'Today should be a bank holiday' say thousands of people in Milton Keynes

Thousands of people from MK and elsewhere have signed a petition to make today – St George’s Day – a bank holiday in the future.

Retired banker John Kelly started a petition on Change.org in a bid to get the government to agree on the move.

He said: “St George's Day, celebrated on April 23, is an important day for English heritage and culture yet it is not recognized as a national holiday in England. This lack of recognition stands in contrast to the other home nations within the UK - Scotland celebrates St. Andrew's Day, Wales honors St. David's Day and Northern Ireland observes St. Patrick's Day.”

John added: “St George has been the patron saint of England since the 14th century and his emblem, a red cross on a white background, is incorporated into the Union Jack flag.“Recognizing this day as a national holiday would provide an opportunity for people across England to celebrate their shared history and cultural identity.“We believe that it is time for England to join its fellow home nations in celebrating its patron saint with a dedicated public holiday on St George’s day.”

The petition has been growing steadily since its launch last month and so far more than 76,000 people have signed it.

One supporter, Anthony Allwood, said: “I'm English, and proud. Other nations celebrate their national day - why shouldn't England do the same?”

You can view or sign the petition here.