The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, has today instructed that the date of next year’s May Day Bank Holiday be changed to Friday 1st May 2026.

A statement from the Government follows below:

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC MP, has today instructed that the date of next year’s May  Day Bank Holiday be changed to Friday 1st May 2026, in line with longstanding GSLP policy and its  manifesto commitment at repeated elections.  

The Chief Minister has instructed that this change should be made this change as soon as he was made  aware that the 2026 Bank Holiday list had incorrectly shown Monday 4th May 2026 as the May Day Bank  Holiday.  

This will now be amended to Friday, 1st May 2026.  

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC MP, said: “May Day is, and has always been, celebrated on  the 1st of May with the GSLP in office. The GSD changed the date and we were against that. That is why we  restored the position when the GSLP/Liberals were first elected to office, and it remains our policy today.  

As soon as I was made aware of the error, I instructed that the Bank Holiday be corrected so that May Day  next year will fall, as it should, on Friday 1st May.  

This day is ideologically significant and symbolic of the rights of working people and under a GSLP/Liberal  administration, it will continue to be recognised and celebrated on its proper date.”