Earlier this year someone on here suggested we might sign a e-petition. This is the response i have just received from 10 downing street
10 Downing Street –e-petition reply Remembermonday
23 July 2008
We received a petition asking:
“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to create a new public holiday, the National Remembrance Holiday to commemorate The Fallen and our Nation, with the holiday falling on the second Monday in November each year, the day after Remembrance Sunday.”
The Government’s response
More than 500,000 people have signed this petition, and we are grateful to you all for taking the time to do so.
Your support is a clear sign of the strength of feeling across the United Kingdom that we must do more as a country to recognise the contribution of our Armed Forces, and in particular those who have died or been injured in the service of their country.
The Government recently published The National Recognition Study (new window), undertaken by Quentin Davies MP, which looks at the ways in which the Government, other institutions and the country as a whole can do more to recognise the service of our Armed Forces and Veterans.
One of its recommendations was the institution of a special British Armed Forces and Veterans Day, which would complement the events held around Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday in November to commemorate those who have fallen in the service of our country.
These proposals are being given careful consideration by the Government, alongside other representations we have received to institute a new ‘British Day’, and as part of these deliberations, we will of course examine the case for introducing a new public holiday.
There is considerable debate amongst supporters of a new special public holiday to remember our Armed Forces and Veterans or our fallen servicemen about when in the year such a day should take place.
While there are a very large number of people – including signatories to this petition – who believe the Monday after Remembrance Sunday is the best option, there are others – including the Royal British Legion (new window) – who do not support that proposal, because they are concerned that a public holiday then would not be in keeping with the solemnity and special status of the Remembrance Sunday commemorations.
Quentin Davies MP has suggested holding the new day close to the current Veterans’ Day at the end of June, while others have suggested holding the day to coincide with the anniversaries of the D-Day Landings in early June or of V.E. Day in early May.
We greatly appreciate your contribution to this ongoing debate, and whatever the final outcome, we hope that all signatories to this petition will see that we have very much taken on board their desire to see much greater national recognition for our Armed Forces
Who knows perhaps we might get an extra day’s holiday thanks to the e-petitions might be worth signing those we agree with
By: lmisbtn - 23rd July 2008 at 23:08
That’s good then, it was obviously worth the lives of the one million seven hundred thousand Commonwealth Servicemen and women who died during the Great War wasn’t it?
Regards,
kev35
They didn’t die specifically so people could have a day off but they did die so that future generations would have the freedom to spend time with their families in peace (amongst many other things). I don’t see that an extra bank holiday is an inappropriate way to mark their sacrifice (even if the majority of those on the receiving end of said holiday don’t give it a second thought).
I think and hope that the fallen would be happy enough that they’d ‘won’ their descendents a chance to spend more time together – God knows that time is limited enough in this work/money obssessed society – and if their sacrifice brings a tiny extra bit of quality time into our lives or a gives another good excuse for a veterans get-together why not embrace it rather than poo-pooing the idea?
The two minutes silence is a highly appropriate, moving and sombre ceremony but from reading books, about RAF aircrew for instance, it was clear that they lived their lives to the full in between missions – I’m sure they’d be all in favour of a sortie to Alton Towers!
By: Arabella-Cox - 23rd July 2008 at 23:03
I reckon leave Remembrance Day as it is and has it has been for the last 90 years. There is no reason why Veterans Day cannot be celebrated on June 27th each year and that day being made as a public holiday. Those that want to join in the celebrations may do so as in ANZAC day, I just hope that if it does come about that councils take the idea of a celebration on board and not as Ipswich Borough Council did this year……..ignore it!:(
By: Arabella-Cox - 23rd July 2008 at 22:50
May 8th in France is a national holiday when veterans and the fallen are remembered. In many towns and villages there is a huge turn out, young and old, at the ceremonies by local war memorials where the names of the fallen are read out. The Legion, though, have a point – and perhaps a “holiday” to remember the fallen is a little inappropriate in the Britain of today. Surely, 11th November, the 2min silence and Remembrance Sunday are entirely sufficient and any “extension” of those comemmorations would devalue what we already have. A Veterans Day is, really, a different issue surely….and one that IS appropriate for a public holiday?
By: Livewirex - 23rd July 2008 at 22:08
Perhaps I ought to say. I have been retired for more than 2 years so a day off would be nothing to me. A public holiday would in my mind by the name alone serve as some reminder of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in not just the Great War but the Second World War and all the others that have followed. I agree taking the kids to Alton Towers isn’t showing much respect but then taking them on Sundays isn’t if you are a Christian. I think people will do whatever they want to, maybe some will take the time to visit a place of remembrance some will do other things but it would have the name “Remembermonday” Think of Easter and Christmas what springs to mind?. How many bank holidays we have compared with the rest of Europe, and why shouldn’t it have a respectful name?
By: Smiler - 23rd July 2008 at 21:46
I think it would undermine and trivialise the tru meaning of rememberence sunday. Most would ‘abuse’ it as it were.
By: kev35 - 23rd July 2008 at 21:41
Maybe so Peter, but I think it’s fair too.
Regards,
kev35
By: Peter Cox - 23rd July 2008 at 21:39
That’s a trifle harsh, Kev!
I must confess though that I would think a public holiday in November would be used for nothing other than early Christmas shopping.
Peter
By: kev35 - 23rd July 2008 at 20:42
…….Who knows perhaps we might get an extra day’s holiday thanks to the e-petitions might be worth signing those we agree with
That’s good then, it was obviously worth the lives of the one million seven hundred thousand Commonwealth Servicemen and women who died during the Great War wasn’t it?
Regards,
kev35
By: BSG-75 - 23rd July 2008 at 20:28
ummm
“While there are a very large number of people – including signatories to this petition – who believe the Monday after Remembrance Sunday is the best option, there are others – including the Royal British Legion (new window) – who do not support that proposal, because they are concerned that a public holiday then would not be in keeping with the solemnity and special status of the Remembrance Sunday commemorations.”
I agree – loading up a car to go to Alton Towers isn’t in keeping with the occasion. To me, the 2 mins silence has more effect than a day off (on which more and more people in retail and service especially) would work.
I signed this with you, but seeing this, I’m forced to agree with the feelings of the Legion.
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July 23, 2008 at 8:20 pm