Re: [Petition closed, with 3,111 signatures] MADELEINE MCCANN PETITION ON PM's WEBSITE CALLING FOR A FULL REPORT FROM OPERATION GRANGE

by Guest 12.03.16 12:43

Good luck with it anyway.

by **Tony Bennett** 18.03.16 1:29

Tony Bennett wrote:
We still have 41 days left to get signatures:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/108562

And thanks once more to the 2,181 who so far have showed enough concern about the extraordinary conduct of the British police, and in particular Operation Grange, by signing the petition

The number of signers is up to 2,202.

We have 35 days left to get that number up as high as we can

by Keitei 24.03.16 21:27

The number of signers is up to 2239

Please continue to share on Facebook and Twitter. Thank you.

by Guest 25.03.16 15:28

sonic72 wrote:As much as it pains me to say it, this probably wont reach the 100,000 required, petitions rarely do because most people are too lazy to take a minute to sign it. They know this, hence the 100,000 limit, it's a deliberate obstacle.

I will sign it and wish you all the luck in reaching 100k, I hope this petition proves my theory wrong.

Yes, it looks like it is unlikely to reach 10,000 signatures never mind 100,000. Maybe if the petition had been started around a time when there was a lot of media attention around the McCann's, for instance when Katie Hopkins wrote her recent article (which I believe turned out to be the most read and shared) would have been a great opportunity to reach a lot of people. A petition needs to go viral to reach 10,000/100,000 signatures and for that to happen it really needs publicity. I didn't know until recently that there was a fb page in tandem with this forum. I noticed there was a welcome to new members and a request to sign the petition and share but it's way down the page. I think there would be more signatures if it was pegged at top of page. Just my opinion for what it's worth.

by **Tony Bennett** 26.03.16 7:33

melisande wrote:
Yes, it looks like it is unlikely to reach 10,000 signatures never mind 100,000. Maybe if the petition had been started around a time when there was a lot of media attention around the McCanns, for instance when Katie Hopkins wrote her recent article (which I believe turned out to be the most read and shared) would have been a great opportunity to reach a lot of people. A petition needs to go viral to reach 10,000/100,000 signatures and for that to happen it really needs publicity. I didn't know until recently that there was a FB page in tandem with this forum. I noticed there was a welcome to new members and a request to sign the petition and share but it's way down the page. I think there would be more signatures if it was pegged at top of page. Just my opinion for what it's worth.

Overnight, the number of signatures on the Madeleine petition reached 2,250 - and at the same time the petition entered the top 250 out of all the open petitions currently on the Prime Minister's website (Total: 2,793).

It stands this morning at 248th: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions?page=5&state=open

@ melisande Thank you very much for your suggestions. I will pass on to Jill the suggestion of pegging details of the petition at the top of the CMOMM FB page.

To get any petition on the Madeleine McCann case onto the Prime Minister's website is far from easy. Despite my best efforts to phrase the petition and the preamble with caution, the House of Commons Petitions Committee were concerned about possible libel and sent it back to me twice for amendment and then further amendments. It took nearly three months before they finally agreed the wording which, in the end, was considerably watered down.

Yes, the petition needed publicity, and it was never going to get it in the mainstream media. The fact that we have reached 2,250 signatures is down to quite a few individuals who have posted details from time to time on the forums, across some of the FB groups and on Twitter.

Sadly, not a few Madeleine forums, blogs and FB groups refused outright even to mention it, giving a variety of excuses for not doing so, otherwise the numbers could have been much higher.

However, it must also be admitted that the vast majority in the country do not entertain serious doubts about the McCanns' abduction claims, believing that this was a simple case of leaving the children alone in between checks. In addition, many others cannot understand why it is necessary for anyone to start a petition to obtain a report on a police investigation. They reason that Operation Grange must be an honest police investigation, genuinely seeking the truth, and that the police should be left alone to get on with their job

------------

LINK for anyone wanting to sign it: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/108562

by Guest 26.03.16 11:18

Yes, it's done well considering all the obstacles. I have noticed a lot more people are talking/commenting/sharing their thoughts on it now though where before would have been seen as a 'nutter' for thinking there was anything more than an abduction. To rank around the top 250 mark of nearly 3k petitions shows a definite shifting tide of opinion or maybe there hasn't been a shifting tide but , like myself, are just feeling more confident in speaking out. I have been willing the petition to do well because I would hope it would show that even if they don't have to acknowledge it publicly, they will have to acknowledge that a bottomless budget for operation grange without any definitive results cannot be sustained. Good luck.

by **Tony Bennett** 02.04.16 10:05

Tony Bennett wrote:2,142 signatures to date - and I'm pleased, in updating the numbers who have signed in each constituency, to see that my own constituency of Harlow has shot up into second place.

