NORTH West Lib Dem Euro-MP Chris Davies has blasted UKIP for its sexist approach to Nick Clegg's proposals to update the system of parental leave.

Currently fathers have less right to parental leave than mothers and under Clegg’s proposals, both parents would have the right to share parental leave.

UKIP MEP Paul Nuttall has claimed that “men and women are inherently different” and that “caring for babies comes much more instinctively to women” in condemning the new proposals.

But regional representative Chris Davies said: “Nuttall likes to make a big thing of his ‘man in a pub’ persona but he seems to be forgetting that The Pub Landlord is a comedy character not a role model.

“Nick Clegg’s proposals will let women and men decide for themselves how to divide up parental leave. Individual parents know what is best for their own situation.

 “Given his comments on breast feeding he clearly doesn’t know anything about inventions such as the breast pump or the fridge either.

“Since Godfrey Bloom left the party there seems to have been a vacancy for blatant sexism at the top of UKIP. Clearly Paul Nuttall is filling it with glee.”