The forces protect this country, whilst the government is malignant in its mass Nu labor immigration policy. The armed forces are like everyone else here suffering abuse from foreigners in silence as it goes unreported.

Chris, Ely, England

I was under the impression that attacking anyone in this country was unacceptable already, in uniform or not. Silly me.

Baz, Shropshire, UK

Not often I agree with anything this government comes up with but this time I do. A national holiday , a show, more cadets more respect for the uniform. Yes. But more importantly better pay, better accommodation and better equipment would I think be more welcome among the service people themselves

ROGER JAMES, BURRY PORT, carmarthenshire

Armed Forces Day is a great idea, giving the armed forces the recognition they deserve. The police can't cope with criminals causing physical damage, I doubt they would be make any convictions in uniform discrimination. CCF would be good, it could instil some discipline in youths, slowing crime

Sue, Axbridge,

This is part of the drive to increase recruitment. It should be seen in connection with the raising of school leaving age, again a measure to boost numbers, sign up at sixteen with parental consent.
In 1933 a European democracy started popularising unifoms, it turned out to be a very bad idea.

Douglas Miller, Fulham,

We have a day to celebrate the Armed Forces (Armistice Sunday). It has been devalued by the BBC newsreaders wearing their poppies for several weeks before Armistice Sunday. It used to celebrate sacrifices made by the the whole community but is now less relevant as we have a professional army.

John S, London,

No doubt the flacid liberals will whinge, alongside the business communities.I personally think it is a brilliant idea to celebrate the brave service men and women.Do not listen business, especially "city types" who will see this as a threat to their bonuses, and the liberals, get some backbone!

Pete, St Albans, England

If the government want to increase respect for the Armed Forces why don't they start by raising their starvation wages.

Private soldiers starting salary is 13K - 16K.

A tube driver earns > 30K.

Also perhaps if the Minister of State for Defence was full time rather than having two jobs....

Dave St Peters, London,

I notice many 'civilians' walking around in so-called combat fatigues - well, I THINK they're civies - it's difficult to tell sometimes....

........so maybe they DO like the military......

Phil, Preston,

Andrew, Southampton.
The vast majority of people who enter the armed forces are law-abiding, peaceable people, who join because they consider the UK military to be a postive force for maintaining world security and peace-keeping. They maintain your freedoms.

Dave, Glasgow,

Whilst I respect bravery and the decision to defend ones country, these proposals are simply fascist. I have the right to disagree with the army, especially considering they are a lethal force. Civil law is enough for them. Aren't troops fighting for our freedom? Or is it for capitalist ventures?

Ross, Southampton, UK

They may be forgetting that many people do not agree with the wars the Government has put the Armed Forces in.

This is obviously not the fault of the people that serve in the Armed Forces but they are the faces we see in a war most of us didn't want.

It is natural people wouldn't respect that.

Craig, Manchester, UK

You lot disgust me, you have no idea why we have the military and how it affects your lives even day to day. No other country treats their military with such destain as the UK does. People don't go to war for fun!

Andrew from Southampton, I see you have grown up speaking english.....funny that

Ian, London,

Another bank holiday - funded by employers - in order to bring together the armed forces and society? Where is the sense in that?

David Mann, Chester, UK

This gov't have to be in the pay of the Monty Python Protection League !!!!

Ian Payne, WALSALL,

Violent men make up standing armies, people who lust for the excitement and narrow purpose war gives them. If these people never picked up weapons, never gave away their duty to question there would be no war no need to defend pacifists. Armies are the intractable tools of anger and hate.

Andrew, Southampton, UK

This is great news - they are one of the aspects that help define who we are as a nation.

Rules need to ensure that these new laws cannot be abused by the odd bad apple in the military however. To paraphrase Ali G: "Is it 'cos I'm green?"

Rob, Bristol,

I support the tremendous work of the Armed Forces. I don't need a parade (although perhaps better Education would help the young). I want Armed Services to be PAID sufficient to recompense them for the dangers they face - and so do they !

Peter H, Guildford, Surrey

Every year we get the rumour of a days extra holiday being considered by Goverment,Trafalgar day etc.Noyhing ever comes of it,though I have a feeling this year might be different.
Brown needs a cheap(to him) giveaway and if he can link it with his Scottish need to appear" British" we have a match.

robert everitt, wolverhampton,

"a criminal offence to discriminate against military personnel in Service dress or combat fatigues"

Surely it is already a criminal offence to discriminate against anybody ? Why do we need yet more leglislation ?

