A petition critical of Operation Grange is presented at 10 Downing Street: 29th April 2016

by Verdi 17.04.19 21:03

A petition critical of Operation Grange is presented at 10 Downing Street: 29th April 2016

I will publish the text of the accompanying covering letter to David Cameron in a few days' time. The petition will be presented at 10 Downing Street at lunch-time today.

I am currently writing an addendum to it in view of the utterly ridiculous claims made by Operation Grange in the Star, Sun and the Daily Mail this week about what they think really happened to Madeleine McCann

A petition critical of Operation Grange is presented at 10 Downing Street: 29th April 2016 Petiti11

https://jillhavern.forumotion.net/t12718-29-4-16-a-petition-critical-of-operation-grange-is-presented-at-10-downing-street

by Verdi 17.04.19 21:10

The petition was handed in at just before 1pm today. There was no press interest. I hadn't contacted any of the media about it.

I should perhaps explain the procedure.

Your presentation of the petition has to be approved in advance. You must give details in advance of the petition you want to present. You are allowed up to six people to present the petition. You must give their names, addresses and date and place of birth - and they then run security checks on everyone. Then, if all goes well, you get an e-mail telling you that you have been approved to present the petition. Negotiation then takes place about a suitable time and date.

On th day, all those presenting the petition must bring their passports with them. You are then checked again at security and searched. You then walk up to a constable patrolling outside 10 Downing Street and discuss with him any photographs you want to take. If the press are interested in the petition, there may be press there as well.

When that's finished, you are invited to go 'rat-a-tat-rat' on the large heavy metal door-knocker of No. 10.

A few seconds later, a smartly dressed footman appears, and asks: 'Do you have a petition?'

You say: 'Yes, here it is' and hand the petition to him.

He then answers: 'Thank you, your petition will be passed for the Prime Minister's attention straightaway'.

You then say: 'I am most grateful', or something similar, and he closes the door. And you all walk back down Downing Street.

In answer to a query above, no, there was no video taken, but I hope to put up a photograph of the event sometime tomorrow.

It may seem like a rather arcane procedure, but it is a little slice of our democratic procedures. And since the petition in this case was very much about the Prime Minister's personal decision to order Operation Grange to be set up, I thought it only right and proper that I knock personally on his door to bring it to his attention.