May Day

The TUC has criticised the government’s proposal to replace the May Day bank holiday with one in October, saying the coalition has a problem with its association with workers’ solidarity.

While supporting the idea of an additional public holiday — the UK has the stingiest allocation in Europe — the TUC sees no reason to scrap the one on May Day.

General secretary Brendan Barber said: “A few Tory backwoodsmen have a bee in their bonnet about the May Day bank holiday because of its association with international labour day. The government would do well to rise above this backbench grudge.”