GETTY Nigel Farage has called for St George's Day to be made a bank holiday

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On the eve of this year’s St George’s Day, which falls today, the UK Independence Party leader also quipped that leaving the European Union would make the country rich enough to afford an extra day off. Mr Farage went to the City of London’s Leadenhall Market, which traditionally hangs flags and holds events to mark St George’s Day each year, to renew his party’s long-standing call for England to celebrate its nationhood with a day off, in common with other parts of the United Kingdom.

Brandishing a pint of bitter and an English flag with the red cross of St George, Mr Farage said: “Over the last 20 years, through devolution, we have seen some quite big changes.

The whole point of our United Kingdom is that all four parts of it need to celebrate who they are themselves and together Ukip leader Nigel Farage

“There has been quite a marked rise in Scots identity, the Scottish Parliament and the same in Wales and, of course, St Patrick’s Day is almost a global holiday isn’t it? Everybody uses that as an excuse. “The English have been left behind a bit with all of this and almost been made to feel ashamed of being English and we shouldn’t be. “The whole point of our United Kingdom is that all four parts of it need to celebrate who they are themselves and together.”

GETTY The Ukip leader said England has 'much to be proud of'

He added: “It’s about time that England was recognised on the calendar. “Like Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as a country we have much to be proud of, and much that others admire. Isn’t it time that the English were recognised for their own day of celebration?” Mr Farage vowed to wave the English flag with vigour during the Euro 2016 football tournament - although he admitted “disappointing” past performances made him pessimistic about the England team’s prospects.

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Past calculations have claimed that every Bank Holiday costs the economy £2.3billion but the Government says the cost is less and that there could even be a £1billion gain from higher spending on leisure, hospitality and retail. Mr Farage commented: “I want us to vote for Brexit and we will be so much richer that we can afford another bank holiday.” In cases like this year where St George’s Day falls on a weekend, the bank holiday could be the following Monday. Ukip has also previously suggested that Wales, which already marks St David’s Day on March 1 with parades and other events, should have it as a bank holiday - an idea rejected by the Labour government in 2007.

GETTY Farage made the call while holding and England flag and a pint of bitter

St Patrick’s Day on March 17 is a public holiday in Ireland and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, St Andrew’s Day on November 30 was designated a “voluntary public holiday” by the Edinburgh Parliament in 2006, enabling time off for civil servants and local services if councils decide although banks are not required to close nor employers to give staff a paid day off.

GETTY The MEP vowed to wave his England flag during the Euros