Leading Article: Don't bank on them

BANK HOLIDAYS have lost not only the reason for their name, but also

the reasons for their existence. The banks are open, whatever the British

Government may say about it - traders in London yesterday were buying

and selling anything they wanted. Every nation needs a day for its families,

and people of every religion have a right to take their holy days off

work, but a multicultural society no longer needs the prop of manufactured

community. We should be able to take them whenever we want, just like

other holidays.