Dewsbury MP calls for St. George's Day holiday

MP Shahid Malik is calling on people in Dewsbury, Mirfield and Heckmondwike to back his calls for the creation of a national public holiday in England on St. George’s Day.

The campaign for St. George’s Day has received the support of more than 400,000 people across the country, among them former England cricketer Ian Botham. Now Shahid has introduced an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons calling on fellow MP’s and the government to support the creation of a dedicated holiday to celebrate "collective Englishness".

Shahid Malik said: “It’s high time that St George's Day be given the importance it warrants. It provides a unique opportunity to celebrate collective Englishness, to take pride in our heritage and to highlight the values which define modern England, values such as honesty, fairness, tolerance, enterprise and equality”.

“I want to fly the flag and take pride in being English, and I know for a fact that there are thousands of people in our area who feel the same way. St. George’s Day offers a unique opportunity for people from all backgrounds and beliefs to come together and celebrate the things that make England great”.

EDM 1631 reads: Celebrating St. George's Day

That this House calls for St George's Day to be given the importance it warrants; support the St George's Day campaign spearheaded by Ian Botham which has received the support of some 400,000 people thus far; believes that St George's Day provides a unique opportunity to celebrate collective Englishness, to take pride in heritage and to highlight the values which define modern England, such as honesty, fairness, tolerance, enterprise and equality which help to create a cohesive, dynamic and stable England which both respects its past and is ready to deal with the challenges and opportunities of the future; and calls on the Government, ahead of St George's Day on 23rd April to make St George's Day a public national holiday in England.