Welsh Liberal Democrats call for backing of Bill to make St David’s Day a public holiday
The Welsh Liberal Democrats are urging other political parties to back a Bill they have put to parliament that would allow the Senedd to designate St David’s Day as a public holiday.
St David’s Day is currently a patron saint day which does not have any legal standing.
Meanwhile, in Scotland and Ireland St Andrew’s Day and St Patrick’s Day are already public holidays.
The Bill introduced by former Welsh Assembly Member for North Wales, Baroness Christine Humphreys, would devolve the power to create Bank Holidays to the Senedd.
This is a power that is already held by Scotland and the UK Government has also already declared St Patrick’s Day in Northern Ireland a designated bank holiday.
As well as the Liberal Democrats, Welsh Labour, the Welsh Conservatives and Plaid Cymru all support St David’s Day becoming a bank holiday, but the move has been continuously blocked by the UK Conservative Government.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling on these parties to back their Bill when it comes to a vote.
Widespread support
Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS said:“Making St David’s Day a bank holiday has widespread support amongst the Welsh public as repeated polls have shown.
“Unfortunately the Conservatives in the UK Government have repeatedly denied making this a reality, despite Welsh Conservatives disagreeing with them on the issue.
“So now we have started the process to give the Senedd the power to do it ourselves and I urge representatives from all other parties in Wales to back this Bill.”
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson for Wales, Baroness Humphreys, added: “It is deeply unjust that the people of Wales cannot celebrate our nation’s culture, heritage and status as the people of Scotland and Northern Ireland can.
“Liberal Democrats have taken the first step towards giving the Senedd the power to create bank holidays. “Everyone in Wales deserves the opportunity to celebrate who we are and our unique culture which unites us.”
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Would you rather Welsh children spent the day in school having eisteddfodau etc or doing whatever the modern equivalent of watching telly is.When I was working I often used to take a half day on St.David’s day and spend it in the pub, no harm was done but I cannot pretend it was very edifying either.
This can be addressed by holding eisteddfods on the day before. School nativity plays don’t happen on Christmas Day.
Yea great celebrate St David’s day on a day other than March 1st. Seems stupid. Our children celebrate St David’s day well look at all the pictures in local newspapers. What will happen on March 1st to make celebrating the event better. A national lie in?
Good call.