23 April 2008
Dear reader,
Walking into the Civic Centre today I was pleased to see the flag of St George flying with pride.
It got me thinking as to why England is one of very few countries in the world that doesn't have a public holiday to celebrate our national day?
Northern Ireland already has a bank holiday on St Patrick's Day, the Scottish parliament has introduced a voluntary bank holiday on St Andrew's Day and the Welsh Assembly agree that St David's Day should be a holiday.
If you look at everything that England and the English people over so many generations have achieved we have a proud history. Yet there does seem to be a feeling in this country that you'd better not say anything or do anything to promote England.
England lags far behind the rest of Europe in the number of bank holidays we get. So maybe a bank holiday on St George's Day would be a great opportunity for all the English to recognise what binds us together?
Everything from cricket to curry could be celebrated on our national day!
As an Englishman, it strikes me that we need to do more to assert our Englishness. Not in a nasty way, nor in a nationalistic way, but in a very inclusive way so that everybody can feel part of it, and everyone who is part of England can celebrate our traditions, our history, our heritage and the English way of life.
Happy St George’s Day!
Cllr Peter Thompson
Leader
London Borough of Hounslow