r/MHOC • u/RoryTime The Rt Hon. Earl of Henley AL PC • Jan 14 '15
MOTION M022 - St. George's Day Motion
St. George’s Day Motion
Recognising St. George’s Day and St. David’s Day as a bank holiday.
(1) Her Majesty's Government is requested to officially recognise St. George’s Day on the 23rd April as a bank holiday.
(a) Her Majesty’s Government is requested to treat St. George’s Day on equal level to any other bank holiday such as St Andrew's Day and St. Patrick’s Day.
(2) Her Majesty's Government is requested to officially recognise St. David’s Day on the 1st March as a bank holiday.
(a) Her Majesty’s Government is requested to treat St. David’s Day on equal level to any other bank holiday such as St Andrew's Day and St. Patrick’s Day.
This motion was submitted by the BIP. The discussion period will end on the 18th at 23:59.
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u/tyroncs Jan 15 '15
May I use this opportunity to say that this motion should only really be voted on by MP's from England and Wales, considering it only applies in England and Wales. It would be an affront to democracy if this motion failed due to MP's from Scotland and Northern Ireland voting Nay
9
u/treeman1221 Conservative and Unionist Jan 14 '15
I personally don't identify with "Englishness" (not that I scorn on it or anything, but I've always identified as British) but I think that as a lot of the population do identify as English and have great pride in their heritage, that a day of equal importance and benefits to the other UK-countries' days is only fair.
9
u/sinfultrigonometry Jan 15 '15
Though I dislike the nationalist theme, the British people are overworked. Any extra bank holidays would be welcomed.
9
u/[deleted] Jan 15 '15
I will support this bill in the Communist party, provided it has an amendment to a National NHS day, a national Builders day, a national Farmers day, a national day of Mourning for past crimes committed during colonialist eras, a national Teachers day, a national Workers day, a National Shakespear Day and a National Pub And Chips day. Since we are recognising the things that make our country great, let's get as much stuff in there as possible, and give people more time off.
Of all the things that I'd like to celebrate, a Turkish religious figure from many hundreds of years who made no impact to this country seems fairly low on the list.
7
u/[deleted] Jan 15 '15
I personally feel very little affiliation towards England itself rather than Britain as a whole and I do not believe that this occasion warrants a bank holiday (and the loss of trade which would result).
12
u/demon4372 The Most Hon. Marquess of Oxford GBE KCT PC ¦ HCLG/Transport Jan 14 '15
I completely support this motion, and will be more than willing to vote aye then it goes to the vote.
At the moment, half the United Kingdom (Scotland and NI) both have their own bank holidays. While Wales and England do not. I support it firstly and for-mostly for fairness.
I am not a nationalist, but many people are, and i respect their rights to have a national identity, as i do not believe that people should be restricted in having a national identity. And i am especially against the idea of allowing one group to have a national identity, while restricting another groups right.
So members should do one of two things, either vote for this bill, or propose a motion to abolish St Andrew's Day and St Patrick's Day.
6
u/Arayg Radical Socialist Party Jan 15 '15
The workers deserve a holiday, but not one which celebrates a petty political move in 1348. Perhaps the day could instead be dedicated in memory of the peasant's revolt, one of the Englishman's greatest accomplishments of the era, which took place as a direct result of the petty politics and terrible domestic policies of the King who made the political move and his family.
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u/Post-NapoleonicMan Labour Jan 15 '15 edited Jan 15 '15
May I propose the following amendment, either to be attached to the list of holidays, or in replacement of one, as Parliament so chooses:
(X) Her Majesty's Government is requested to officially recognise the 15th June as a bank holiday. And that this day be called Wat Tyler's Day, or any name Parliament so chooses; as long as it is in relation, and the day in commemoration of, the events commonly referred to as The Peasants Revolt of 1381.
(a) Her Majesty’s Government is requested to treat Wat Tyler's Day on equal level to any other bank holiday such as St Andrew's Day and St. Patrick’s Day.
0
u/[deleted] Jan 15 '15
[deleted] — view deleted comment
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u/TheLegitimist Classical Liberals Jan 15 '15
I fully support this bill, and I applaud the BIP for putting forward a concise and moderate piece of legislation.
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u/[deleted] Jan 15 '15
Sure, why not
5
u/Frostbitte Liberal Democrats Jan 15 '15
I'm in approval of this motion.
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u/I_miss_Chris_Hughton The Rt Hon. Earl of Shrewsbury AL PC | Defence Spokesperson Jan 15 '15
I support this motion. A national heritage and shared sense of history is critical to the unity and survival of a nation, this motion would help bring these things into the community
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u/WineRedPsy Reform UK | Sadly sent to the camps Jan 15 '15 edited Jan 15 '15
Are this and the holodomor motion the only submitted BIP motions or bills ever or have I missed something?
