A REFORM government would represent a real threat to dads and their rights at work, the TUC warned on Father’s Day today.

The union body said Reform UK would rip up rights granted through the Equality Act and Employment Rights Act, while also making life harder for mothers and families.

The warning came as Reform announced its so-called Women and Motherhood Protection Act this week, which the TUC branded a “smokescreen to slash women’s and family rights.”

Reform has also pledged to reintroduce the two-child benefit cap, long recognised as a major driver of child poverty, and to repeal the Renters’ Rights Act, which protects renting families from discrimination based on having children.

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said: “Reform UK would turn the clock back for working dads – rolling back hard-won rights and making life harder for working families up and down the country.

“The party wants to torch Britain’s established legal framework and effectively legalise discrimination – as well as ripping up newly won rights like the day one right to paternity leave, stronger flexible work and enhanced parental leave.

“At the same time, they’re threatening to take a wrecking ball to women’s rights, while laughably claiming to be on the side of women.

“This is a party that couldn’t give one jot about parents or families.”

Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay separately called for reform of statutory paternity leave, introduced in 2003, which guarantees only two weeks of statutory pay, leaving parents whose employers do not top it up facing a stark choice between a drop in income or forgoing leave altogether.

She said: “The first few weeks with a newborn should be a time for parents to soak up every moment, not worry about how bills will be paid if dad takes the time he’s entitled to off work.

“Two weeks just isn’t enough time to transition into a new routine with a growing family, or enough on-hand support for mums who are recovering from childbirth.

“When household bills are rising, it’s crucial that we support new parents and babies, rather than penalising them with low pay and extremely limited time off.

“The UK government should give dads across our country a great gift this Father’s Day.”