AM wants holiday for St David’s Day

Mar 1 2008 by Our Correspondent, Western Mail

LABOUR AM Huw Lewis has called for St David’s Day to become a national holiday to celebrate “the working people of Wales”.

Mr Lewis said the case for a national holiday had received such a groundswell of support that it had become a case of “when” and “how” – and not “if” – it would happen.

“What other cause can you think of that unites Cerys Matthews and the Tory leader Nick Bourne – or Brace’s the bakers with leading teaching unions?”, he said.

From this year St Andrew’s Day will be an official holiday in Scotland, after the Scottish Parliament passed its own law on the subject. A similar move in Wales would need to overcome a number of legislative hurdles.

Meanwhile, Mr Lewis added, “It is because it is the working people of Wales who deserve an additional holiday that I think the working people of Wales – and their history – deserve more of a starring role on our national holiday. I fully support St David’s Day becoming a national holiday, but I think we should look to how we celebrate our nation’s people every bit as much as we celebrate our nation’s symbols. Let’s make St David’s Day a People’s Holiday.

View images from the St David's Day parade in Cardiff