Minister gaffes over plan for 'Britishness Day' party

Published on Tuesday 3 June 2008 22:50

A UK government minister was accused of a "cack-handed" gaffe after suggesting a "Britishness day" on the August Bank Holiday – but failing to realise it falls on different days in Scotland and England.

Liam Byrne, the immigration minister, said the "national day of celebration" – involving street parties, carnivals and sporting events – could help to promote a common British identity.

Mr Byrne, tipped as a future Cabinet minister in the next reshuffle, said it would help promote "shared standards" that provide a social glue at a time of high immigration.

But the SNP pointed out that the summer Bank holiday falls on 4 August this year in Scotland – but 25 August in the rest of the UK.

Angus Robertson, the SNP leader at Westminster, said: "Labour's British 'national' holiday plan has fallen at the first hurdle. Liam Byrne's proposal has nothing to do with Britishness, and everything to do with bolstering Gordon Brown as Labour's support evaporates in swing English regions.

"Labour's cack-handed attempts to resuscitate a British 'national' identity are just desperate, motivated by self-interest rather than national interest."

Holding the day on an existing Bank holiday would rule out the call from Lord Goldsmith, who recently published a report on UK citizenship, for an extra public holiday.

Mr Byrne accused his critics of "slightly barking up the wrong tree".