Thursday a consequence, some call Thursday "thirstday" or "thirsty Thursday". In the United Kingdom, all general elections since 1935 have been held on a Thursday, and this has become a tradition, although not a requirement of the law — which merely states that an election may be held on any day ""except Saturdays, Sundays, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Good Friday, bank holidays in any part of the United Kingdom and any day appointed for public thanksgiving and mourning."" Additionally, local elections are usually held on the first Thursday in May. The Electoral Administration Act 2006 removed Maundy Thursday as an excluded
Royal Maundy religious training. Henry's son, Edward I, was the first monarch to keep the Maundy only on or about Maundy Thursday; before Edward, additional Maundys might be kept during the year. According to Virginia Cole in her study of royal children's role in the 13th century Maundy, the service had a political purpose as well, as needing to humble himself by doing the "pedilavium" proclaimed the monarch's greatness. Attendance at a Maundy service became an obligation for all major European ruling houses. By 1363 the English monarch performed the "pedilavium" and also gave gifts: that year, fifty-year-old Edward III gave fifty