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Britishness Day plans 'dropped' Britishness Day plans 'dropped'
(41 minutes later)
Plans for a "Britishness Day" have been dropped, it has emerged.Plans for a "Britishness Day" have been dropped, it has emerged.
The plan for a national holiday, like July 4 in the US or Bastille Day in France, was proposed as part of Gordon Brown's plan to celebrate Britishness.The plan for a national holiday, like July 4 in the US or Bastille Day in France, was proposed as part of Gordon Brown's plan to celebrate Britishness.
It was one of the key recommendations of a citizenship review he commissioned from Lord Goldsmith last year.It was one of the key recommendations of a citizenship review he commissioned from Lord Goldsmith last year.
But minister Michael Wills told MPs that while some ideas from the review would be taken forward, there were no plans to introduce a national day.But minister Michael Wills told MPs that while some ideas from the review would be taken forward, there were no plans to introduce a national day.
In a written answer to Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell he said: "A number of Lord Goldsmith's recommendations merit further consideration across Government and will be taken into account in discussion and debate on policy development in these areas.In a written answer to Conservative MP Andrew Rosindell he said: "A number of Lord Goldsmith's recommendations merit further consideration across Government and will be taken into account in discussion and debate on policy development in these areas.
"However, there are no plans to introduce a national day at the present time.""However, there are no plans to introduce a national day at the present time."
Mr Wills worked on the original proposals for a day to "focus on the things that bring us together... whatever our backgrounds".Mr Wills worked on the original proposals for a day to "focus on the things that bring us together... whatever our backgrounds".
The plan had run into trouble this summer when minister Liam Byrne proposed making the August bank holiday weekend the national day.The plan had run into trouble this summer when minister Liam Byrne proposed making the August bank holiday weekend the national day.
That meant rejecting Lord Goldsmith's proposal of it being an extra bank holiday - and prompted criticism from Scotland where most people's bank holiday is at the start of the month.That meant rejecting Lord Goldsmith's proposal of it being an extra bank holiday - and prompted criticism from Scotland where most people's bank holiday is at the start of the month.
Mr Byrne said the day would give people the opportunity to celebrate "the best of being British" and "showcase all the colours of the British tapestry".Mr Byrne said the day would give people the opportunity to celebrate "the best of being British" and "showcase all the colours of the British tapestry".
Mr Rosindell told the BBC he found the decision "disappointing" and left the UK at odds with most other countries.
He also accused the government of "hypocrisy" in trying to "promote patriotism... but once they have got the short term publicity they quietly drop the plan".
Mr Rosindell, MP for Romford, said he wanted the national day - which he would call Britannia Day - to be the Monday after the Trooping the Colour celebration of the Queen's official birthday in June.