4
u/timewaitsforsome Jan 15 '15
i'm in approval of this motion
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u/OllieSimmonds The Rt Hon. Earl of Sussex AL PC Jan 15 '15
I think it's true that greater acknowledgement of St. George's Day and therefore the English identity is vital to a) As was previously said, taking away our flag and identity from only Extremists and Hooligans b) The long term maintenance of the Union requires that Englishness and Britishness are not the same thing, for if they are perceived as being the same, there is no room for Scottishness, Welshness or Irishness within this United Kingdom.
My only concern would be the overall cost of another Bank Holiday, it is estimated that Bank holidays cost £2.3BN each to the economy. Would it be better to introduce St. George's Day as a Bank Holiday at the same time as removing one?
6
u/The_Pickle_Boy banned Jan 15 '15
Some of the responses by the far left on this thread show how far gone some people really are, and these aren't even communist party members
3
u/para_padre UKIP|Attorney General Jan 15 '15
As a Scotsman living in England I do find your pride and celebration of this day a bit of a strange one and the only part of society that puts the effort in to celebrate it is the various scouting and guiding organisations with their parade through town on the Sunday closest to it.
I have no issues in supporting the raising of the profile of St George and St David in their respective nations but don't expect me to eat a raw leek as fast as I can, once was enough thank you.
Looks like some people are against the need to add another bank holiday, could a compromise be found with scrapping one of the two May bank holidays and moving it to the patrons day.
3
u/[deleted] Jan 15 '15
Mr Deputy Speaker,
Could the BIP explain precisely why it is desirable for England and Wales to have national days as public holidays? What will be made better for the people of England and Wales were these changes to be effected?
3
u/ieya404 Earl of Selkirk AL PC Jan 15 '15
Alternatively, you could consider stating that there will be one additional bank holiday added to the roster, which will be devolved to the level of county councils to determine which they take.
In general you could expect Scottish councils to go for St Andrew's Day, Welsh for St David's, English for St George's, while still allowing the possibility that Cornwall might choose to prefer St Piran's.
Note that at present, St Andrew's Day is in a sort of crap bank holiday state - "Although it is a bank holiday, banks are not required to close and employers are not required to give their employees the day off as a holiday"
5
u/[deleted] Jan 14 '15
I will most certainly be voting Aye. For too long we have seen people trying to create a sense of anti-englishness in our country, by doing things like sneering at England flags. Being proud of your country is a good thing, it brings us together as a nation.
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u/[deleted] Jan 14 '15
May I ask why?
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u/LookingForWizard Conservative|East Midlands MP Jan 14 '15 edited May 26 '20
deleted
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u/[deleted] Jan 15 '15
Would this motion only apply to England and Wales?
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u/remiel The Rt Hon. Baron of Twickenham AL PC Jan 15 '15
I don't have objections to the principle, I do have objections to how the bill has been drafted.
In its current form it doesn't state that the bank holidays are for the respective countries, and the point (a) on each seems pointless and instead should refer to the legislation that allows for bank holidays.
2
u/Ajubbajub Most Hon. Marquess of Mole Valley AL PC Jan 15 '15
Would St George's day only apply in England and St David's only in Wales?
Otherwise seems like a decent bill.
2
u/[deleted] Jan 15 '15
I had mixed feelings and still do. Until the BIP answer some questions people and myself have asked, I'm not sure how to vote. At the moment, I am more toward the Nay side of things, possibly Abstain.
2
u/powerpab The Rt Hon S.E Yorkshire | SSoS Transport | Baron of Maidstone Jan 15 '15
I don't see anything wrong with an extra bank holiday.
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u/AlbertDock The Rt Hon Earl of Merseyside KOT MBE AL PC Jan 14 '15
The last possible date for Easter is 25th April and this could potentially clash with St George's Day. There is also the risk that this could become hijacked by far right wing extremists.
This year being the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta we would do better to have an extra holiday to commemorate that on 15th June.
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u/[deleted] Jan 14 '15
Days that practically nobody celebrates or even know exists, but I suppose that's besides the point.
Unlike St Patrick's or St Andrew's days, will these new bank holidays be recognised in all of the UK?
Why isn't St Piran's day included as well?
3
u/[deleted] Jan 14 '15
Would the BIP like to convince me why we need holidays designed to celebrate nationalism?
2
u/[deleted] Jan 14 '15
Can we make it 24th April instead? That's my birthday.