Protests in London and Edinburgh call UK’s two-week paternity leave system the worst ‘dad joke’ in Europe.
Hundreds of fathers took a bold step away from their workplaces and into the public square on Wednesday as they marched through London and Edinburgh with buggies, babies, and banners, demanding a radical reform of the UK’s paternity leave system — one of the stingiest in the developed world, media reported.
Dubbed the world’s first “dad strike,” the coordinated protest saw fathers — supported by mothers, toddlers, and activists — gather outside the Department for Business and Trade in central London and the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. They were demanding an increase in statutory paternity leave from the current two weeks to at least six weeks at full pay.
Waving placards that read “The worst dad joke? Two weeks’ paternity leave!” and “Dads on the bus want time at home,” the demonstrators turned to humour, song, and symbolism to make their message clear. One group hung a washing line strung with baby clothes spelling out “two weeks is not enough,” while others sang nursery rhymes reworded to reflect their cause.
Waving placards that read “The worst dad joke? Two weeks’ paternity leave!” and “Dads on the bus want time at home,” the demonstrators turned to humour, song, and symbolism to make their message clear.
The protest was organised by The Dad Shift, a campaign group advocating for father-friendly reforms. George Gabriel, one of its organisers and himself a new father, said the strike was inspired by Iceland’s pioneering women’s strike in the 1970s. “But we’re not asking for time off — we’re asking for time on,” Gabriel said. “We’re downing tools at work so we can spend time with our families.”
He pointed out that the UK has the shortest paternity leave in Europe, ranking 40th out of 43 developed countries. “Six weeks at regular pay should be the bare minimum,” Gabriel said, referring to the recent recommendation by the Women and Equalities Committee. “The European average is eight weeks. We are miles behind.”
The case for longer leave, campaigners argue, isn’t just about fairness — it’s about closing the gender pay gap. When fathers take more time at home, it reduces the pressure on mothers to take extended career breaks or shift to part-time work. “It’s about creating real choices for families,” Gabriel said.
Beyond economics, supporters also pointed to emotional and developmental benefits for children and families. Gabriel cited new research showing that affectionate, present fathers can significantly reduce the risk of domestic violence and help raise emotionally healthier sons. “The most important thing you can give your children isn’t money — it’s your presence,” he said.
Critics of expanding paternity leave often claim such policies would primarily benefit wealthier families, or put extra strain on public finances. But for many of the fathers on the streets this week, those arguments simply don’t match the reality of parenting in Britain today.
Duncan Dragonetti, a Wiltshire dad who works in the music industry, joined the protest with his infant daughter, Thomasin. He had just changed her nappy in St James’s Park before heading to the rally. Dragonetti, who previously worked in Sweden where paternity leave is far more generous, dismissed claims that only the middle classes would benefit. “In Sweden, both parents get 480 days to split over 10 years. Dads are required to take at least 90 days or lose them — so everyone takes it,” he said. “It changes the culture entirely.”
Also at the protest was Richard Odufisan, who works in construction and brought along his three-year-old son Ewa, who napped peacefully in his pushchair. “The real parenting starts after those two weeks,” he said. “The current rate is less than half the national living wage — if you were paying someone to do the work of a parent, that would be illegal. Better pay would encourage more dads, especially working-class dads, to take leave.”
New mothers, too, joined in solidarity. Sophie Barnett attended with her baby daughter Penny and her husband James, who had only two weeks off after the birth. “Parenting is teamwork,” she said. “But after just two weeks, our team was split up right when we needed each other most. It was disruptive for everyone.”
While the government has so far resisted calls to reform statutory paternity leave, Wednesday’s protest marked a growing shift in public attitudes. According to polling cited by The Dad Shift, 90% of fathers now want to play a more active role in raising their children.
Whether the government listens remains to be seen. But for the dads who went on strike this week, the message was simple: fatherhood deserves more than a fortnight.
