Campaigners protest outside Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh over paternity leave during nationwide 'Parent Strike'

Campaigners across the country have taken part in the first ever ‘Parent Strike’ to call for better paternity leave for fathers in the UK.

Dozens of people gathered at the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh on Thursday morning to take part in the nationwide demonstration, with gatherings also taking place across the country in cities such as London, Manchester, Cardiff, and Belfast.

The Parent Strike was organised by The Dad Shift and Mother Pukka in a bid to push for changes to the UK’s current statutory paternity leave offered to fathers.

Currently, dads are entitled to two weeks of paternity leave paid at £187.18 a week or 90% of their average earnings, depending on which is lower.

Dozens of campaigners gathered at the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh on Thursday morning (August 27) as part of the first ever 'Parent Strike', calling for improved paternity leave in the UK. | Iconic Media

This means that the UK ranks as the lowest in Europe for the paternity leave entitlement.

A UK Government review of paternal leave is in its final stages with the Parent Strike aiming to pile pressure on to improving terms for new fathers.

Campaigners are asking for paternity leave to increase to six weeks at 90% of usual pay, including self-employed people. They are also calling for flexible working by default, which is currently not offered as part of statutory paternity leave.

Stephen Lovejoy, 36, said that he felt “impossibly split” between his home life and work after his wife gave birth, despite supplementing his paternity leave with two weeks of annual leave.

Mr Lovejoy explained that the birth of his daughter had been “very difficult” on his wife, who struggled with physical and psychological effects.

He said: “I had to go back to work and my wife still wasn’t in a good place.

Campaigners spoke to the crowd and maternal mental health group Singing Mamas led a singalong as part of the demonstration this morning. | Iconic Media

“Not only did I have the difficulty of leaving my daughter, who I was building that attachment with. I was having to go work and try and do my job, and at the same time worrying about how my wife was doing, knowing that she was in this difficult, dark place, worrying about how my daughter was doing.

“I would just get phone calls from her while I was at work, just saying she just needed me to be get back straight away – it got really, really serious.”

He added: “This is something that is just an absolute no-brainer. Having decent paternity leave and pay and flexible working rights just has so many benefits for families, for children.”

Millie Holroyd, A 28-year old nurse who attended the Edinburgh demonstration with her two young sons, said the statutory two weeks of paternity leave – which the partners of mothers are entitled to – is “not enough”.

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She said: “This country is letting down parents, but also children and future generations to come, because we don’t have the provision to look after our children how we want to, and it’s not flexible enough for parents to make those decisions.

“I very much see this as investment in our country, and we can see that it works in other places across the world, and we’re just not doing it right in the UK or in Scotland.”

She added that current legislation means that mothers or primary caregivers are expected to “do everything”, while their partners are expected to “go back to work and act normal when they've got a new baby.”

Ms Holroyd said: “We’re asking all of that from somebody, and it’s no wonder that it’s breaking families apart.”