A 'national day' for the UK?

by **Stormaen** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 3:39 pm

Unlike many other countries around the world, the UK does not have a 'national day', whereby its collective history and culture is celebrated. In recent years, successive governments have both said they want a national day for the UK (followed by doing nothing about it).

The Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly have both dedicated a 'national day' within their respective countries (St. Andrew's Day (30 November) in Scotland and St. David's Day (1 March) in Wales). Within England, however, St. George's day (today, 23 April) is not a 'national day', likewise St. Patrick's day (17 March) is not a national day in Northern Ireland. In both cases, however, there are informal celebrations on these days.

Within England, the previous government said that making St. George's day a national day in England would be "impractical" because 23 April often falls near Easter. This would mean that some public sector workers would have 4 days off out of 5 over Easter-week. 1 May was also ruled out. Despite being the date in 1707 when Scotland and England became the United Kingdom, 1 May (or "May Day") is traditionally the Labour day of the UK and therefore some people are very reluctant to have it replaced or coinciding with another bank holiday.

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown suggested a national day for August; the only problem being, there are no historically significant dates in August. Finally, there is current Prime Minister David Cameron's suggestion: 21 October - Trafalgar day. It's not a bad idea. Unlike the patron saint days, Trafalgar day relates to all of the UK. It is historically relevant. It's also more practical as you wouldn't need to shuffle existing bank holidays around. As a side note, bar Scotland's St. Andrew's day (which applies only to Scotland), there are no bank holidays in the UK between August's and December's.

So the question is this: if the UK were to adopt a 'national day', what date should it fall on? Perhaps you don't think the UK as a whole should have a national day?

For those of you who aren't British or living in Britain: do you think the UK should adopt a national day? Does your home country have a national day?

Discuss.

[Note: this is not a political thread. It's not designed for people to criticise various politicians for their suggestions or lack thereof. It's meant for people to politely discuss the idea of a 'UK national day'.]

by **The Matthew Islands** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 3:57 pm

Why bother? It would probably just rain anyway.

National days for England and the UK are only being mentioned recently because newspapers like The Sun and the twats who read them have been jumping about shouting:

"ENGLISH AND BRITISH BANNED BY EU HUMAN RIGHTS POLITICALLY CORRECT CONSPIRACY."

by **The Pink Followers** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 4:08 pm

Yes; Pick the day of the foundation of the first British colony in the current territory of the United States, for shits and giggles.

by **Call to power** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 4:56 pm

I was actually thinking about this earlier today -we should totally have more 4 day weekends (like we are had with the wedding and the like) even if it means moving St Georges day. We might even end up with Cornwall being worth something!

But no I don't think making up a new holiday on the fly would work out as it will either be horrendously politically one sided or a soulless husk like Armed Forces day (seriously, Trafalgar day sounds like a load of shite). We either need something that properly defines national character like a British Bastille day or just take note that every day the Sun rises is a glorious day to be British.

by **Lackadaisical2** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 4:57 pm

I thought those were for republics.

by **Yootwopia** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 4:58 pm

I'm not sure there's anything that everyone in the UK would celebrate. Also, are we not a bit old for all that? Seems like the kind of thing shit countries do.

by **Serrland** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:15 pm

23 January - a day in celebration of Edward the Confessor's marriage to Edith of Wessex.

by **Stormaen** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:20 pm

The Matthew Islands wrote:Why bother? It would probably just rain anyway.

National days for England and the UK are only being mentioned recently because newspapers like The Sun and the twats who read them have been jumping about shouting:

"ENGLISH AND BRITISH BANNED BY EU HUMAN RIGHTS POLITICALLY CORRECT CONSPIRACY."

I actually live in New Zealand at the moment and so I don't read the Sun. But the issue always does get floated again about this time every year.

by **Hardened Pyrokinetics** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:20 pm

Yootwopia wrote:I'm not sure there's anything that everyone in the UK would celebrate. Also, are we not a bit old for all that? Seems like the kind of thing shit countries do.

Canada, Australia, and pretty much every other country in the world would like a word with you.

