Letter: Fathers beware

According to a BBC report, Ed Miliband is not named on the birth certificate of his first son.

Although he may be "fairly relaxed about his marital status", he should be aware that, as an unmarried father, he does not currently have parental rights and responsibilities for this child.

Families Needs Fathers Scotland hears from many Scottish fathers in this situation at our local group meetings in Edinburgh and Glasgow and on our helpline and online forum.

While the parents remain on good terms, the situation can easily be remedied by formal agreement with the mother.

But if relations deteriorate, then the unmarried father is placed at a serious disadvantage.

Many such fathers find after separation that their contact with their children is severely limited or interrupted completely. If agreement can't be reached with the mother, they have to go to court to seek parental rights. While sincerely hoping that Ed Miliband doesn't face this problem, his situation is useful in publicising this issue more widely.

IAN MAXWELL

Families Need Fathers Scotland

Broughton Place, Edinburgh

Moral standards in New Labour have slipped considerably if they are able to elect as leader a man who has unrepentedly sired a son out of wedlock, with another child on the way. Ed Miliband claims he and the mother of his children "have not got round to marrying yet". The electorate will never accept him as prime minister if he treats marriage in such an offhand way.

JOHN EOIN DOUGLAS

Spey Terrace

Edinburgh