http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6721239.stm

Ruth Kelly thinks we should have a Britain Day "to promote a stronger sense of British identity, and prevent communities from becoming more divided."

What the fuck are these people on?

Now, let me think, do I want an extra day off work?

Or you could go to the seaside and get pissed.

Mos - I doubt you'd get an extra day's leave - your annual allocation would probably stay the same, you'd just have one fewer days that you could choose...

I used to lose a days pay ever January 26th (Australia Day), but it was worth the trek into town to watch the Aborigines performing their Flag Burning ceremony.

About £100,000 a year.

I do think we should have an extra bank holiday year - sometime between the August one and the Christmas one as its a fuck of a long time otherwise.
Don't care if they call it Britain day or what, just give me extra annual leave!

And at the same time the government is seeking to devolve more power. I'm sure the Irish, Welsh and Scots think it's a great idea. Oh, and Muslims and Rumanians and ........ all those who have been made to feel most welcome in Britain. Or am I missing something?

Why do middle class Londoners think in such simplistic ways?

Brendan Barber general secretary of the TUC is calling for another bank holiday and if both the Labour government and the unions are calling for it then that's good enough for me. A day for Briton would be a good idea, I don't want to see nationalists from Wales or Scotland pull apart a state which has been very sucessful for 300 years, and I'm sure that a day sponsored by both sides of the Labour movement would be used to build an inclusive tolerent version of Briton.

Yeah part of it would be a jolly at the seaside and part of it would be picnics with samosas which sounds great to me.

Of course the Tories and the Sun newspaper would complain that its bad for business but thats another reason to have a day off and I agree with Sarah about the timing of another day off October would be good.

During half term to help out those annual leave strapped parents!

And Mick - I get scared when we agree, we mustn't make a habit of it!

I think it's a pretty daft idea, though another holiday would be good.
I suspect that the motive might well be "unionist"; there is a strong sense of alarm that devolution may have set in train a course of events that will lead to the break-up of the UK, which for very different reasons, none of the major parties want to see.

So when do teachers get their Britain day?

when you take your little charges to wave their union jacks

I refused to do that on one memorable occasion. It caused much consternation amongst my colleagues.

13 weeks holiday and part time hours not enough for you?

Actually it's 14 weeks, but it ain't a holiday. Some of us work, others are Bristol City fans.

While others are supply teachers...



I don't really understand what you're getting at Andy? Are you saying you'd want an extra day in addition to the week off you already get for half term?

Fuck right off.


If it's an entitlement, teachers are entitled to it as well.

But you'd be getting it, same as the rest of us, it would just happen to be in a week you're already off.
I honestly can't see what the problem is.

I don't have a problem - except with the very concept of Britain Day. I'd rather work than be given a day to celebrate values that I don't think even exist. Imagine it, Union Flags everywhere, twats wandering the streets saying how fantastic Britain is. It's bullshit. Now if the day was, say, called Human Rights Day that would be different.

I'd be very surprised if any employers out there will be allowing people annual leave - unless you get minimum statuary requirement almost all will simply take one day's leave away from you. And there is nothing that you or the government can do to stop them!

As for teachers - next year they will get two extra days leave since Easter is early and most Easter hols are going to be later...

As for the idea that having a Britain day is somehow going to halt the break-up of the UK, I find that laughable. And frankly Mick H - if the Scots and Welsh want to go their own way - good luck to them: We're all part of the EU now, it'll make little difference to the English.

I don't know where you got that from. They're shifting holidays around to accommodate the two Easter days.

From My kids' schools! They are getting the extra days - maybe teachers aren't...

They get a two week Easter Hols and they get Good Friday & Easter Monday off.

Britain Day? I'd like to see it happen.
Just because I'd like to go to one of its main events.
I remember the 1977 Queens Silver Jubilee.
It would be a bit (a lot) different to that - but a day to remember I'm sure.

I remember 1977 too. All my arse. Apart from the Pistols, of course.

Could always call it S.L day.

Hilarious:

http://search.petitions.pm.gov.uk/kbroker/...qt=bank+holiday

Okay... getting slightly disturbed by responses to posts I wrote almost a year ago.