The Early May Bank Holiday which is a day off for all of Britain is often known as Labour Day or May Day. It is held every year on the first Monday of May. It differs from May Day itself which is always on the first of May.

It became a public holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 1978. In Scotland, it had already been one of the original bank holidays since 1871. Britain has a long heritage of May Day celebrations dating back to pagan times that still have echoes in such customs as the Maypole. However this holiday was brought in as a way of marking International Labour day by the socialist government of the time.

For most countries, "Labour Day" is synonymous with, or linked with, International Workers' Day, which occurs on 1 May. Some countries vary the actual date of their celebrations so that the holiday occurs on a Monday close to 1 May. Other countries choose other dates that are particularly synonomous with the labour movement in their own countries such as America and Canada who celebrate their Labor Day on the first Monday in September and is considered the unofficial end of summer, with summer holidays coming to an end and students returning to school and college around that time.

Why do we have bank holidays?

The Bank Holidays Act was first introduced in 1871 by Sir John Lubbock who was a banker and politician. The name Bank Holiday derives from the fact that originally it was only Banks and financial institutions that closed on the extra dates introduced by the Act. Originally the only two days off people had were Good Friday and Christmas Day. The Bank Holidays Act added Easter Monday, Whit Monday, the first Monday in August and Boxing day. 

The Bank Holiday Act was replaced by the Banking and Financial Dealings Act in 1971 and it is this act which remains in force today.