Denis MacShane fears 'penny-pinching' over royal wedding

The big day—April 29—has been declared a public holiday but Dr MacShane is concerned that “penny-pinching” employers could spoil the occasion.

“When it was announced that William and Kate's wedding day was to be a public holiday, millions of hard-working families started to look forward to sharing in the Royal Family's celebrations,” he said.

“However, it seems that for many, this will not be the case. It would be a great shame if penny-pinching employers denied people the opportunity to join the celebrations, especially during a year that is going to be hard for so many people.”

April 29 has been added to this year's Public Holiday list by Royal Proclamation, but that only guarantees an extra day to people whose annual leave entitlement is calculated in addition to public holidays.

Anyone whose contract puts public holidays as a part of their annual leave  could lose out, Dr MacShane warned.

He added: “I urge everyone to check their contracts, and if they're in any doubt about whether this year's biggest national celebration really does mean an extra day's holiday, to check with their employers.

“I am calling on every company to tell their hard-working employees right now that they can look forward to joining the Royal Celebrations on April 29, without losing a day of their holiday entitlement.

“I have also written to David Cameron to urge him to do the same.

“There is great affection for William and Kate, and I want everyone to have the same chance to share in their special day.”