St George's day indifference should not snuff out Wales holiday hopes (Eleanor Burnham )

Cymraeg
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Eleanor Burnham <info@eburnham.org.uk>

St George's day indifference should not snuff out Wales holiday hopes

April 23, 2007 11:07 AM

"English ambivalence to their patron saint should not stop Wales celebrating ours" - that's the message from Eleanor Burnham on St George's Day. Ms Burnham, Welsh Liberal Democrat AM for North Wales and culture spokesperson, said: "The first united act of AMs in 1999 was to ask for a bank holiday to celebrate Wales' patron saint. Eight years on we are still waiting. As with many requests from Wales over the years - Labour isn't listening.

"Scotland and Northern Ireland enjoys different holidays, yet Labour has consistently resisted Wales going its own way.

"Devolution means Wales can be different. It means Wales can do its own thing. If the people of Wales want to celebrate their national day - as the Assembly has already voted to do - then it should not be for Ministers in London to say we can't.

"Welsh Liberal Democrats would demand the powers over bank holidays transfer to the Assembly, so we can celebrate the life of Dewi Sant as we choose.

"We need to do more to promote Wales internationally too. This means making St David's Day more like St Patrick's Day - a global festival of all things Welsh and a showcase for investment and tourism.

"Another way to drive up awareness of Wales would be a Welsh internet address. In government we would be keen to use a.cym domain for e-mail and web addresses."

Notes:

Lembit Opik MP and Eleanor Burnham AM will be campaigning across North Wales tomorrow, highlighting their position as the party with the most radical proposals for a greener Wales. Starting in Rhyl, they will travel to Denbigh, then Wrexham.

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