late, the Conservatives (rightly or wrongly) are not typically associated with fuzzy, family friendly policies and the Greens, long onboard with these proposals and in many ways leading the way, simply do not get the press that would suitably reward them. This is cash cow territory for Lib Dem fortunes.
Stable families are the bedrock of society and I have seen many a father come back to work after a paltry two weeks of leave (one of which is unpaid) barely able to keep their eyes open.
With this flexibility in the benefits system, young families can thrive and business will benefit through reduced discrimination and an appreciative, energised workforce.
No complaints from me on this one – I agree with Nick.
#1 by Mike on January 18, 2011 - 10:22 am
‘Stable families are the bedrock of society’ indeed they are – and this Yummy Mummy politics – whilst ‘a good thing’ palls next to the assault on working people and the public sphere that Clegg and Cameron are implementing.
This is icing on the social policy cake whilst the cake is being removed.
No shock doctrine for Scotland.
#2 by Jeff on January 18, 2011 - 10:35 am
I reckon some policies should be allowed to be viewed in isolation but I can appreciate if some can’t see past the economic impact of coalition policy.
Can’t say ‘Yummy Mummy politics’ is the best choice of phrase though…
#3 by Despairing on January 18, 2011 - 10:47 am
I think there’s scope to extend other leave, like sick leave, between couples. One sick line could cover both people, where one gets “carer leave” in some cases without having to take sick leave themselves.
Many employers now red-flag people who take too much sick leave, so this would see a carer or spouse able to take leave to look after a family member without having to pretend to be sick themselves.
Obviously, it would only cover the most severe cases, not Mondayitis!
#4 by John Ruddy on January 18, 2011 - 11:07 am
I’m not sure that Nick Clegg should or could claim this as his policy. Every news bulletin I’ve heard on it this morning (BBC Breakfast TV, BBC Radio News, Tay FM) have described it as a policy introduced by the last Labour government, but being implemented by the coalition. Which is true – perhaps Clegg’s victory is in preventing the tories from scrapping it before it started? A more difficult sell.
Whilst it is true that Labour had 13 years to introduce this, and perhaps should have acted sooner – you need to remember that before they could introduce the ability for fathers to take up to 10 months paternity leave if the mother didnt take it – they had to increase the mothers maternity leave! I’m sure you will remember the wails of anguish from the CBI and the Conservatives about increasing maternity leave from 4 weeks to 6 months – and then to 12 months? You’d think it was the end of civilisation as we know it!
#5 by Caron on January 18, 2011 - 11:40 am
Obviously you aren’t going to get me disagreeing here. I think it makes sense to acknowledge that kids have 2 parents who should have the right to make the best decision for their family as to who takes the leave.
This to me is what liberalism is all about – treating people like grown ups and giving them the right to make their own decisions.
And as for the business criticism – is there any new employee right business have ever welcomed?
#6 by Mike on January 18, 2011 - 12:08 pm
I suppose what I’m saying is that this is good but completely inadequate therefore yum mum put-down. I’m thinking of Juliet Schors Plentitude and her earlier (The Overworked American) http://www.julietschor.org/2010/05/welcome-to-plenitude/ and Pat Kane’s ideas on a play economy.
What we need is to change the economy, overwork and productivism / consumption for their own sake.
As it stands ‘I don’t trust Nick.’
#7 by Jeff on January 18, 2011 - 1:08 pm
Fair enough Mike. I heard someone question recently whether the UK had a ‘national heave’ and, if not, what that heave should be working towards if we had one.
I guess that rather neatly combines the points you’re making about overwork/consuption for its own sake and Clegg’s point that families should be a higher priority.
#8 by Indy on January 18, 2011 - 1:31 pm
Nick Clegg certainly makes me heave lol.
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