Paul Murphy: Former Welsh secretary

Welsh politicians have expressed their dismay at a decision to reject calls for St David's Day to be designated a public holiday in Wales.

The news was confirmed in a letter from former secretary of state Paul Murphy to first minister Rhodri Morgan.

The letter, dated October 24, was released to members of the Welsh assembly on Tuesday.

It contains a blunt rejection of calls to designate a national day for Wales, expressing concern at the impact on businesses.

The text reveals an apparent split between the first minister and the former Welsh secretary, despite discussion of the topic on "several occasions".

Murphy wrote that plans to take St David's Day as a public holiday instead of an existing date such as Easter Monday would "cause disruption" and would have to be subject to a full regulatory impact assessment.

The letter reveals that Morgan viewed that option as unacceptable.

Murphy continues: "Nor were you attracted by my suggestion that the assembly give a lead by offering its own staff a holiday on March 1, and then encouraging other employers to consider doing the same on a non-statutory basis."

And the former Welsh secretary tells Morgan that "I think we have now explored all possible avenues" so there will be no further response from the UK government.

The letters goes on to warn that an extra holiday could push up overtime costs for public services and businesses, and deny schools the opportunity for St David's Day celebrations.

"Against that background, the government has no current plans to change the number of bank holidays in the UK as a whole, and we have concluded that we cannot, therefore, agree to the assembly's request for an additional bank holiday in Wales."

Responding to the news the Welsh shadow culture minister, Plaid Cymru's Owen John Thomas, said it was a "slap in the face for Wales and the assembly".

"It is further evidence of the assembly government's poor negotiation skills and their failure to have any influence on their New Labour colleagues in Westminster.

"Once again the secretary of state for Wales reveals himself as London's representative in Wales rather than Wales's representative in London," he said.

And Peter Black, Welsh Liberal Democrat spokesman for communities, reacted angrily to the news.

"The assembly was united in its view that St David's Day should be a bank holiday. This is another example of the UK Labour government ignoring the wishes of the Assembly," he said.

"It is one more piece of evidence proving the need for the assembly to be given the power to determine its own affairs."