The government has REJECTED mass public calls for an annual bank holiday to commemorate the Queen’s death.
More than 100,000 people have signed an online petition for a national day to celebrate Her Majesty’s life.
The government says it has no plans to make an annual bank holiday for the Queen
The Queen’s coffin will today be carried in procession to Westminster Hall for four days of lying in state
Members of the Life Guards, a unit of the Household Cavalry, ride along The Mall ahead of the ceremonial procession
This Monday will be a bank holiday for the late monarch’s state funeral.
But a spokesperson for Liz Truss this afternoon confirmed no plans are in place for an annual day of commemoration.
John Harris launched the campaign on Change.org, proposing a September 8 bank holiday called ‘Queen Elizabeth Day’.
Only 25,000 signatures were being sought but in just three days, the petition has garnered support from more than 112,000 people.
In urging people to support the idea, John wrote: “Queen Elizabeth II is our longest reigning Monarch, and arguably the Nations, and the World’s most popular ever Monarch.
“In the words of President Macron, ‘to you, she was your Queen, to us, she was the Queen…The most constant symbol of Great Britain’.
“She was indeed, an inspirational woman.
“Britain has fewer bank holidays than most European countries; France has 11 compared with our 8, Spain has 14.
“I believe we need a new public bank holiday to mark our greatest Sovereign’s lifetime; a Queen Elizabeth Day.
“A day for our Nation to come together and celebrate both the life of the Queen, and our gratitude for the institution of our Royal Family.”
A spokesperson for No10 said: “The government wants to consider the best way to memorialise the queen.
“That’s something we will consider not just on our own but obviously in conjunction with the royal family and others.”
The spokesperson added that on bank holidays the government needs to “strike the right balance” and consider the impact on groups and businesses.
The government keeps national holidays under review and the PM could change her mind about one for the Queen.
