Happy holidays, all!

It is reported that Ed Balls' depart for education (the schools-'n-families one) is offering 'cultural flexitime', in which non-Christians may swap Christmas and Easter Monday for their own festivals :  working at home (ha!) on Christmas Day in return for Eid, Diwali, Hanukkah,  Midsummer solstice, the birth of Guru Nanak. 

Before you start muttering about multiculturalism, the Mail says it includes such observances as St David's Day for Welsh workers and St George's day for English patriots.  Which may, in the end,  save working days: I know a girl who fondly remembers working at the Thai Embassy in London and getting all the Thai holidays as well as all the British ones.  This at least is an honest swap.  And nice for Conservative- supporters to be able  to boycott May Day in favour of - suppose - Lady Thatcher's birthday....