Today’s Liberal Democrat policy news: six weeks paternity leave

Another day, another Lib Dem policy proposal:

Liberal Democrats will give fathers an extra four weeks paternity leave under manifesto plans announced today.

Currently fathers are entitled to two weeks paternity leave but the Liberal Democrats want to go further and dedicate an extra four weeks exclusively to fathers. This will increase the protected paternity leave for dads to six weeks…

Liberal Democrat Business and Equalities Minister Jo Swinson said:

“Liberal Democrats are building a stronger economy and a fairer society where everybody has the opportunity to get on in life. Shared parental leave plays an essential part in that. It allows couples to choose how to split time off work to look after their new baby.

“Extending paternity leave is an important next step to encouraging new dads to spend more time with their child in those vital early weeks and months after birth.”

Double messaging bonus points to Jo Swinson for that first sentence.

These proposals form part of the pre-manifesto document which will get debated at the Liberal Democrat conference in Glasgow this October and are a welcome follow-up to the party’s previous promotion of the importance of paternity leave for fathers.

They also are ones that do not generate a direct cost to the government, making this at least one policy which doesn’t add to the financial squeeze on sectors such as local government in Lib Dem plans.

Take a look at my archive of policy posts to see the other proposals recently launched that will also feature at Glasgow.