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We advocate an annual Democracy Day public holiday on the Monday nearest to the 4th of November, in commemoration of the Newport Chartist Rising of 4th November 1839 when more than 20 men were killed whilst demanding the right to vote.

Our proposed date recalls three pioneering movements in the development of British democracy:

* The 'Putney Debates' of 28th October to 9th November 1647, when the case for male suffrage was publicly formulated for the first time in British history.

* The demands of the People's Charter of 1838 which have become the foundation of parliamentary democracy in Britain.

* The cause of the Women's Suffrage Movement is remembered with the foundation of the Women's Social and Political Union in October 1903, and the events of Black Friday in November 1910 when suffragettes demonstrating outside Parliament were attacked and arrested by the authorities.

As outlined in the Early Day Motion Number 8 that was laid before Parliament on 6th November 2007, we call for this additional public holiday to remember the courage and vision of past generations and the challenge of building democracy today.

Current signatories

Leslie James and Patrick Drewett, the Petition Creator, joined by:

• Jason Jeffery
• Democracy? Not in the UK surely!!
• John Wilson
• james stevens
• Judith James
• roger cucksey
• Sandra Jackaman
• christine clark
• Eoghan Mortell
• David Julian Mayer
• Fern Coster
• gail giles
• Richard Barbrook
• Rhodri James
• sue james
• Jayne Bryant
• Paul Flynn
• John Griffiths AM
• Adrian Howells
• Marc Evans
• Rachel Lock-Lewis
• alyson Tippings
• Kim Colebrook
• Kate Thomas
• KEVIN FITZMAURCIE-BROWN
• Berwyn Rogers
• Lyn Healy
• Peter Cole
• Sharon Ford
• jessica Morden MP
• Michael Walker Duggan
• Dawn Wright
• Amy Jones
• Damian Briggs
• Kristian Bennett
• Kelsey Watkins
• Jessica Palfrey
• Joanne Oates
• rebecca perry
• Alison Probert
• Leanne Blanchard
• Paul Samuel
• sian steadman
• Sian Williams
• Claire Louise Herring
• Philip Diggins
• Glenys Preece
• Teresa Clark
• Colin Evans
• Nicola Jones
• J Watts
• A.S.Lane
• Keith Martin
• Jeanette John
• Katherine Smith
• A Minett
• amanda Reynolds
• Peter Bowler
• Hazel Milton and Patricia Lewis
• Nicola Smith
• Valerie M Gordon
• Janet L. Pratten
• Philip Glover
• P Watkins
• Edwina Sibthorpe
• C Woodward
• philip diamond
• Lisa Jones
• Paul H Davies
• jeff price
• Marie Chislett
• MICHAEL DREWETT
• Rachael Drewett
• John Maslen
• ce
• Debbie Wilcox
• Fabi Berrettoni
• Rita Catton
• Rhiannon Maslen
• Jennifer Brankley
• Anna Hawrot
• John Souter
• Jenny Marie Hawrot
• Ian T. R. Craigie
• Kari Mawhood
• Sylvia Mason
• Susan M Bentley
• Zahra Khan
• Adrian Stockwell
• T Hillman
• Louise Duggan
• Charlotte Whipps
• carol melrose
• Alan Robinson
• Paul Steel
• Laura Williamson
• Dawn Hampshire
• Nichola Middleton
• alexander bem
• Steffan Ellis
• Karen Salisbury
• Lindsay Ingham
• Mrs J Sewell
• John Gilroy
• Debby Parkes
• Stacy Orr
• Naomi Searles
• Kelly Gordon
• Howard R Wyllie
• Suzanne Rutter
• Megan Featherstone
• Rachel Brownbill
• William Stewart
• Lisa marie Llewellyn
• Melissa Porter
• Carol Hudson
• Angela V. John
• Andrew Kilkenny
• Paul Thomas
• Linda HIrst
• jean bartlett
• Kirsty Henderson
• Leigh Maltby
• joanna drake
• Oliver Lawder
• julie giles
• Hilda Kean
• Paula Robins
• joanne leung
• Anthony John Kubicki
• Kayt Horsley
• Nigel Owen
• Sue Cartlidge
• Philip Burton
• Elizabeth Nelmes
• Mark Potter
• C D Smith
• John Hall
• Hayley Seamoore
• Caroline Taylor
• Florence Coulson
• kathryn hayes
• Gillian Richardson
• Kevin Gordon
• Bryony booth
• Andrew Lister
• Mrs E Frampton
• May Sweet
• Alan Carr
• VEENA ADVANI
• James Dickaty
• Jade Mutyora
• Gill Taylor
• John Ranby
• Diane Mortimer
• Barbara Frak
• Alex Pearce
• Sarah Kuzminski
• francesca tizzani
• Carol Roberts
• johana hartwig
• Adam Lopez
• MARK ALLEN
• Adam Goddard
• Stephanie Cosgrove
• Ian Michael Leak
• Kate Rennard
• christine gardner
• Jason Campbell
• stephen lambert
• sandra lockwood
• Marissa Bruce
• Jenny Smith
• david williams
• Charlotte Robbins
• Luke Taylor
• Steve Robbis
• Bernadette Howells
• Anne Gristwood
• Victoria Jackson
• Bethan Howells
• Brian David Richards
• Leanne Searle
• Heather Collins
• Lucy Castro
• Sian Collison
• David Cole
• Christina Dowsett
• Bernard Dowsett
• Jacqueline Calkin
• Reg. Everett
• Diane Andersson
• Carl Andersson
• Julie Oliver
• Peter L. Parker
• mark woodbine
• natalie smithers
• Jon Chedgzoy
• faye ashley
• John May
• Jonathan T Clark
• marian reed
• rachael claire sibson
• gordon sibson
• Ann Cowdry
• Karen Williams
• Jamie Lynde
• G Lenain
• Jennifer Williams
• trudy hall
• Sarah Andrews
• s.rahman
• Sue Austen
• Maximilian Longhin
• George Jacobs
• Michael Thomas
• Anthony Burrell
• Glyn Walters
• sonya cooke
• Ian Golightly
• Andy Jones
• JB Peterson
• rob smith
• Richard Carling
• Deborah Perry
• james batty
• lian batty
• DENIS HAWKINS
• Marilyn MacQueen
• Stephen Swann
• Nicole Linn
• Joseph Wilkes
• J A Rose
• Coral Rose
• Howard Rose
• David Garwood
• Robin Green
• suzanne nichols
• PETER HOWARD
• p edmondson