Would a party offering an extra Bank Holiday get your vote ?

[Easy 10]

A small theory of mine I've nurtured for a while.

There is a large swathe of disenfranchised, apathetic people in this country who don't even bother getting off their arses to vote. The common reason for this is often that "all politicians are the same" or "they all say the same thing anyway". Loads more simply can't be bothered to look into the policies of each party anyway. So how would you get them to vote ?

Simple. Offer them an additional Bank Holiday. Declare that from 2011, St Georges Day will be a Bank Holiday in England, and one of the current Spring bank holidays (which fall too close together anyway) will be bumped into the summer, or later on in the year. The Jocks and Welshies can have their own Saints day declared a public holiday as well (although St Paddys is already a holiday in oireland innit ?).

If any of the three main parties came out with that, I GUARANTEE they'd get an immediate and substantial boost to their campaign from the millions who either can't decide, or can't be arsed. Its simple, its a headline policy, and it needs little or no consideration from the electorate. They can even dress it up and play it as a 'patriotism' card. Its so obvious I can't believe none of the parties have thought of it. If Cameron or Clegg came out with it, they'd be home and hosed, and even Brown might snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

"Who you voting for then ?"
"Dunno, they're all the same arn't they. Might as well vote XXXX and get an extra days 'olidee" I suppose".


Reckons ?

 

[wellquickwoody]

What with our national debt, f***ed economy, doubts over our credit rating and obscene pubilc spending obviously the best thing we can do is saddle the real (private) economy with another overhead!

 

[Rookie]

Depends what else they are campaigning on, can't vote for a party based on one policy

 

[Easy 10]

Just to be clear, I'm not saying its the RIGHT thing to do, ie just voting for a party merely for an extra days holiday.
I'm saying that I think it would inevitably be a big vote-winner, abeit for all the wrong reasons.

 

[Badger]

Isn't that one of the English Democrats policies?

 

[8ace]

Isn't that one of the English Democrats policies?

Yes.

 

[Easy 10]

What with our national debt, f***ed economy, doubts over our credit rating and obscene pubilc spending obviously the best thing we can do is saddle the real (private) economy with another overhead!

Not sure why it would saddle us with an additional overhead.
As a country, we have among the fewest if not THE fewest public holidays in Europe don't we ? It'd just bring us more into line with our continental cousins.

 

[Notters]

What a STUPID day to have another bank holiday. It should be something like the second Monday in July. Do we really need three bank holidays in April?

 

[Easy 10]

Isn't that one of the English Democrats policies?

Wasn't aware of that.
But lets get real, it'd need to be one of the three main parties to pick up this policy and use it to persuade the floaters and the can't-be-arsed-ers.

 

[Easy 10]

What a STUPID day to have another bank holiday. It should be something like the second Monday in July. Do we really need three bank holidays in April?

Thats why I said bump one of the Spring bank holidays into the summer, or later in the year to accomodate it.
READ my manifesto

 

[Notters]

Thats why I said bump one of the Spring bank holidays into the summer, or later in the year to accomodate it.
READ my manifesto

 

[wellquickwoody]

Not sure why it would saddle us with an additional overhead.
As a country, we have among the fewest if not THE fewest public holidays in Europe don't we ? It'd just bring us more into line with our continental cousins.

People expect to be paid for bank holidays. They do not go to work and so produce nothing but expect to be paid as normal. I am not saying that we should not be paid for bank holidays but it is an additional overhead.

 

[Easy 10]

Perhaps, but its hardly one thats going to bankrupt the nation.
An extra holiday in the summer might even lead to a drop in sickies being taken, so in that respect we'd be even better off.

 

[Chester Drawers]

A party who use Road Tax to repair the roads "might" get my vote. Interesting that you only see any representation from the Political Parties when they want something from you ie a vote ... I wouldnt mind so much but the lazy feckers keep swamping me with their diatribe through the post .. which then goes into a bin that Im paying to get emptied

 

[Gazwag]

An extra bank holiday would hit many small businesses, especially those who's workers have to work on that day. There are many businesses, other than emergency services, who have to be staffed every day. Staff would therefore expect to be paid time + something so costing businesses more.

For businesses who's staff get bank holiday off they would be hit by a days less production.

Self employed people who are not entitled to bank holidays off could struggle for work that day and so again loss a days profit.

 

[pasty]

A party who use Road Tax to repair the roads "might" get my vote.

Road Tax should be abolished completely and the shortfall made up by an increase in tax on petrol. That way, the amount people use the roads will be in direct proportion to how much road tax they pay.

Why should Granny Smith who uses her car once a week to go to Tescos pay the same in road tax as a 500 mile per week sales rep for instance.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Why should Granny Smith who uses her car once a week to go to Tescos pay the same in road tax as a 500 mile per week sales rep for instance.

I think you've got to the CORE of the issue there.

I run a small business and an extra bank holiday would cost me £1K of billable time lost.

I'm also sceptical about the ability of a bank holiday to generate a Friday or Tuesday sickie so the slacker gets more than half a week off.

I think generally this country needs a kick up the arse - our work ethic is getting worse and does not compare with the Indians or Chinese. An extra bank holiday sends out completely the wrong message.

 

[daveinprague]

Its a good idea...if only to stop right wingers whinging about...boohoo, we dont/cant celebrate our Englishness.. Scots and the Irish have one, why cant we...boohoo..

Would have avoided the bill for that ridiculous mfe nonesense.
Dont instigate another bank holiday, but just move one of existing ones to St Georges day.

 

[withdeanwombat]

This smacks of populist bribery.


Go for it !

 

[Easy 10]

OK, there are plenty of legitimate reasons why an extra Bank Holiday would be unwelcome for some.
But if a main party offered it on a plate to the electorate, then rightly or wrongly I still think it'd turn out to be a BIG votewinner for them. As wombat says, it boils down to straightforward bribary !