Date 'gaffe' angers Nationalists

The Nationalists want St Andrew's Day to become a holiday

Scottish Executive staff have been accused of making a "monumental gaffe" after getting the date of St Andrew's Day wrong.

The error was discovered after Nationalists sent postcards to First Minister Jack McConnell, demanding a public holiday on 30 November.

They were stunned to receive a reply which referred to St Andrew's Day as 31 November, which does not exist.

An executive spokesman said the mistake was due to a typing error.

Scottish National Party activist Alex Orr said: "It's a monumental gaffe."

It just shows how little they care about St Andrew's Day Euan McCreath Young Scots for Independence

Mr Orr said he and several hundred other people had sent postcards to Mr McConnell calling for St Andrew's Day to be made a public holiday as part of the campaign organised by Young Scots for Independence.

"If everyone who sent a postcard has got one of these letters, potentially hundreds of people could have received one.

"It must be very embarrassing for the Scottish Executive."

He added: "Not only does the executive believe St Andrew's Day falls on the 31st of November, rather than the 30th, but they have chosen a day that does not even exist in the calendar."

Euan McCreath, from Young Scots for Independence, said: "It just shows how little they care about St Andrew's Day."

'Typographical error'

The letter sent to Mr Orr and Mr McCreath said the executive was committed to celebrating St Andrew's Day and added that the number of events taking place to mark it was growing.

It refers to independent MSP Dennis Canavan's St Andrew's Day (Scotland) Bill, which aims to create a public holiday, but stated: "The Scottish Parliament has no powers to create a national public holiday."

The letter also explained the bill could only allow 31 November to become a bank holiday, saying: "The only direct effect of the bill would be to allow for financial and other dealings to be suspended on 31 November."

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Executive said: "It was a typographical error and we have taken appropriate steps to make sure it does not happen again."