That said: Eh, I dunno. I'll say "no" for now just because it'd be bothersome to find a date to put one on that all parts of the UK (including the offshore colonies, like Gibraltar and the Falklands) would be happy with.

by **Yootwopia** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:22 pm

Hardened Pyrokinetics wrote:
Yootwopia wrote:I'm not sure there's anything that everyone in the UK would celebrate. Also, are we not a bit old for all that? Seems like the kind of thing shit countries do.

Canada, Australia, and pretty much every other country in the world would like a word with you.

Yeah but who cares about those, really?

by **Rhodesia** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:25 pm

I think the UK should just use the 1st of May. Get rid of that awfully socialist May Day bollocks and replace it with a REAL historical date.

by **Rhodmhire** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:25 pm

What would they celebrate exactly.

The Queen?
Parliament?
Cold, rainy weather?

Sorry my knowledge of the UK is kind of limited.

by **Alyakia** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:26 pm

no

p.s. don't make it a celebration of a military victory

I think the UK should just use the 1st of May. Get rid of that awfully socialist May Day bollocks and replace it with a REAL historical date.

hurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

by **Yootwopia** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:28 pm

Rhodesia wrote:I think the UK should just use the 1st of May. Get rid of that awfully socialist May Day bollocks and replace it with a REAL historical date.

Derp thee hence.

by **Yootwopia** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:29 pm

Alyakia wrote:p.s. don't make it a celebration of a military victory

But surely D-Day-Day is a thing we can all get behind, and one that says important things about our joint cultural heritage within a quasinational state superstructure!

by **Lost Earth** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:31 pm

I think Trafalgar Day would be a perfect national holiday. Its historical significance not withstanding, it is, as you noted applicable to all of the United Kingdom.

by **Yootwopia** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:33 pm

Lost Earth wrote:I think Trafalgar Day would be a perfect national holiday. Its historical significance not withstanding, it is, as you noted applicable to all of the United Kingdom.

It's so shit a holiday.

"HUZZAH HUZZAH WE BLEW UP SOME BOATS TO IMPEDE THE SPREAD OF REPUBLICANISM IN EUROPE, A GUY DIED. IT WAS STOIC." - aye whatever.

by **The UK in Exile** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:34 pm

Magna Carta or reformation, though both are pre-union.

we already have november the 5th.

by **Yootwopia** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:35 pm

The UK in Exile wrote:Magna Carta or reformation, though both are pre-union.

A true celebration for the UK of our times.

"English stuff basically counts for everyone, yeah?"

by **Alyakia** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:36 pm

The UK in Exile wrote:Magna Carta or reformation, though both are pre-union.

we already have november the 5th.

Reformation? Please don't tell me you mean... :v

by **Hydesland** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:36 pm

Alyakia wrote:no

p.s. don't make it a celebration of a military victory

Why not? Everything else just seems trivial.

by **Yootwopia** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:37 pm

Hydesland wrote:
Alyakia wrote:no

p.s. don't make it a celebration of a military victory

Why not? Everything else just seems trivial.

Because we're not a shit country, so why would we celebrate a military victory?

by **Free Missouri** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:37 pm

Lackadaisical2 wrote:I thought those were for republics.

This

Fuck ya'll monarchic maniacs, become a republic with no royalty and a congress and supreme court, then talk to us

by **The UK in Exile** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:39 pm

Yootwopia wrote:
The UK in Exile wrote:Magna Carta or reformation, though both are pre-union.

A true celebration for the UK of our times.

"English stuff basically counts for everyone, yeah?"

true, however our shared history with the rest of the union consists of waging war on each other. Indeed the most offensive aspect of britains shared history to the other nations is that they share it with england.

so its pretty much impossible to pick something non-contreversial.

About me · by **Luziyca** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 5:39 pm

April 15th, to celebrate the birthday of God. After all, it has been proven that God has been born on April 15, Juche 1 (1912); thus, it should be a national holiday.

Or even better, no holidays except one day, called Dogbert Day.

A 'national day' for the UK?

Do you support a 'national day' for the UK?

A 'national day' for the UK?

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