All those constituencies where 9 or more have signed so far listed below:

Halton (Widnes & Runcorn) 15

Harlow 13
Newcastle-upon-Tyne N 13

Lanark E and Hamilton 12

Weston-super-Mare 11

Oldham E and Saddleworth 10
St. Helens N 10
St. Helens S and Whiston 10

N. Ayrshire and Arran 10

Bournemouth East 9
Wellingborough 9
Bolton West 9
North Down (N. Ireland) 9
Leeds East 9

There are now 40 days left to collect as many signatures as we can:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/108562

A few more constituencies have joined the ranks where 9 or more have signed. There were 14 last time I checked, now there are 22, as follows.

Halton (i.e. Widnes and Runcorn) still tops the list, with Newcastle-upon-Tyne Nortth second:

16 Halton (Widnes & Runcorn) (15)

14 Newcastle-upon-Tyne N (13)

13 Harlow (13)
13 Lanark E and Hamilton (12)

12 Corby

11 Sherwood (Notts)
11 Weston-super-Mare (11)

10 Oldham E and Saddleworth (10)
10 St. Helens N (10)
10 St. Helens S and Whiston (10)
10 North Down (N. Ireland) (9)
10 N. Ayrshire and Arran (10)
10 Bournemouth East (9)
10 Milton Keynes South
10 Knowsley (Lancashire)

9 Wellingborough (9)
9 Bolton West (9)
9 Leeds East (9)
9 South Shields
9 Clacton
9 Caerphilly
9 Glasgow South-West

by Keitei 03.04.16 20:56

2,354 signatures, quite an increase.

Please keep on sharing, thank you.

by **Tony Bennett** 03.04.16 21:37

Keitei wrote:2,354 signatures, quite an increase.

Please keep on sharing, thank you.

Yes, there has been a boost of 68 new signers today (so far), I don't quite know why, but Richard Hall did say he'd be sending out a newsletter to his followers in the first week of April and would remind them to sign the petition.

May I remind all members and guests looking in here that a stated purpose of this official petition on the Prime Minister's website is as follows:

QUOTE

"The public is now entitled to a full report on how that has been spent. The report should cover the role of the government, the security services & UK police forces."

UNQUOTE

Is there anyone left who can doubt that as this £13-million plus, expensive, 5-year-long investigation nears its close - and has achieved nothing - that the public is entitled to the fullest possible explanation of what this money and time has been spent on...

...and can anyone doubt that the public has a right to know exactly why the government and various arms of the security services, including MI5, MI6, Special Branch and the government-funded Control Risks Group have been all over this case like a rash from the very first day Madeleine was reported missing?

May I also remind you that, by arrangements made through Charing Cross Police Station in the usual way, I do intend to present the results of this petition in person at 10 Downing Street, together with a covering letter. Five other people will be allowed to join me, if you are at all interested, please send me a 'pm'.

P.S. Not signed yet? LINK: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/108562

by Keitei 03.04.16 22:40

2,369 signatures

That's 15 signatures in an hour! I feel this is due to today's news & the fact that more people are sharing the link from CMoMM Facebook Group.

You don't have to be a member of the group to share the link.

Thank you!

by **Tony Bennett** 03.04.16 22:45

Keitei wrote:2,369 signatures

That's 15 signatures in an hour! I feel this is due to today's news & the fact that more people are sharing the link from CMoMM Facebook Group.

You don't have to be a member of the group to share the link.

Thank you!

@ Keitei

I think that assessment is probably correct, as I think Richard said he was sending out his newsletter on 6 April.

Many of the signatures have undoubtedly been achieved as a result of your personal, sustained effort to raise the profile of this petition

by dottyaussie 04.04.16 10:45

2406 signatures now :D I've been reposting it in the current news feeds re OG increase in funds on the FB sites :)

by **Tony Bennett** 04.04.16 10:53

dottyaussie wrote:2406 signatures now :D I've been reposting it in the current news feeds re OG increase in funds on the FB sites :)

- and of course, a 'reputation point' added winkwink

by dottyaussie 04.04.16 10:56

by Guest 04.04.16 10:56

I was trying to post the link on the sun comments but it doesn't seem to be working . Not sure if it is something to do with my mobile or the sun comments page. 2412 signatures now.

by **Tony Bennett** 05.04.16 12:17

Tony Bennett wrote:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/108562
A few more constituencies have joined the ranks where 9 or more have signed. There were 14 last time I checked, now there are 22, as follows [SNIPPED]

As can be seen from the updated list below, there are now 28 - six more - constituencies where 9 or more people have signed the petition.

