Lib Dems Call for St George's Day Bank Holiday

4.56.42pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 28th Jun 2007

Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats are calling on the government to make St George's Day a Bank Holiday in England. After a Liberal Democrat amendment was successful at a meeting of Bedford Borough Council last night, the Council will write to the government supporting the creation of the new bank holiday.

Commenting on the issue, Bedford Borough Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Michael Headley said:

"St Andrew's Day is a Bank Holiday in Scotland, while St Patrick's Day is a public holiday in Northern Ireland, so why shouldn't England celebrate in the same way?'

"The St George's Day bank holiday would provide an opportunity for all the peoples of our nation to celebrate together. '

"In Britain we lag far behind Europe and the United States in terms of the number of bank holidays we have. England deserves another Bank Holiday, and what better day for it than St George's Day?"