UK Bank Holidays

The United Kingdom has several public holiday across the year. Some are observed throughout the UK, others by certain countries therein. These holidays are commonly known as bank holidays as traditionally they were days that banks would shut meaning no other businesses could operate.

For example today, Monday the 26th May 2008, is a public holiday in the UK being the last Monday in May also known as Spring Bank Holiday. Most of the UK will have time off work on this day, although it is not a legal requirement. Emergency services and other such business that need to operate all the time would obviously continue to work on public holidays but may receive extra pay for doing so.

Current bank holidays were passed by the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971. The current number of bank holidays in a year total 8 in England and Wales, 9 in Scotland and 10 in Northern Ireland. The main reason England and Wales have less is that currently they do not have a public holiday allocated to the feast days of their respective patron saints whereas Scotland and Ireland do.

This is something that is possibly going to change in the near future especially as the UK has a notably smaller number of public holidays than other European countries.

Just another England manager?

From 7th January 2008, Fabio Capello takes over as manager of the England national football team, a job that has seen many a manager torn apart by the press. So what's different about this guy?

Well nothing really apart from one thing. This guy has played with and, more importantly, managed some of the highest profile players in the world. Two innings as the AC Milan manager and two as the Real Madrid manager has seen the likes of Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, David Beckham, Francesco Totti and Fabio Cannavaro, being handled by this experienced man.

5 Italian Titles, 2 Spanish Titles and 1 Champions League are just a few of the honours won in his management career which began in 1991. No prior national side management experience but 32 appearances as a player for the Italian national side which included scoring the winning goal 3 minutes from time in a 1-0 win against England in 1973 as Italy triumph at Wembley for the 1st ever time.

Hopefully this time the FA have got the right guy. Possibly a second choice (behind José Mourinho) but in time it could be the right choice! Capello has been quoted saying "It would be the ultimate to win the World Cup and then retire". I think most England fans (and the press) would be ok with that!!!