Labour to double paternity leave

[Triggaaar]

Idea is a fair one there is nothing to wrong with incremental gains in working conditions for all, otherwise we would all still be looking at poorhouses and starving children etc.

The timing though when all parties are committed to huge public spending cuts on essential services is frankly insane. Is this really the best use of a severely limited public budget?

Fair point. Have they said how much it will cost, or do we get that in April?

 

[Notters]

Fair point. Have they said how much it will cost, or do we get that in April?

£150m/annum (small change).

 

[Stat Brother]

Raheem Sterling will never work again.

If I don't get some love soon for the funniest line on todays NSC I'm going to scream and scream and scream until I am sick.

 

[jakarta]

If I don't get some love soon for the funniest line on todays NSC I'm going to scream and scream and scream until I am sick.

Is that enough?

 

[MattBackHome]

Idea is a fair one there is nothing to wrong with incremental gains in working conditions for all, otherwise we would all still be looking at poorhouses and starving children etc.

The timing though when all parties are committed to huge public spending cuts on essential services is frankly insane. Is this really the best use of a severely limited public budget?

There was something a while back about how paternity leave has a huge impact on reducing the pressure on frontline NHS services - I can't remember where I read or saw this though, but from experience can see how an extra couple of weeks could have saved a good few midwife callouts.

 

[Butch Willykins]

I took 2 weeks paternity leave last year when our first came along. I honestly thought it was going to be a bit of a jolly and I could spend my two weeks in the Gym, on the golf course & swanning round town having 'head wetting' beers.

The reality couldn't be further from the truth! It was hell. No sleep. All routine went out the window, just getting dressed some days was a massive achievement! I couldn't imagine going to work in those first two weeks and my partner would have really struggled without me there to help. I don't sit anywhere near the left on the political spectrum, but any extra help that can be given to families in the early days is a great thing in my opinion.

 

[Seasidesage]

There was something a while back about how paternity leave has a huge impact on reducing the pressure on frontline NHS services - I can't remember where I read or saw this though, but from experience can see how an extra couple of weeks could have saved a good few midwife callouts.

To be fair educating people enough that they realise that the slightest sniffle or hangover doesn't require a visit to A&E would save even more! If it was self funding (Paternity Leave) that it should be a no brainer although it would probably still require some higher power to force it through as I cannot imagine the Civil Service seeing the bigger picture.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The original poster seems to have quite a head of steam over this. I wonder if he is feeling a little bitter about his own choldhood?

 

[jackanada]

If the OP is upset by people sitting on their arses getting free money he needs to save some of his ire for the idle rich.
How about "slipper farmers" - those who own over 83 acres of agricultural land and get paid a subsidy per acre whether it is farmed or not.

 

[Diablo]

Rest assured all Parties will be promising sweeteners to us with election approaching... Starting with Fathers... No doubt NHS will be promised couple of Billion..few million for teachers..Few million for whoever they think might be swung to vote for them(actually thinking about it give me a couple of million and anyone can have my vote).... What none of them will say.Where its coming from..

 

[Diablo]

If the OP is upset by people sitting on their arses getting free money he needs to save some of his ire for the idle rich.
How about "slipper farmers" - those who own over 83 acres of agricultural land and get paid a subsidy per acre whether it is farmed or not.

Used to be...Now you need to be working Farmer and land has to be farmed...Indeed there are unsurprisingly from Europe numerous hurdles to jump through to get your subsidy.

 

[Notters]

Rest assured all Parties will be promising sweeteners to us with election approaching... Starting with Fathers... No doubt NHS will be promised couple of Billion..few million for teachers..Few million for whoever they think might be swung to vote for them(actually thinking about it give me a couple of million and anyone can have my vote).... What none of them will say.Where its coming from..

I'm not sure this is much of a sweetner, is it? Existing fathers won't get it. Fathers to be (whose partners are pregnant) are unlikely to get it as legislation takes a while to go through. I guess people who are thinking about having kids in the next few years may be slightly pleased by it, but it sounds like a reasonable general policy.

 

[wellquickwoody]

The original poster seems to have quite a head of steam over this. I wonder if he is feeling a little bitter about his own choldhood?

Choldhood? No, not at all.

 

[Diablo]

I'm not sure this is much of a sweetner, is it? Existing fathers won't get it. Fathers to be (whose partners are pregnant) are unlikely to get it as legislation takes a while to go through. I guess people who are thinking about having kids in the next few years may be slightly pleased by it, but it sounds like a reasonable general policy.

My drift was more general " Don`t believe promises pre election"

 

[Notters]

My drift was more general " Don`t believe promises pre election"

Well that's a fair point. But it makes voting near-impossible doesn't it? and it's another to add to the million reasons why we need proportional representation.

 

[strings]

As someone that recently took an extended paternity leave, I can confirm that I didn't get to sit on my arse for a second. I'm of the opinion that a bit of goodwill goes a long way.

Happier workforce = productive workforce.

 

[jackanada]

Used to be...Now you need to be working Farmer and land has to be farmed...Indeed there are unsurprisingly from Europe numerous hurdles to jump through to get your subsidy.

You are partly correct, and most of Europe works that way. However there are often disputes over what constitutes a farm and who qualifies as a farmer, so in the UK we have decided that anyone with over 83 acres in by definition (for EU subsidy purposes) a farmer. There are admittedly further subsidies available if you bother to put some crops in.

 

[madinthehead]

In Germany, you get 14 months between mother and father. You are paid 60% of your wages up to a max of about 1700€.. I took 2 months off, I barely slept, my wife and I worked hard the whole time, but I wouldn't have changed it for the world..
For me it really allowed me to bond with the little one and help out my wife as much as poss.. Employees are pretty well treated over here and I didn't get any bad vibes from my boss, nor my team for doing so..

 

[vegster]

Another attack on business by Labour, how are businesses supposed to grow if they have to pay the Living Wage,aren't allowed to bend thier accounts through Luxembourg and now have to pay their staff when they are not working ?

 

[Diablo]

You are partly correct, and most of Europe works that way. However there are often disputes over what constitutes a farm and who qualifies as a farmer, so in the UK we have decided that anyone with over 83 acres in by definition (for EU subsidy purposes) a farmer. There are admittedly further subsidies available if you bother to put some crops in.

Nothing I said was incorrect. However 2014 was the last year of Single Farm Payment in present form...Farmers are now having to register for new scheme starting 2015. More legislation..All farmers have to now grow three different crops...on each area farmed..We still don`t know exactly what we have to do... And yes I`m a Farmer!!