Downing Street has dashed any hopes for an extra bank holiday next year, with the Prime Minister’s spokesman stating that Brits should not expect a bonus day off to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Reports had been suggesting the possibility of a four-day weekend in May or August to celebrate Victory in Europe (VE) Day on May 8 and Victory over Japan Day (VJ) Day on August 15, which mark the end of the war in Europe and Japan’s surrender respectively.
However, the Prime Minister’s office today confirmed that while these dates are significant, the planned commemorations will not extend the weekend for British citizens. Specifically, the PM’s official spokesman said: “The 80th anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day are moments of huge significance for our country where we come together to honour the memory of those who served.”
The spokesman added: “We are committed to commemorating and observing these national important occasions appropriately which is why we’ve announced more than £10million for events to mark them. We’ll set out more detail shortly. These plans do not include an additional bank holiday, but we will look to use the existing early May bank holiday for commemorative events.”
This could potentially be the final significant opportunity to honour the generation who fought in the Second World War. It’s estimated that around 70,000 veterans of the 1939-1945 conflict are still with us today, with some making appearances at the D-Day commemorations in Normandy earlier this year, reports the Mirror.
In May 2020, communities across the UK marked the 75th anniversary of VE Day, hosting socially distanced street parties and gatherings amidst the ongoing Covid pandemic.