Last summer the Lionesses won the Women's Euros, ending a wait of 56 years for an English Men's or Women's football team to win a major tournament.

As they say in England, 'it came home'. Or as one fan brilliantly said "the mandem couldn't so the galdem did."

This despite England having not starting the tournament as favourites, and having to come through three incredible particularly tough opponents in the knockouts of Spain, Sweden and Germany.

A seminal moment in English sporting history, never mind just for women's sport. 87,192 at Wembley for the final, a Euros record, Men's or Women's.

An event that is already bringing wider societal change to the UK that goes well beyond sport.

Records broken left, right and centre, millions of girls and boys inspired for life, but not just the younger generation by any means, with so many taking heart from it on so many levels.

On a very personal level, speaking as an LGBTQ+ person that works in women's (and men's) sports broadcasting, seeing so many openly LGBTQ+ role models involved in a major triumph like this meant a huge amount in helping show that community, so often historically excluded, truly belongs in sport.

On Christmas Day it was reported that through the Times that Sarina Wiegman, Leah Williamson and Beth Mead are all set to be appointed an MBE, OBE or CBE in the King’s New Year’s Honours List.

On 30th December it was intact confirmed that Leah Williamson will receive a CBE, whilst Lucy Bronze, Ellen White and Beth Mead will all get an MBE. Just four of the 23-player squad.

The 1966 Men's World Cup winners, by just before the turn of the century, all had been given at least MBEs.

In 2003 the England Men's Rugby Union squad all received at least MBEs after winning the World Cup.

In 2005 the England Men's cricket team all got at least an MBE when winning the Ashes for the first time in 18 years.

What message does it send about whole women's sport is valued when all of those successful men's athletes ultimately got honours, yet just two of the Lionesses do?

Given the scale of what the Lionesses achieved, and everything it symbolises for women's sport, it feels odd to not continue this precedent of honouring them all with at least MBEs, for playing their roles in a national triumph.

It simply does not feel fair at all, that after such a monumental collective effort, and given the historical precedents set with previous sporting successes in England, to chose to honour just FOUR of the Lionesses players (Jill Scott already has an MBE too). 

It is a team sport and a team achievement, one which had an impact on so many lives in England across so many levels, that it goes beyond words really. The three individuals set to be honoured have all repeatedly themselves talked about this, and how it's the collective of the squad together that helped the Lionesses to do what they did. 

This petition calls on the Cabinet Office, assuming the breaking news is correct, to reconsider their decision on this, and follow historical precedent from previous major English sporting successes, in honouring the entire 23-player squad with at least an MBE.

Honouring that collective achievement in a collective fashion is the least the Lionesses deserve.