To think St Georges day should be a public holiday?

[MoreSpamThanGlam]

Or should I just be ashamed to be English?

I'm not really bothered about St George's day and I'm not really patriotic, but I understand the feeling some people have about being english. It does feel like it's ok to be proud of being Welsh, Scottish or British, but not of being English. A bit strange that.

My issue isn't with patriotism, it's with being told when you have days off. If you scrap them all you can celebrate what you like whenever you so wish.

So, if you sere so inclined, you could line up a doy off on April 23rd and go forth and have a marathon Shakespeare reading session, just to confuse all those celebrating St George's day

If I'm correct (and I may not be) I think that St Andrews day is now a bank or public holiday in Scotland. I am sure this act came into being and was given royal approval sometime on 2007.
Scotland also takes the 1st and 2nd January off, whereas in England they don't. However, Scotland doesn't have Easter Monday as an offical bank holiday, whereas in England it is

"Dont impose it on the rest of the UK"? Why would I want the Welsh to celebrate St Georges day or the Scots or Irish? Makes no sense at all. Yet it seems St Davids day is a big deal in Wales and rightly so. Yet I should not IMPOSE St Georges day (maybe I should just go and sit in a little corner quietly somewhere where you wont be offended BeanieSteve?)on the rest of the UK?

Can I have a quick hijack please? I need help from other Scottish people help. I currently get 12 bank hols, which is really lovely

1&2 Jan
Good Friday and Easter Monday
2 in May
Fair Friday and Fair Monday (Glasgow)
Sept weekend Friday and Monday
Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

But I'm looking for another job, and I'm not sure if 12 is standard, because I think the Fair and Sept weekend are discretionary. So how many bank holidays do other employees in Scotland get?

Hijack away - as long as i am not imposing on you

I have to tell you this. The other month Invicta Radio held a radio poll, basically it was to pick a date for the new bank holiday. They decided that it should be on Will Shakespeare's birthday, as it would be non controversial, unlike St. Georges Day! Well its bloody controversial to me; as WS birthday IS St. Georges day!

Did they say why it would be non controversial? is it (as I suspect) because St Georges day is considered to be exclusive/racist?

Grey, I haven't got a scooby as to why it would be less controversial, but I can make a bloody good guess! I was driving and came into the radio show half way through. I have to say that by the time I got out of the car I was so bloody angry that steam was coming out of my ears.

Exactly. I am sick and tired of being made to feel guilty for being English. Its as ridiculous to me as making Japanese or Germans feel guilty.

I think we should have a bank holiday on Trafalgar Day (21st October), as we are a seafaring and an island nation; people from all parts of the British Isles fought at Trafalgar, so it won't offend anyone, and it celebrates Nelson, one of our great heroes. It falls in the time between August and Christmas so would give a break then. It is also ds's birthday!

Alternatively, we could have Wellington / Waterloo day in June, although that might interfere with exams.

Well I celebrate St George's day if I can: to me it's Shakespeare's Birthday and the start of dancing season. So if my Morris team isn't booked to dance anywhere then I try to go and watch someone else's team, sink a pint of real ale and have a laugh.

Have done that for about 10 years apart from 2 years ago when DS mamaged to get chickenpox on April 22nd.
ANd if any of you are near London Bridge there will be lots of morris dancing around the pubs in Borough on Wednesday night and all sorts of other stuff as there is actually a Southwark St George's Festival going on.
I am very much in favour of celebrating the day as, by making it a big enjoyable party it helps to take it away from racist dipshits.

Well, thugh I freely admit to hanging up the flag of St george in the dc's window back in the days when we had a decent football team, I can't say I'm greatly in favour of St George himself. He wasn't English and maybe didn't even exist, and as for fighting the eveil Saracens ... just not what we need right now.

There are probably several better candidates for patron saint or for Englishness which I'd rather celebrate.

Shakespeare. He might have been a naughty bugger who was into plaigiarism, but it's practically a national sport anyway

But I still don't think we need any bank holidays

MSTG- I wholeheartedly agree. It is a real tragedy that we cannot celebrate being English wholeheartedly. I think we have a lot to be proud of, and cannot carry the burden of history forever.
St. Georges day should be a bank holiday and everyone should be given the opportunity to enjoy it.
After all, for those of us that live here, it must hold some attraction
My goodness Beanie Steve- how defensive! The OP had no intention of forcing you to do anything(I take it you are welsh)

I'm for it, andI'm not even English. Every country should have a day to celebrate their independence/patron sait. George, Andrew, PAtrick, and David... bring em on.

Madamez - I think will be popping down to Borough on Wednesday with dd and a flag or two!!!

MSTG. OK, look out for an all-female Morris team wearing purple, green and gold sashes - I will be the one restraining a bespectacled 3-year-old DS and demanding someone buy me a drink

Oooh see you tomorrow - I will be the one trying to join in said dancing with 18month old dd(then being led away quietly by police man) - If I manage to escape will buy you a drink!

Well Happy St Geoge;s Day then folks. Hope it stays dry for this evening....

(Waves frantically!!!)

Happy St Georges day!!!