productivity. no, the state of our public services is an economic crisis just as public services is an economic crisisjust as much public services is an economic crisis just as much as a social crisis. we will launch the biggest training programme since the creation of the nhs, increase capacity with more doctors, more nurses, more health visitors, reform the employment service to get more people back to work, give everyone who needs it access to mental health treatment within four weeks and build a modern childcare system that supports parents, especially women, to flourish. this is what the us treasury secretary janet yellen called modern supply side economics, and that is the philosophy that will drive us to do the hard yards on growth. but we will also need to be pragmatic on the basic lack of people. we won t ignore the need for workers to come to this country, we
in leeds city centre this morning. campaigners say maternity and paternity leave should be ring fenced and properly paid and alljobs should be flexible by default. these were the scenes at one of the march of the mummies event the government says it is committed to supporting working parents and helping them participate at work . i m joined byjoeli brearley, founder and director of pregnant then screwed charity, which campaigns for childcare reforms. i know you were on those marches today. i know you were on those marches toda . ~ , , ., i know you were on those marches toda . ~ , . . we today. why were you marching? we have been marching today. why were you marching? we have been marching because - today. why were you marching? we l have been marching because mothers are furious. we have had enough. we feel we have been set up to fail by this government. we know that most households need two incomes in order to get by yet we have somehow created a society where it is almost impos
founder and director of pregnant then screwed charity, which campaigns for childcare reforms, about the issue we have been marching because mothers are furious. we have had enough. we feel we have been set up to fail by this government. we know that most households need two incomes in order to get by yet we have somehow created a society where it is almost impossible for many mothers to work. by that i mean we have the second most expensive childcare system in the developed world, we have a parental leave system that pays just 47% of the minimum wage. dads are only entitled to two weeks paternity leave, if that. and we have very little flexible working in this country, only 10% ofjobs are described as part time. the government made a manifesto pledge of flexible working but we haven t seen any action on that. parents need flexible working in order to manage their paid work
dysfunctional childcare system. it is all about investment. if we compare the uk to other countries, the amount we invest as a proportion of gdp is tiny, it is miniature. we want to really see a proper investment and we know that this is an investment in our economy, an investment in children, because this is early years education it is not baby sitting, and it is an investment in women s because it means they can return to work. difficult decisions will be made by the government in the next couple of weeks leading up to the autumn statement on the 17th of november. how worried are you that things like parental leave and childcare will suffer because of the cuts the government will have to make? i am ho eful government will have to make? i am hopeful that government will have to make? i am hopeful that rishi government will have to make? i n hopeful that rishi sunak will have to listen to us today, understand that if he doesn t act soon we will see child poverty increased and we w