Claire Perry proposes Remembrance Day Bank Holiday

Claire Perry MP has introduced a 10 Minute Rule Bill proposing a Remembrance Day Bank Holiday.

Speaking after presenting her Bill Claire Perry said:

"Having one national bank holiday to pay tribute to our Armed Forces would be the best way to bring together the people of the United Kingdom to support the military now and in the future. Many other major countries recognise the contributions of their current and former service personnel in this way and I think it is time that we did too."

Notes:

The text of the Bill reads:

Remembrance Day (Bank Holiday)

That leave be given to bring in a Bill to designate the Monday after Remembrance Sunday as an annual bank holiday in the United Kingdom with effect from 2012; and for connected purposes.

• The Second Reading of the Bill will occur on Friday 21st October 2011.
• To read Claire's Ten Minute Rule Bill speech click here.
• MPs adding their names to the Bill include: Andrew Rosindell, Bob Stewart, Julian Brazier, Kwasi Kwarteng, James Gray, Michael Mccann, Dominic Raab, Chris Heaton Harris, Charlie Elphicke, Dan Jarvis and John Glen.
• Many other countries pay tribute to their Armed Forces with a national holiday including the United States, Canada, Russia, France and Israel. Among the five countries spending most on their military it is only Britain and China that do not have a national holiday to commemorate their service personnel –and in China soldiers get a half day off.
• More than two-thirds (68%) of adults in the UK think it would be appropriate for the UK to have another bank holiday each year, and Remembrance Day was one of the top choices for such an occasion (21% of the vote, with St. George's Day on 22%) (Source: YouGov Poll, December 2010).

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