Britain has an "Edwardian" system of parental leave that places the burden of childcare on mothers and discourages fathers from taking a central role in the upbringing of their children, Nick Clegg will say today.
In a speech on the family at the Demos thinktank, the deputy prime minister will outline government plans to build on Harriet Harman's reforms to allow parents to share their parental leave.
Clegg's speech comes in a crucial week for the Liberal Democrats, whose key coalition demand – a referendum on the AV electoral system – will be debated by peers tonight. Amid Labour opposition – and signs that some Tories are planning to demand a raising of the threshold needed for a yes vote in the referendum – there were reports yesterday that government whips had set aside two rooms for male and female peers to use as dormitories.Clegg will attempt to show that the Lib Dems are making a difference in government when he outlines his plans for the reform of childcare. He will be speaking from the heart, because he shares care of his three young sons with his wife, Miriam, a successful lawyer. He recently returned from a conference of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe on an overnight flight from Kazakhstan to take charge of his boys at home in west London.
He would like more fathers to follow his example, though he makes clear that a change in the law will be needed to help less well off parents.
