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Margaret Thatcher Day

The Don

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The Don
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Being discussed today in parliament is a proposal from a Conservative MP to have the August bank holiday renamed "Margaret Thatcher Day" to recognise the dear departed great lady.

It is apt that it'll be a day when people aren't working. I personally hope that the measure will not pass. It's also interesting that the Scots will not have to celebrate it because the Scottish bank holiday is on a different day.

IMO Margaret Thatcher was a deeply divisive politician and calling for this change is merely a piece of political theatre.
 
One Conservative Part MP trying to make a name for himself. Not only will it not happen.....it won't even get as far as a vote. This is a bit of nonsense.

Still, fun to speculate about. I might recognise the first 4 or 5 hours of such a day as a celebration, then wish the rest of the day away, and finish up by playing "The Fletcher Memorial Home" over and over again.

Mike
 
It's a localish MP to me so he was interviewed on our local radio. The DJ asked if he was serious or if this was posturing and trying to get some publicity. The answer wasn't very convincing. Then he was asked what about the people who were not keen on her due to her policies and the answer was that they would still recognise her for her transformation of the country...

My impression was that it isn't a completely serious proposal.
 
Don't forget that in the 80s the Tory Govt tried to get rid of the May Day bank holiday because it was also known around the world as a Workers day or Labour Day. They didn't like it for ideological reasons.
This is the same govt that thinks we have too many public holidays and blame them for the recession.
 
MikeG said:
What? Really? In the time honoured Jref fashion, do you have any evidence for this?
Click to expand...

IIRC it wasn't the Conservatives, it was the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) and they weren't saying that they were the cause of the recession, just that they are a drag on the economy.

http://www.cebr.com/reports/bank-holidays-cost/


edited to add....

Even then, the suggestion was that 8 bank holidays may not be too many, they just need to be spaced out better and that we shouldn't have exceptional bank holidays like that for the 60th Jubilee.
 
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17654781

Turns out it is the The Centre for Economics and Business Research that made the claim so I withdraw the accusation it is the Govt.

But they do claim they cause recession
"If accurate, and CEBR concedes its figures are no more than “rough and ready”, that means two bank holidays could have been the difference between Britain falling back into recession (as it did) and returning to growth at the start of the year."
 
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Captain_Swoop said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17654781

Turns out it is the The Centre for Economics and Business Research that made the claim so I withdraw the accusation it is the Govt.

But they do claim they cause recession
"If accurate, and CEBR concedes its figures are no more than “rough and ready”, that means two bank holidays could have been the difference between Britain falling back into recession (as it did) and returning to growth at the start of the year."
Click to expand...
It is, though, one of the regular whinges from the business community, like the amount people being off sick supposedly "costs" the country.
 
My local pub (in England) is celebrating 4th July this weekend, all be it slightly belatedly. I was struck by the irony that in this country where we don't really celebrate any of our own historical dates we're going to have a party for one where we lost! On that basis I guess Thatcher Day would fit in.

Incidentally, I will be going and will raise a glass to all my American friends and colleagues. Cheers!
 
Well, as you all said, political posturing

http://metro.co.uk/2013/07/05/margaret-thatcher-day-bill-speech-cut-off-after-87-seconds-3870842/

A Tory MP’s speech introducing a bill to establish Margaret Thatcher Day in the UK was cut off after just 87 seconds.
Click to expand...

The person making the speech was Peter Bone who is a member of a group of MPs who also want to....

...privatise the BBC, ban the burka and introduce a new bill preventing eastern European workers from claiming benefits in the UK.
Click to expand...
 
The Don said:
Being discussed today in parliament is a proposal from a Conservative MP to have the August bank holiday renamed "Margaret Thatcher Day" to recognise the dear departed great lady.

It is apt that it'll be a day when people aren't working. I personally hope that the measure will not pass. It's also interesting that the Scots will not have to celebrate it because the Scottish bank holiday is on a different day.

IMO Margaret Thatcher was a deeply divisive politician and calling for this change is merely a piece of political theatre.
Click to expand...

Maybe they could rename it "dance day" for the number of people loudly announcing all the dancing on her grave
 
I have to admit, I have long found it odd that the UK has allowed its bank holidays to go unnamed for so long. You've got a thousand years of history to choose from. How about Bosworth Field Day? That happened in August, didn't it?
 
Margaret Thatcher Day is boring.

It's Margaret Thatcher Eve when all the wild partying goes down. Never have so many Rusty Ventures occurred!
 
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