British seek St. George’s Day to match St. Patrick’s Day

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St. George slays the dragon.

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Northern Ireland has St. Patrick’s Day and Scotland has St. Andrew’s Day.

Now a British MP, Nadhim Zahawi, who has launched a campaign in Parliament to have St. George’s Day made a bank holiday, says there is no reason why the English and Welsh should be excluded.

Studley MP Zahawi has created a Private Members Bill asking for the day, along with St. David’s Day for the Welsh, to be recognized by giving the country a day off, according to The Redditch and Alcester Standard.

“It is through national days that we can celebrate what makes our nation so great, these will be days on which we can be even more proud of all the best aspects of English and Welsh culture and society,” he said.

“I totally reject the idea that having one extra bank holiday will affect our productivity as the working people of this country will get the work they need to done regardless of a new bank holiday.

“Plus it would provide a boost to our leisure and tourism industries as well as local pubs which would no doubt attract many who wish to toast St. George and St. David.”

The proposal is backed by key Redditch figures.
 
“We should be proud of our country and it’s important to send the message of pride in our heritage down to our children,” said Town MP Karen Lumley.
“Businesses I’ve visited have been very proud of being British so I think people will come up with working arrangements which mean it wouldn’t affect companies.”

As the UK has fewer bank holidays than other parts of Europe, there has been a push for the government to add more. St. George’s Day is the popular choice.

Said Coun Carole Gandy, leader of Redditch Borough Council: “I think it’s important and right that people should feel patriotic about the country in which they live and recognize the saint associated with the country.”
 

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