Support our Nation today - please donate here
News

Welsh Liberal Democrats call for backing of Bill to make St David’s Day a public holiday

01 Mar 2023 2 minute read
Part of the St. David’s Day parade, Cardiff. Picture by Gareth Jmes (CC BY-SA 2.0).

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.”


Support our Nation today

For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
4 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Arthur Owen
Arthur Owen
1 year ago

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.

Rob
Rob
1 year ago
Reply to  Arthur Owen

This can be addressed by holding eisteddfods on the day before. School nativity plays don’t happen on Christmas Day.

Brechdan Wncomunco
1 year ago
Reply to  Rob

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?

Lib Dem YesCymru Ilfiltrator
Lib Dem YesCymru Ilfiltrator
1 year ago

Good call.

Our Supporters

All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018.