Sean, Coventry, UK

I can understand having an "armed Forces" day, but the legislation regarding dress is over the top. Any issues relating to this can be covered by existing laws. it seems that this government is hell bent on legislation and laws which in actuality have no teeth.

Hamad Lone, London, England

I am opposed to this farce of joining the US Industrial/Military concept and I don't believe that we should be sending young men and women to fight in wars to fuel US paranoia.This proposed Bill would not even be valid in the former NAZI Germany. Send this idiot Davies packing. And I am a Veteren!

HarrY Greenwood, West Vancouver BC, Canada

My son, a Wing Commander in the RAF, is of the opinion that people are just as well aware of what the armed forces are and do, as they were 20 years ago, when he started out.

He says that most people don't support their deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq, and think they've been suckered in..

SteveS, Wiltshire, UK

I would be more impressed if Gordon Brown and his cabinet turned up on the tarmac to pay tribute to every dead serviceman - as their body arrived home.
This lame initiative is about improving the government’s image not that of our service personnel and they(The Forces) will see it that way.

Ian Bryan, Reading, UK

The forces need more support better pay and conditions rather than a Bank Holiday which will do them little good when fighting abroad. The government should put some cash where its mouth is.

Simon Marshland, Bath, UK

I have served in the RN for 36 years. I have not met ANY serving member of the forces who wants yet another "parade" - specially over the weekend -which involves a tremendous amount of extra work - just to give the politicians a warm feeling. Also RN working dress is not fit to be seen in public.

Jack, Portsmouth,

I fully support the Army and the job they do for our country. Perhaps if the Government want them to be more popular then they should stop declaring unpopular wars.

Tina, Jersey, UK

And lets make it Trafalgar Day please !

John Howard Norfolk, Tiverton, Devon, UK

Fighting in foreign lands which have not threatened the Queen or her subjects, constantly sniped, bombed by sacrificial ideology criticised politically in a World worn out by American contempt... Let the 'lads' wear their uniform at home! And we're all supposed to rejoice? Bring them home - now

Douglas Miller, Fulham,

What a load of pap !! The public have great respect for the military. It is the government with their constant demands and cost cutting that have eroded their self esteem. Once again, Brown's advisers are completely wide of the mark and out of touch with reality.

Jeff P, Newport, Wales

Why does Brown not concentrate on the real problems facing this country?
I consider some form of national service would do a huge amount of good for a great number of "disaffected" youngsters.

William, London, UK

A vaingloroius attempt to resurrect pride in British imperialism and to try to stop the not-very-United Kingdom from fragmenting into its constituent parts.

Paul, Coventry,

Why not a Veterans Day as in America? when both civilians and serving personnel can celebrate the service Veterans have given to their country.

We must always remember that Soldiers, Sailors and Airman serve the government that we elect - the responsibility is therefore ours.

Philip, Wales,

Let us not forget that the forces are also a mainstay of the Civil Defence, Rescue and Disaster Relief resources. They risk life and limb at home as well as overseas. So they also serve all the pacifists and anti war citizens - thus defending their right to hold those views.

Jonathan Mills, Brighton,

The majority of the public has no idea about the military; the divide between the country and it's military is huge. The question is when not if the day occurs. This idea and the protection of those in pulic in uniform will go some way in changing the military perception of an ungrateful public.

Iain, London,

I don't think we need to have one day a year to support our military. It is a change of mindset to and a realisation by the many members of the public to realise that the Armed Forces do what the politicians ask and are apolitical. We should support our Forces every day.

Carl, Fareham, UK

Speaking as a member of a School that runs a compulsory CCF core; I can assure that they are utterly pointless institutions. You don't learn any military history or gain any appreciation or respect for the armed forces; quite the opposite, you just learn to march up and down.

Sam, Oxford,

This is starting to sound like a police state in the making with a surveillance society and more parades and marches and trying to encourage militarisation in schools. It is a bit late of the PM and his 'experts' to try to get the public to respect the armed forces more after the disgrace of Iraq.

chris, brighton,

People probably would respect the armed forces more if they were fighting for their country trouble is we know that this is not the case in Iraq. If anything they are fighting for US foreign policy, Israel and oil. Change that and respect will follow.

chris, brighton,

Yeah. Then we can make citizenship dependent on military service and start a war with Klendaathu.

Jean Rasczak, Earth,

This is just an underhanded way of making more criminal offences in preparation for the time when Britain becomes a police state and the armed forces will eventually merge with the police force in my opinion, the bank holiday issue is to deceive the public on the real purpose. NWO here we come.

