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To: Channel 4 and The Hay Festival

Screen Michael Sheen's Hay festival speech on the eve of the General Election

Dear David Abraham (CEO Channel 4) and Caroline Michel (Chair of the Hay on Wye Literature festival),

We are petitioning Channel 4 to make space in its schedule, at 9pm on the eve of the General Election, to screen Michael Sheen's Aneurian Bevan Lecture 2017.

We are calling on Channel 4 and The Hay Festival to come together with the relevant agents and stakeholders to make this happen.

Why is this important?

On June 3rd, Michael Sheen gave a powerful and soul searching speech about the state of the United Kingdom today. At 2pm today it was made available to view online: https://www.hayfestival.com/p-12504-michael-sheen.aspx?skinid=16

Michael combined history, philosophy, poetry and literature to set out a powerful vision of society that has people at its centre. Here is a quote:

''When those at the top have a vision of society that has people at its heart and that humane vision forms the basis of their policy then that humanity spreads throughout the whole society.

'When those at the top see people merely as numbers, as votes, monetary units, commodities, figures on a chart, anything but living and breathing human beings who love and who hope and who suffer, then that de-humanisation leaks out and trickles down and festers among us all like a poisonous mould.'

The British public has been starved of in-depth, soundbite free, analysis of the state of our society during this election. Michael Sheen's speech provides this with gusto and eloquence. Channel 4 is the only public service broadcaster with the courage to screen a lecture of this magnitude. A screening of this speech, in full with no breaks for advertising, could have a profound impact on the future of this country.

If screened at 9pm on the 7th June, it would take the place of the excellent 24 hours in A&E. Given the content of this speech and its honouring of the founder of NHS, this seems fitting and would, we hope, be supported by the viewers and producers of 24 hours in A&E.

1.3 million people tuned into 24 hours in A&E last week. If a tenth of that sign this petition we hope Channel 4, The Hay Festival and Michael Sheen himself can make a prime time, General Election eve, screening happen.

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This petition was started by an individual and carries no affiliation to any political parties, organisations, businesses or Michael Sheen himself.

Dr. Morgan Phillips
www.morganhopephillips.com

How it will be delivered

The petition will be delivered by hand to Channel 4 HQ in London tomorrow afternoon.

Updates

2017-06-07 07:57:49 +0100

100 signatures reached

2017-06-07 00:26:36 +0100

50 signatures reached

2017-06-06 22:17:30 +0100

25 signatures reached

2017-06-06 21:06:48 +0100

10 signatures reached