Make St George’s Day a English Holiday

General and Other Policy
, ,
1

St George’s Day should be a public holiday to celebrate English heritage and identity, just as Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland honour their patron saints with holidays. It would foster national pride, boost local businesses, and encourage cultural events showcasing England’s history and values. A YouGov poll shows 59% support making it a bank holiday, reflecting public desire for recognition. England currently has fewer bank holidays than other UK nations and major countries, so this would also address that imbalance. Celebrating St George’s Day officially would unite people in shared culture and tradition.

Sources
St George’s Day LIVE: Majority of Britons say England should copy Scottish tradition over making national celebration a Bank Holiday https://www.gbnews.com/news/st-georges-day-news-thousands-prepare-england-national-day

10 reasons we should get a public holiday for St. George’s Day 10 reasons we should get a public holiday for St. George's Day - St. Georges Day %

2 Likes
2

Totally agree. And I think most people would. It’s time to put the pride back in the English flag.

1 Like
3

April 23rd is also the date of Shakespeare’s birth in 1564 and death in 1616. What more fitting way to celebrate our Patron Saint and greatest writer. (Sorry Agatha and JK, maybe in a hundred years, but not yet.)

2 Likes
4

I’ve said this elsewhere, but if we did this, I would want to make a Patron Saint of Great Britain too. This would probably be Edward the Confessor, as the only canonised King we have and former patron of England, or Edward the Martyr, not canonsed by the Catholics, but what do we care about them?

5

I did consider Saint Alban, but he was a Roman, so back to Edward the Confessor even though dad, Æthelred the Unready, was a Saxon and mum was a Norman.