Last month the Labour-led Scottish Executive blocked the bill that would have given Scotland a national holiday on St Andrew's Day. Why?

Their reasons, at best, seem spurious. Not everyone would get the holiday on the day itself, claims the executive. We couldn't make it "mandatory" therefore no-one should get it.

So what's new? Not everyone can have the day off on the current clutch of public holidays, someone has to man the fire stations and hospitals, buses and trains still run. This argument lacks substance.

A second argument does indeed, at first glance, seem more substantial.

The executive claims a new holiday would damage Scottish business and have a detrimental impact on public sector costs.

Obviously businesses would be shut and productivity and profits might be slightly down.

Business opportunities

But what about the other side of this coin: what would be the positive impact on productivity of a morale boosted and rested workforce?

The executive, it seems, has not considered the business opportunities that would be opened up by the creation of a new public holiday.

Tourism is a major component of the Scottish economy - within the internal market place the opportunity for families to have another "day out" in the year would provide a huge boost to this sector.

Whether the executive are playing political games or are just being mean spirited, it's the people of Scotland who are losing out Culture calls on St Andrew's Day

In addition, how many of the Scottish diaspora - the Scots and their descendants abroad - would return if St Andrew's Day was marked by a holiday and a day of national celebration?

We only have to look across the water to Ireland to see how it would work.

St Patrick's Day celebrations, it is estimated, put as much as 80 million euro into the Irish economy, so why would the same not be true for Scotland?

It seems ironic that the once self-styled People's Party and their Liberal bedfellows should be standing against the creation of a new public holiday, when Scottish workers already work longer hours and have fewer holidays than our European counterparts.

Scottish elections

A suspicious mind might think there is another agenda.

With the Scottish elections only18 months away, perhaps the ruling Labour/ Lib Dem axis wishes to avoid a stirring up of Scottish national sentiment as they face a group of opposition parties united in a demand for greater autonomy, if not outright independence.

Whether the executive are playing political games or are just being mean spirited, it's the people of Scotland who are losing out.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and are not endorsed by the BBC.

Your views on John Adamson's article.

Yet again we have to put up with such nationalist waffle. They really have no idea how the world actually works. Sure, John, you might get another day off to celebrate our patron saint, but - as usual - the vast number of us who work in the private sector would just end up working and paying for your delusions. Please let's get back to reality and spend some time talking about the real issues affecting Scotland today.
Ian, Edinburgh<

When I was a student in the late seventies, you always knew when it was the Norwegian national day by the flags flying from windows and the costumes they wore. Nowadays, you can still see Norwegians walking about in traditional costume in Edinburgh on this day. Scotland and Norway have a lot in common in that both are small countries with oil yet Scotland is much poorer than Norway. Perhaps it is because the Norwegians appear to care for their national identity whereas the Scotland seems to be populated by 90 minute patriots.
George Wood, Edinburgh

Why would we possibly want a days holiday at the end of November? If we are to have a 'National Day' (and I don't think that Wales and England do), then let's at least have one that celebrates something that is both non-religous and in the warmer months - not a Saints Day in the middle of winter.
Chris, Aberdeen

While St Patrick charmed the snakes out of Ireland, does anyone know what St Andrew did? (other than get nailed to a cross)
Brian Storrar, Bo'ness, West Lothian

A national celebration would be a great opportunity to promote Scotland to the world. The Irish are great at selling themselves - time we started to do the same. We are the coolest Celts after all.
Mhairi, Glasgow

Would anyone be so keen to have a public holiday on St Andrews Day if it meant losing one at an earlier point in the year?
Carolyn, Glenrothes

There is no good argument as to why St Andrew's Day should not be a public holiday. It would be a wonderful opportunity for celebration and in addition it is also my birthday which is an added bonus for me naturally!!
Lesley Garden, Aberdeen

What's so bad about wanting an extra public holiday each year? Us Brits get less public holidays than our European counterparts as it is. Is it a coincidence that studies have already shown that the West of Scotland is the unhealthiest region in Europe and Scots are among the unhappiest? I thought the Scottish Executive was trying to promote positive mental health in Scotland, because after all: "Happiness equals Health". The Scottish suicide rate is double the English one, and antidepressant prescribing is 40% higher here than in England. A new UN report says that Scotland is the most violent country in the developed world; and Scottish children are among the least confident anywhere, according to the World Health Organization. Something is wrong in this country. Surely a big celebration on St Andrew's Day could only help to boost happiness, health and mental wellbeing - or do we tell our children that sorry, they are NOT inheriting a country to be proud of or worthy of celebration.
Jackie Grant, Glasgow

Once again our msp's are shown to be puppets of their English masters. Why should we not be allowed to celebrate our patron saint with a national holiday? Do the people in power fear some sort of uprising? In reality most would use the holiday as an excuse for a lie-in. Perhaps a slightly different approach is required. Many workers in Scotland are given both the 1st and 2nd of January off. Would there be a huge outcry if we traded in our 2nd day at New Year in return for a national holiday on the 30th of November? Scotland is a country with much to be proud of, so give us an opportunity to express that pride.
Brian Bell, Dumfries

The idea of a day celebrating St Andrew is a fine notion. However, in reality it would be used by those fortunate enough to get the day off as just another Christmas shopping day at best. What would be nice to see is something like a nationwide fund-raising day where everyone pulls together to raise money for charities and for financing events that would promote the Scots language. This would instill a sense of national pride far better than any bickering over who best deserves a day off work.
Sandra, Dundee

