Jeremy Corbyn is to unveil plans to create four new bank holidays to celebrate the patron saints of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Labour leader wants to give British workers the day off on St George's Day, St David's Day, St Andrew’s Day and St Patrick’s Day.

Mr Corbyn justified the change to The Telegraph by warning that wages in the UK had not returned to pre-2008 financial crash levels.

Labour insiders said the move would help show the party’s patriotic values while helping those worst affected by poor wage growth.

However, critics are likely to pounce on the impact, with previous analysis suggesting bank holidays cost the economy billions of pounds a year.

Mr Corbyn is expected to discuss it on Sunday – St George's Day – when he appears on BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show.