Welsh should be given the choice over royal wedding bank holiday, says AM
Bethan Jenkins AM has written to the Prime Minister, urging him to give people in Wales the choice over whether they get to take the impending royal wedding or St David’s Day off as an extra bank holiday this year.
The Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales West is arguing that while many people will want to mark the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, many more have no interest in the royal family and would instead prefer to take March 1 off, particularly as it has been the focus of a campaign in Wales for several years now.
In the letter to David Cameron, Bethan says:
“The UK government has designated a bank holiday for the public to coincide with the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton on April 29 this year.
“While I respect the fact that many people across the UK will want to mark the wedding, I would ask you to consider that those people who will not want to mark the wedding, or who are republicans for various reasons, can be allowed to instead take a bank holiday on St David’s Day, the day that we mark our patron saint here in Wales?
“There has been an ongoing campaign in Wales calling for an official bank holiday for St David’s Day for several years now, with various MPs presenting the concept in Private Members’ Bills, but this is yet to be successful. This campaign – which enjoys cross-party support – will continue until it achieves its aims. But in the meantime I would request that you consider this suggestion and allow Welsh people to celebrate their heritage by attending St David’s Day events up and down the country.
“Research has shown that many Welsh local authorities would like to allow their staff the day off on March 1, but current legislation makes it difficult to do so, given that St David’s Day is not an official bank holiday. I believe this suggestion would offer a compromise, and allow those in Wales to decide on which day they wish to take their bank holiday.”
Bethan, who is a republican, added: “Support for the royal family is falling all the time, yet St David’s Day is more popular than ever. I’m not asking for an additional day off – I’m asking the Prime Minister to let people in Wales have the choice.
“In addition, we have an established St David’s Day parade. It doesn’t take place at the weekend, it takes place on the day, and it could benefit from more support. I don’t see this request as contentious. It’s just a question of moving with the times.”