As the owner of a business where staff already get 10 days public holidays - 3 of which have been added to their 20 days annual leave - I welcome the executive's decision not to create another holiday. Workers forget that when on holiday, they still need to get paid even though there is no money coming in on that day.
Jackie, Cowdenbeath

Ridiculous to try and force an extra holiday on the country. Employers will not welcome this at all. All holidays should be taken as part of annual leave rather than because there is a Bank Holiday or Local Holiday. These "organised" holidays become a total mess as everyone piles to one place or another. Let individuals choose when to take all their holidays. Don't try to tell me that I need to take a day off to celebrate St Andrew's Day. I already celebrate it WITHOUT having the need to take that day off work.
Duncan, Edinburgh

St Patrick's day has become so big due to the branding provided by Guinness. A similar commercial push would be needed to make St Andrew's day the same scale.
Neil , Edinburgh, UK

Just look at March 17th in Ireland to see why we should celebrate 30th Novemeber in Scotland!
Euan McCreath, Glasgow

Yes we should have a national holiday, we should have a day to celebrate our life in a beautiful country. Close the shops, spend time with our family & friends. Move St Andrew's Day to June, get us out in some sunshine. We have too many holidays in the depths of winter.
Bill Muir, Aberdeen

This strikes me as yet another pointless debate consuming time and money in a gutless pointless parliament. It is the SNP campaigning on sentiment and not sense. No change there then.
James Stewart, Perthshire

Why would anyone want to celebrate St Andrews day apart from the fact that it would be a day off! Does anyone really care who the patron saint of Scotland is? I'm sure that as the majority of people have no regard for anything to do with religion (and rightly so!) that there is absolutely no need for another excuse for a skive!
Max, Aberdeen

One question: How would productivity or business really be affected, you would just need to catch up on your return?
Stuart , Glasgow

Apart from it being a good idea to have a proper celebration of Scotland's patron saint - there is a total lack of public holidays between the late August one & Christmas. Something in November is perfect to break up the long dreary run up to the end of the year! May we celebrate in the rest of the country too?
Megan, Cheshire (but my last name is Robertson!)

Is this "debate" really concerned with celebrating the culture and heritage of Scotland? Will it help us in any way to boost or re-establish our national identity? Or is it simply an opportunity for political point scoring, a proposed retail/tourist boost for the economy and a day off to do the Christmas shopping? Will any retailers close as the Christmas shopping frenzy gathers momentum? Will business welcome one less working day so close to the year end? And with so many workplaces now lumping national holidays with annual leave, how many parents will be forced to provide additional childcare? Those who feel that we need to restore some pride to our country would prehaps be better served in calling for our elected leaders to focus on the more important issues - employment, health, education and so on. An extra day's holiday at the end of November, reruns of Fran and Anna and Jackie Bird wearing a tartan scarf on Reporting Scotland won't move us forward very much.
Peter McInulty, Glasgow

I agree with John Adamson's critique of New Labour and their lib dem "bedfellows". The Tories were once called the Tory and Unionist party. It seems McConnell is the new Thatcher, hell-bent on toeing the Westminster line and denying the Scottish people their culture on their national day. SNP for 2007!
Robert, Glasgow

Can you see shop workers being given a day's holiday just three weeks before Christmas? This would be a very selective 'national' holiday. Well done, Scottish Executive.
Marilyn Mullay, UK

Mr Admamson suggests a 'day out' and some St Patrick's Day-style celebrations would boost the economy on St Andrews Day. So, as well as the firefighters, hospital staff, bus and train drivers that he has already recognised do not get public holidays. Is Mr Adamson now suggesting staff at museums, galleries, science centres, leisure facilities and any other places where families might have a day out, not to mention pub and restaurant staff, should forgo another day off so that the tourist industry can boom? In reality, very few people still get public holidays - staff who work in newspapers, radio, television, retail, emergency services, transport and industry, for instance, are usually excluded. That leaves teachers, politicians, bankers and businessmen and I think most people will agree they get far too many holidays already.
Linda, Dundee

I think the MSPs who voted against the holiday bill should be ashamed of themselves. Scotland needs a properly defined day where we can celebrate our country. The US and Canada have these holidays, other European nations also, one of the best I have seen is in Norway, for example. There are no clear reasons not to have a proper holiday, and it can easily be turned into an out-of-season boost for many sections of business/retail.
Alan Wilson, Callander, Perthshire

Whilst a firm believer in an increased amount of holidays for all, mainly as a result of the benefits in reduction to ever increasing stress levels and improved good mental health that it would have for most, if not all (an arena in which I practice daily), I do so wish that respondents to such debates would engage in such considerately, maturely, and with respect for the views of their fellow Scots. Instead, one only has to look above to witness the sometimes self-righteous, belligerent and even vicious views of some who seem content to dismiss the idea of a national holiday, yet offer no alternate personal view of what should be instead, other than a polarised assumption that it remain the status quo. It seems clear to me that the fear of change, even an initially minor one such as a national holiday, is more of a monster to some Scots than the challenge of thinking outside of their own personal space and recognising that whilst the benefits of a national holiday may not be immediately obvious to themselves, it may be just the tonic for the rest of Scotland!
Martin McGill, Skelmorlie, North Ayrshire.