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Petition · past parliament

Ensure that the UK's New Polar Research Ship is called Boaty McBoatface.

Rejected 16 signatures

What the petition asks

The country was asked and the country voted. Boaty McBoatface was the clear choice for the name of the UK's New Polar Research ship with 124,000 votes yet the government has opted to name it after Sir David Attenborough despite only receiving 11,000 votes.
We are a country which preaches democracy but the establishment is failing our nation.

Why it was rejected

There was already a petition about this issue. Duplicates are rejected so signatures collect in one place.

Rename the RRS Sir David Attenborough to RRS Boaty McBoatface

Timeline

6 May 2016 Petition opened for signatures
9 May 2016 Rejected by the Petitions Committee

Key facts

Signatures 16
Status Rejected
Rejected 9 May 2016

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.