Not an election please

And if businesses are trying to compete with other EU companies for trade, they'll have an even harder job on their hands if their overheads for staffing costs are pushed even higher, by being legally forced to pay their staff for an extra 4 days bank holiday. So Corbyn will be to blame for that.

Of course they shouldn't, if they are making intelligent, well thought out comments, blame Corbyn for the state of their business, either good or bad Jen, but that will not stop some doing so. This obsession with attacking Corbyn is taking us away from the rest of the election I'm afraid.

We do need whoever is in government to look after small businesses but that needs to be done in the best way for the country - not putting money in the pockets of the business owners as has been done in the past.

Corbyn might as well promise sunshine and lollipops for all the good it'll do. In fact I bet he's really enjoying spelling out his ideas for a socialist utopia. Unfortunately that would be completely unaffordable as even he must know. Oh well...

Heaven forbid that workers have more days off. In fact employers can include bank holidays in workers statutory leave, so it doesn't have to make any difference to the number of days holiday.

Northern Ireland have ten public holidays as it is.
Scotland already has St Andrew's Day.
Do their employers complain about them?

Although perhaps those workers would rather have atually chosen which days they took off as statutory leave.

But he isn't promising sunshine and lollipops Jane10.

Please tell me how the Conservative idea of taking away much of the support for the poor and less able has been anything other than unaffordable looking at the growth in debt.

It would be really nice if we could find out what the parties are saying not make up other worldly silliness.

They might Ana. I think the Bank Holidays which cause the most problems are the ones the Christian church has a hand in setting. These dates would actually spread out through the calendar better if you allowed people to choose either St David's Day or St Patrick's (as they are both in the same month)and took out

30 March Good Friday
2 April Easter Monday
1 May Early May bank holiday
25 December Christmas Day
26 December Boxing Day

and allowed people to choose a day in February, June, July, September and October. This would spread the load both through the year and, for these extra months, spread them through the month.

This would give you:

1 January New Year’s Day
February
1 March St David's Day or 17 March St Patrick's Day
23 April St Georges Day
29 May Spring bank holiday
June
July
28 August Summer bank holiday
September
October
30 November St Andrew's Day
26 December Boxing Day

Those who wanted to take religious holidays could use some of the annual holiday.

I don't thinggk you'd get away with removing Christmas Day as a holiday, GG2

You have Boxing Day in both lists, by the way - for removing and for including in your one-a-month list.

What about schools fining parents for taking their children out of school for family holidays?

what about schools fining parents for taking their children out of school for family holidays

What about it? What does that have to do with the elections or Corbyn's gift of more bank holidays?

My mistake Elegran. You could keep Christmas in the keep list then. I was a quick suggestion. I just think it all needs some rethinking.

Irrelevant at this point durhamejen. School holidays would not be effected.

Surely it would if people were allowed to choose when to have their extra days holidays. Schools would be expected to stay open for those who didn't want a certain day.

pbs.twimg.com/media/C-FwyxYW0AAEfQp.jpg

Who believes polls any more?

The Mail is frightening its readers into turning out.

It's no good anybody saying 'people should stop attacking Corbyn' because he is the Leader, because if you vote Labour in the GE then what you get is Corbyn and all his Socialist ( and nutty) ideas.Plus, it's impossible to have a PM that refuses to
Use any show of force ( in a military way) or back Trident.Can anyone really imagine Corbyn being effective about national security.

It's a real dilemma for any Labour supporter.

Turnng out what? Their old drawers?

Surely DM readers vote anyway, just like Guardian readers do.

my drawers need turning out!( and a few cupboards too.)

It's no good anybody saying 'people should stop attacking Corbyn' because he is the Leader,...

Where has this been said Roses?

In fact employers can include bank holidays in workers statutory leave, so it doesn't have to make any difference to the number of days holiday

Rubbish durhamjen EVERY employer in England has an obligation to pay their staff a minimum of 28 days per year. This is often (but not always) 20 days plus 8 statutory bank holidays. My DD works in a coffee shop and she only ever gets 1 guaranteed statutory day (Easter Sunday) as their shop is open every other day of the year. She does (as per the law) get the other days to take as she likes.

Tbh you could increase the holidays to 50-100 days or whatever JC dreams up, but the time and money will have to be made up somehow or businesses will just go to the wall.

.....and finally it's pointless comparing with other countries, for example, Spain, who have loads more holidays than we do but their economy is failing.

Exactly, but no more than that. Therefore it is not rubbish to say the bank holidays CAN be included, which is what I said.

I read it on the government website, so perhaps you should tell the government it is spouting rubbish.

A few bank holidays here or there is hardly a critical issue. Nor, frankly, is the Labour v Conservative Brexit position. TM is clear on the fact that she won't agree to free movement, and as far as I can see that's Labour policy as well. So both parties are entirely dependant on the EU softening their negotiating position on that point.
So for me the election looks like it's down to consideration of the usual issues. Labour promise huge increases in spending funded by tax and borrowing. The Tories look like they might release a bit more money, but not much. I understand the attraction of the former, but the risks involved look substantial. I think the result would be an economic nightmare, starting with the collapse of businesses like those of Gillybob. But of course, the professional economists all have differing views, so the likes of us can't seriously believe we can predict the outcome of a full blooded Keynesian tax and spend dash for prosperity. But I do know it would be a huge risk. I can't see that it's a risk worth taking.

Ab, I don't know if you are really thinking of not voting Labour because of Corbyn - or the Great High Lentil as Camilla Long called him in her article in the Sunday Times - but you should read David Blunkett's article in The Observer before deciding. I am not enthusiastic of the idea of JC being PM as I voted against him in both leadership elections but I will vote Labour despite him because I have an excellent Labour MP and I share the main principles of the Labour Movement. I want to see decent Labour MPs returned as they have served us well so far. So I appeal to all Labour voters from the past to keep the faith and keep the Tories out by voting Labour. There will be checks on JC if he becomes PM. There are on every PM no matter what the party. I've never encountered a leader yet who goes on forever:nature does have a habit of seeing us all off eventually. David Blunkett urges all Labour voters to turn out to keep the Tory 'elective dictatorship' at bay. We cannot let all opposition to Brexit, dismantling of the Welfare State etc pass without making a stand. I believe that if strong Labour MPs are returned they will be very vocal both against the Tories and any stupidity in their own hierarchy. We need those voices in all the forums of The House for the next five years. The day after the election is too late.

Bank holidays are included in the 28 day legal holiday