York Outer MP Luke Charters has revealed he and his wife are expecting a second child – by announcing it at Prime Minister’s Questions today (Wednesday).
Mr Charters, who was elected the first Labour MP for the constituency last year, took the opportunity to ask about extending paternity leave.
Research by the York-based Joseph Rowntree Foundation said this would boost growth, he told Keir Starmer.
Mr Charters told the PM: “I am pleased to announce that this summer I will be going on paternity leave again for baby number two.
“The Chancellor spoke brilliantly this morning on growth, and I am pleased to reveal that new JRF research shows that by increasing paternity leave, we could increase economic growth by £2.6 billion a year.
“Can I ask the Prime Minister, will he review statutory paternity leave? And from one father to another, will he meet with me and the Dad Shift and discuss how we can support new parents?”
In response, Sir Keir wished him and wife Beth well with their new arrival, adding: “We are conducting a review into parental leave, because you cannot grow the economy if parents have to choose between work and their children.
“And thanks to the employment rights bill, which they oppose opposite, 30,000 more fathers will get paternity leave.”
Mr Charters was backed by Dad Shift, a group “campaigning for proper paternity leave in the UK”.
They said after his appearance at PMQs: “Big step today: for the first time, Keir Starmer was asked about paternity leave and The Dad Shift at Prime Minister’s Questions.
“Luke Charters MP stood up to make a super important point. We hear again and again that the government’s number one priority is growth. And guess what would help deliver growth? Yup: better paternity leave!”