TODAY is, of course, a Bank Holiday in honour of the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. And I very much hope you are enjoying it.
As one of the 10 million over 65 it is for me an ordinary day, although thanks to our collapsing economy vast numbers of retired people will still be working and many will be working today.
So too will the army of people needed to provide police, fire, and health services. Along with the vast army needed to convey people from all over Britain to the funeral. And many many more. They will, we hope, get a 'day in lieu' but not today.
So it seems to me highly likely that, of the working population as many as 50% will actually still be working. And the gift (which is what it is) has no meaning to all those not in work or retired. Or under the age of 16.
It is estimated however that the bank holiday – any in fact – will be a £3.2bn hit to the UK economy.
Now I am not one who wants people to work until they drop – I even have great sympathy for all those who walked the tortuous and frankly bizarre route of today's cortege – but it does seem to this simple foot soldier that dobbing out a Bank Holiday which commerce, business and industry will actually pay for is not the right way forward.
Maybe next time, King Charles you could think about handing a £100 to everyone in Britain earning less than the national average wage? That might hit the spot a lot more precisely.
And it is but a year away when you have to go through something remarkably similar called a Coronation.
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