I wonder who these people all are?

13 have signed in Harlow, myself, one other I know - but I have no idea who the other 11 are...

------------------

17 (16) Halton (Widnes & Runcorn) (15)

14 (14) Newcastle-upon-Tyne N (13)

13 (13) Harlow (13)
13 (13) Lanark E and Hamilton (12)
13 (10) North Down (N. Ireland) (9)

12 (12) Corby

11 (11) Sherwood (Notts)
11 (11) Weston-super-Mare (11)
11 (10) St. Helens S and Whiston (10)
11 (-) Bolsover (Derbyshire)
11 (-) Meriden

10 (10) St. Helens North
10 (10) Oldham E and Saddleworth (10)
10 (10) N. Ayrshire and Arran (10)
10 (10) Bournemouth East (9)
10 (10) Milton Keynes South
10 (10) Knowsley (Lancashire)
10 (9) South Shields
10 (-) Scarborough & Whitby

9 (9) Wellingborough (9)
9 (9) Bolton West (9)
9 (9) Leeds East (9)
9 (9) Clacton
9 (9) Caerphilly
9 (9) Glasgow South-West
9 (-) Braintree (Essex)
9 (-) Cardiff South and Penarth
9 (-) South Swindon

by Boosey 05.04.16 15:59

It is good to see that people are interested and have taken the time to sign. A bit disappointed in Ulster only North Down is represented. I did forward some friends the link but they were spread over the six counties and obviously not enough to make a mark on the map.

by **Tony Bennett** 05.04.16 19:40

Boosey wrote:It is good to see that people are interested and have taken the time to sign. A bit disappointed in Ulster only North Down is represented. I did forward some friends the link but they were spread over the six counties and obviously not enough to make a mark on the map.

@ Boosey Thank you very much for your efforts.

The full count so far in N. Ireland's 12 constituencies is 44 signatures, broken down as follows:

North Down 13
Upper Bann 6
Lagan Valley 5
Strangford 5
South Antrim 4
West Tyrone 3
East Antrim 3
East Londonderry 3
Mid Ulster 1
North Antrim 1

None yet in Fermanagh & South Tyrone and Newry & Armagh

by Boosey 05.04.16 21:36

Tony, thanks for the breakdown.

by **Tony Bennett** 09.04.16 23:40

Nearly 200 more signatures in the last 48 hours have brought the total signatures so far to

2,705

Much of this late surge appears to result from Richard Hall's reminder to his followers in his latest 'round robin' email - thank you Richard thumbsup

There are a total of 2,909 petitions on the Prime Minister's website and this petition on Operation Grange has climbed up to 241st position - thank you again to every one who has taken the trouble to sign.

...just 12 more days left to sign it:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/108562

by Verdi 09.04.16 23:44

Tony Bennett wrote:Nearly 200 more signatures in the last 48 hours have brought the total signatures so far to

2,705

Much of this late surge appears to result from Richard Hall's reminder to his followers in his latest 'round robin' email - thank you Richard

There are a total of 2,909 petitions on the Prime Minister's website and this petition on Operation Grange has climbed up to 241st position - thank you again to every one who has taken the trouble to sign.

...just 12 more days left to sign it:

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/108562

According to statistics there are 5363 registered users on this forum. Where are you guys - it doesn't cost anything to sign the petition!

by Guest 11.04.16 15:50

Getting close to 2,800 signatures now. Maybe there will be a surge of signatures in the final week Verdi. I hope so.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/108562

by Keitei 13.04.16 12:22

2,785 signatures smilie

by Verdi 13.04.16 15:33

melisande wrote:Getting close to 2,800 signatures now. Maybe there will be a surge of signatures in the final week Verdi. I hope so.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/108562

A long way to go I fear - sadly I don't think it will reach the required target. Would it help if we shout?

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/108562

Come on all you members and readers - you know it makes sense!

by Guest 14.04.16 15:13

Verdi wrote:
melisande wrote:Getting close to 2,800 signatures now. Maybe there will be a surge of signatures in the final week Verdi. I hope so.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/108562
A long way to go I fear - sadly I don't think it will reach the required target. Would it help if we shout?

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/108562

Come on all you members and readers - you know it makes sense!

No, doubtful it will reach anywhere near it's target. It's sadly tailed off now with only a handful of signatures in the last few days. Shame that. :-(

[Petition closed, with 3,111 signatures] MADELEINE MCCANN PETITION ON PM's WEBSITE CALLING FOR A FULL REPORT FROM OPERATION GRANGE