Ben and Hannah Marcus from the Dad Shift campaign – and council leader Una O’Halloran in the England shirt with number two on the back

ISLINGTON wants to change years of rigid employment rules and extend paternity leave to new fathers.

In a rare moment of unity in the Town Hall chamber, Labour and the Greens supported a motion calling for the reform of the current two-week allowance.

Council leader Una O’Halloran wore an ­England football shirt during a debate with a number two on the back and a call for “extra time” for fathers and second parents.

She said: “We need to get behind our dads.”

But it was perhaps Arsenal councillor Fin Craig who illustrated the need for more understanding best – with a brave and candid account of her own experience.

“For me and for many other women the joy of giving birth was accompanied by huge hormone changes,” Cllr Craig said.

“Massive emotional swings, post-birth pain, heavy bleeding, engorged breasts, cracked and bleeding nipples and absolute exhaustion. I needed my partner there. We both needed my partner there. When both parents take leave together maternal postnatal depression is reduced by 26 per cent.

“That’s a staggering number. and reported depression and anxiety among fathers is also decreased. Fathers and second parents should not be assigned to the role of bystander.”

The declaration passed on Thursday paves the way for at least six weeks of paid leave for second parents after a baby’s birth.

Campaigners Ben and Hannah Marcus, and Cllr O’Halloran sporting a shirt calling for ‘extra time’ for dads

The council said it will work with unions and staff to introduce the improved conditions, and would lobby government to make it a national employment measure.

Green councillor Benali Hamdache, the leader of the opposition in Islington, said his group supported the motion.

“I think it’s really welcome to see these rights being rolled out voluntarily but I almost wish we weren’t having to do that voluntary It’s really incumbent on the government that it does make this mandatory for employers.

“Spain gets 16 weeks, so we are really far behind some European norms. The other thing I would encourage the council to do is – it’s great to bring in these rights, but there’s also the work to make sure the parents actually take up these rights.

“A lot of fathers don’t take up the parental leave that they’re entitled to as it is, and I think it’s really important we think about how do we support dads to take this leave.”

Paternity leave was only first introduced in the UK in 2003, but has been frozen on a standard two-week allowance since that time.
The motion was introduced by Labour councillor Oliur Rahman who said a new policy would improve staff retention, boost morale and lead to a more committed workforce.

Cllr Craig told the meeting: “I wanted to speak because I’m both a parent and pediatrician. Leave isn’t just a benefit, it’s a foundation for family well-being, for equality, for economic sustainability.”