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Tim Worstall has a modest proposal… No, no, not eating Irish children, this is 2018 (not that I have anything against grass-fed Irish children), but rather a modest proposal to ensure national unity:
As the Guardian says, we really should change Bank Holidays – Crecy, Agincourt, Trafalgar?
Seems perfectly reasonable to me 🤪
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Ah, but what if the French retaliated by making October 14 a holiday?
Could we add Bannockburn and Stirling Bridge?
How about the Battle of Naseby?
With your present government, you’ll end up with public holidays for “Muslim Immigrant Day”, and “Black Thursday” commemorating the Brexit vote.
Independence Day, a.k.a. Article 50 Day.
From the Guardian bit:
“They might have noticed that the only national day officially celebrated in the UK is St Andrew’s Day in Scotland.”
Yeah, officially. And that’s only since the Totally-Not-National-Socialists-Honest got in. It’s not celebrated by any actual people. Never was, at least not since the Reformation. As a kid, I couldn’t even have told you what day it’s on. Nobody cared.* (Burns Night, now that’s a different story. But it’s not a holiday. Nor should it be.)
However…
“Allowing regions to have their own public holidays could help to foster local identities and boost civic pride.”
That’s not quite so mad. It used to be the case – and I’m talking barely a decade ago, before… well, you know – that holidays in Scotland were determined solely by local councils. Easter Monday, for example, is a Glasgow holiday, because of the historical trade with England; it made sense to align our public holidays with Bank Holidays. And, as a purely unintentional side effect, each town, burgh, or county having its own holidays alleviates the problem Englandandwales has of the roads all over the country being jammed every Bank Holiday Monday. It’s really not a bad idea.
“But a non-partisan commission could be charged with making the decisions, ensuring our new national holidays are unifying, not divisive.”
Well, it is the Guardian, I suppose. Just let the councils do it. Give them the authority to call… er, however many Bank Holidays there currently are per year, and let them get on with it. That’s how we do it up here.
*I remember I had a history teacher once who was from Wales. He was absolutely astonished at the lack of celebration, even knowledge, of St. Andrew’s day. The truth is that the Nats are pissed off that it’s actually celebrated the least of all the “national days” of the home nations, with the possible exception of St. George’s day. They claim to love Scotland, yet they’re desperately trying to change everything that makes it what it is.
Guy Fawkes day?
Guy Fawkes day? (Ellen, May 8, 2018 at 5:30 pm)
We already have that, Ellen. November 5th is not a holiday but it is very much celebrated! Children think it second only to Christmas.
As 1066 and all That puts it, “Although the attempt to blow up parliament failed, every year on November 5th people try to remind them that it would have been a good thing.” 🙂
AKM (May 8, 2018 at 4:28 pm), surely Oak Apple Day would be better.
You are remembering that Flodden is merely one of the more crushing of a very large number of possible sassenach responses. 🙂
Glasgow Day where one could go around glassing people.
Kings Mountain, Cowpens and New Orleans. (October 7, January 17 and January 8)
Wut? The wrong side won those, Joe.
“How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty from the drivers of Negroes?” – Samuel Johnson
Niall Kilmartin: Oak Apple Day seems a bit redundant given that the Stuarts only remained on the throne for another 28 years. Maybe something to honour the Glorious Revolution though; perhaps 6th February for when Parliament read the Declaration of Rights to William of Orange or 16th December for when the Bill of Rights (1689) gained the Royal Assent.
What about Churchill’s Birthday?
Nothing else happening on 30th November that I recall… 😆
@Niall Kilmartin
You are remembering that Flodden is merely one of the more crushing of a very large number of possible sassenach responses.
I think you are misremembering the whole thing Niall. Sure Flodden was a set back, but less than a hundred years later it was a Scottish heid that wore the English crown.
And sure, the last vestige of Scottish claim to the English throne did meet its demise at Culloden. But let’s remember that that was under the command of a German, one who couldn’t even speak English. “Gott schütze unseren gnädigen König” indeed.
AKM wrote at May 8, 2018 at 10:54 pm:
According to my reckoning, the Stuart monarchy continued for around 54 years after Oak Apple Day: to 1st August 1714. Their span included the interregnums with Cromwell and co and with William without Mary.
Best regards
Saint Edmund‘s Day 20th November for England, he died resisting an early act of forced integration with ‘Europe’.
Has anyone told Mrs May about the Danegeld?
“But a non-partisan commission could be charged with making the decisions, ensuring our new national holidays are unifying, not divisive.”
Love how Guardianistas always go on about the evils of divisions, when their whole philosophy is based on creating division. (This is an instance of Drummond’s Law: the left always accuses the right of using tactics that the left itself is already using).
They also love ‘non-partisan commissions’. I’m sure the “great and good” persons appointed to this one would represent all strands of PC-sanctioned opinion. 🙂
Churchill’s birthday is not a bad idea, but (like the Queen and Christ), the day chosen would probably have to be an official birthday: November 30th is too close to both November 5th and to Christmas, and is not a great time of year for a holiday.
“a non-partisan commission could be charged with making the decisions, ensuring our new national holidays are unifying, not divisive”
I mean, really, how do you think that will work out?
You seem to have so many holidays already, perhaps you could cut some of them out?
N[UJ]G I don’t think we down here are in a position of telling anyone they have too many public holidays.
David, couldn’t it be bitter personal experience being passed on to help others?
Dear Mr de Havilland
A four day week would make all bank holidays redundant. I remember when we went from a six day week for labourers to five. A four day week is long overdue.
Nothing wrong with extra hols though, for special occasions.
National Smokers’ Day (1st July), Alcohol Day, Salt Day, Sugar Day, Fat Day (Shrove Tuesday).
DP
“…grass-fed Irish children”
Potatoes, surely?