West Lothian Council Denies World Cup Holiday

0:00It's April 29th. This is Edinburgh News today, powered by AI. West Lothian Council just shot down a bank holiday for the Monday after Scotland's big World Cup opener on June 15th. That's the first game since 1998, kicking off at 2am UK time against Haiti and Boston. They did declare holiday back when the team qualified, but now the executive says, no extra day off. Most of Scotland's 32 local authorities are skipping it too, with only five opting in. The Scottish government pushed the qualification holiday, but this one's on each council. Officials worry about the costs, like paying staff premium rates and closing schools right when budgets are tight. Counselors are fired up on both sides. Lib Dem Sally Paddle called the original holiday a political bribe by the S&P ahead of elections, pointing out no days off for Murray's Wimbledon wins, or Olympic gold. The S&P's Janet Campbell slammed the no-vote as classes, saying it robs thousands of fans a chance to watch live.

1:01Head of services Leslie Henderson laid out the numbers, it had cost the council 30,000 to 40,000 pounds. She noted staff can still request the day as leave, if coverage allows. Conservatives and Labor chimed in too, saying record the match or save holidays for later knockout rounds. So fans might be pulling all nighters anyway, but the council's holding firm to avoid the strain. First thing steady, a Scotland gears up for that early morning thriller.