Frank D, Morecambe,

I, personally, would prefer if the ruling covered Cadets as well as Service Personnel. I myself while in the Navy Cadets had to fight off attacks from yobs determined to undermine us and the uniform we wore when i was in Navy Cadets. They should be protected along with regular servicemen!

Mike Lawrence, Fishguard, Pembrokeshire

Whilst Harrods receive unfavourable attention in your report, I would like you to know that they have supported my fundraising efforts for a British Forces primary school out here at JHQ, Germany

Sandra Jones, Rheindahlen, Germany

I think a bank holiday to celebrate the armed forces is a brilliant idea...how about 11th November or the first Monday after?

In response to John's comment, the reason the only police you see are 'trapping motorists' is because all of the others are racing around 24/7, keeping YOU safe!!

Katy, Ilford, England

What a great way to divert attention from issues of pay and safety.....a popularist extra holiday which will not improve the conditions of the man in the field at all. We will all spend it in our cars as the economy/environment goes down the toilet and they keep getting blown up for not enough pay.

Graham, London,

Fantastic, another day I don't work and don't get paid.

Let's see, government wants to get people to love the forces, create a submissive, surveillance society, while also spreading fear of terrorism/feral youth/global warming etc. Is that totalitarianism I smell?

Rich, Middlesbrough, UK

Yea lets give everyone another holiday then perhaps they will not notice our onerous slide towards a police state with the introduction of yet another halfbaked law which we cannot enforce because we dont have the manpower.

richard, Gosport,

Instead of forcing employers to pay employees for a day off, why not just make those that don't appreciate the armed forces do some national service. At least then they'd have a valid reason for not liking them.

Mike, Wolverhampton, UK

I don't understand how these come. Soldiers wearing their uniform in public ought to be an honor, instead of a problem.

Ralph, LiaoNing , China

There is much bravery in Armed Forces but There is no pride in an unjustified war !

Niel , London, United Kingdom

Don't know how they intend to increase the number of CCF units in secondary schools or teach kids about the military in a postive light when the National Union of Teachers voted for the military to be barred from having contact with school kids.

liz carter, watford, uk

I have no interest in politics, but fair play to Labour for taking decisive action and taking the first steps in showing these brave people the respect they deserve. Would anyone who thinks this initiative is a waste of time fancy volunteering for six months duty in Afghanistan? Thought not.

Rebecca, Bristol,

How about either 18 June (Batle of Waterloo) or 21 October (Battle of Traflagar) as the Bank Holidays. Or better yet have one on each day - one for the Army and one for the Navy. Mmmmm now what about the RAF? Battle of Britain Day in September?

Derek, Dunfermline, Scotland

Is that a dog whistle I can hear? Anyone would think there was a desperate by-election campaign going on or something...

Nick, London,

Sounds great in theory but who is going to enforce this new law. The only police one sees are more interested in trapping motorists. Then you have the judiciary who are more interested in the defendant's rights than the victim's.

John, London, England

I am all for another bank holiday. How about Ascension Day or Corpus Christi to bring us into line with the rest of Europe!

Paul Padley, Shrivenham, England

I think this is all a great idea but there are too many people in authority who consider celebrating our armed forces or being British as somewhat offensive. People don't like to talk about it but if your from these shores you're forever walking on eggshells when commenting on political issues.

Gary Stone, Nottingham,

I'm a pacifist. Will I be able to opt my children out of the requirement that they attend lessons on the armed forces

John, Bolton,

Why was all this changed in the first place. The Royal Tounament was very successful.
No, let's have a Gordon day as a pubilic holiday to remind us of the damage that can be done by short termism

William, London, UK

How about paying our armed services decent wages and providing them with decent, modern equipment? How abouit providing them with decent houses to live in? How about not getting involved in wars half way across the world, propping up unsavoury medieval regimes?

Andrew brown, derby, UK

this is a good Idea lets get some pride - maybe we could have this bank holiday round 11th November a sort of rememberance bank holiday.

katy, London,

Once a year, on Rememberance Sunday, the armed forces together with all uniformed organisations join the public in a show of support for the fallen in all conflicts.
Why on earth do we need a separate day which would just be devisive?

A.Williams, Cradley Heath,

Will we actually be allowed to fly our flag on this day, or will we be fined like usual?

Jon, London, UK

How about giving England, Scotland and Wales their Saints Days and allowing the relevant regiments/squadrons to parade on those days because making it a public holiday will not give the Forces a day off as they already work 7x24x365. It will also give national pride a place

John, London,