By George! Lets have a holiday!

From the archive, first published Monday 16th Apr 2007.

People in the Bradford district are backing a council leader's calls for St George's Day to be made a bank holiday.

Kirklees leader Robert Light wants to see the Government give people a national holiday on April 23.

Councillor Light (Con, Birstall and Birkenshaw) said: "I think many people believe that St George's Day does not get the attention and recognition that it clearly deserves.

"I support the view that the Government should make St George's Day a bank holiday in England, after all, St Andrew's Day is a bank holiday in Scotland."

A Telegraph & Argus straw poll revealed overwhelming support for a bank holiday on St George's Day.

Student Joel Goodridge, 18, of Wrose, said: "We didn't learn anything about St George's Day in school and we do nothing to celebrate it so I think it should be a bank holiday."

Bradford Council leader Councillor Kris Hopkins urged people to fly England's national flag across the district on April 23 but he was less supportive of the call for it to be made a bank holiday.

Coun Hopkins (Con, Worth Valley) said: "I am not sure about a bank holiday but I am extremely proud of my flag and will make sure there will be one flying from the top of City Hall and will be encouraging everyone else to fly the flag.

"St George's Day is a very special day for English people. We need to make sure the good people of this district take back their flag from the Far Right and celebrate - not for reasons that separate and divide us - but because of a real sense of what it is to be English.

"I think it's a special day but I am not sure we need a bank holiday for it."

Kirklees Council will be hosting events across the district to celebrate St George's Day next Monday.

Celebrations will include parades, music, dancing, craft activities and model-making.

Coun Light said: "St George is the patron Saint of England and we should be celebrating that in the same enthusiastic and patriotic way as people do in other countries to mark the history and heritage that goes with these significant historical figures."