Do you need to know? I have experienced racism. For a white English native this is probably unusual. For me, the thing that I most wanted was for a load of random people to come up to me and tell me they're glad I'm here. When you hear one racist outburst, you immediately feel that many people must think the same way but don't express it. You wonder what proportion of people begrudge your presence. In my experience, the people who aren't racist are embarrassed by those who are. They feel that it's better to just ignore them and act as though they don't exist. But what is really needed, is for people to come and admit, yes there are some, but not me, and not me, and not me, and not me. WE are ALL happy that you are one of US.

After a closely fought contest, and the final result which is beyond contention, we must confront the prospect that a portion of the referendum campaigning was based on misinformation, and sometimes outright lying. This petition seeks to draw attention to this, given that the tactics used in this referendum on both sides, such as scaremongering, will more than likely be utilised again, and are damaging to the democratic character of this country. We ask that powers against these be expanded from its current form: “While we have regulatory duties relating to campaign spending, including in relation to political advertising/election material, we have very few powers to deal with the content of material published by candidates and parties, or their general conduct. In most cases we will not be able to deal with such complaints, which should instead be made directly to the party or candidate responsible for the material.” http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/complaints

Barbecues on London Fields have been trialled for several years and were approved again for 2017. Barbecues are banned in most of the parks of London on safety and health grounds. It is the only park in Hackney where the Council overlooks their own strict bye-laws banning fires in parks. As a result, London Fields is now popularised through social media to the point that on a sunny summer weekend it attracts thousands of visitors and tourists from all across London and beyond. The smoke from BBQs and fires makes it impossible for residents neighbouring the park to open their windows on hot summer days. Depending on the wind, dense smoke carries across the park in different directions - into houses and flats, up to the Lido or across the children's playgrounds. The smoke is unpleasant and represents a significant pollution risk, especially for people with breathing difficulties. A highly toxic particle known as PM2.5 is released into the atmosphere when burning barbecues. There is no safe level of PM2.5 and it can: * suppress lung function in children * cause heart disease and strokes * cause and aggravate asthma * cause lung cancer [Source: "Every Breath We Take", RCP / RCPCH pub. Feb 2016] In the summer of 2105 an investigation by King's College London pollution team showed toxic PM2.5 air pollution levels during barbecues on Highbury Fields, Islington, to be up to 3 times the kerbside levels at one of London's busiest roads in Marylebone. In 2013 a study involving 312,944 people in nine European countries revealed there was no safe level of particulates. Hackney Council has an air pollution plan (http://www.hackney.gov.uk/air-pollution) and an air quality action plan (http://www.hackney.gov.uk/air-quality-action-plan) - and does nothing to stop toxic smoke over children's play areas in the Fields. Anti-social behaviour is an ever-present worry with small groups staying in the park overnight. Mounds of litter are left behind, overflowing the many extra bins provided. On Sundays and Mondays, parts of the park are unusable by local residents until clear-ups are undertaken, bins are left on fire and discarded food attracts rats. Every summer this costs Hackney council-tax payers a potential £80,000 or more in extra bins, refuse disposal, signs, security and damage repairs to the park. According to an FOI request, £57,000 alone is paying for a security firm to watch just the BBQ area all summer long*. To put this in perspective - if the park charged 800 visitors every week for the whole summer £5 to BBQ (15 weekends) it would only raise £60,000 - and not cover those costs. And the security is there only on weekends - and BBQs are lit every day during the summer. London Fields is a small park. It just cannot sustain this pressure on such a tiny piece of land. It is time to call an end to a failed experiment and treat London Fields like any other Hackney Park – a green space which visitors should respect and use with care. Local people should not have to dread sunny weekends. And what if there were no barbecues? Well, they are no real loss to anyone; *picnics* are rather similar in nature but much less annoying and polluting - and they are fun, cheaper, eco-friendly, no smoke, no fire, less mess (except perhaps for egg sandwiches) and they can be eaten anywhere, in any park, in any neighbourhood, not just a tiny, barren corner of London Fields. So please sign this petition and share with your friends on Facebook, Twitter and email - and in the street - to ask the Mayor and Hackney Council to end this abuse of the Fields. * Hackney Council claim the security is for the whole of the park; this is not what the security staff say - or do.

Bernard was stabbed as he tried to protect Labour MP Jo Cox. He showed true British spirit in tackling the man with a gun and a knife. So many people today would stand by and let things happen, but this 77 year old pensioner was incredibly brave and had the guts to do something. The George Cross is the highest bravery honour that can be given to non-military personnel. Good people need to be recognised.

Like me you were probably angered and saddened by the disgraceful scenes of English football fans in Lille mocking and humiliating begging children. One seven year old was even reported to have been forced to down a pint of beer in exchange for a handful of coins, others to fight for the 'prize' of small change. It is possible that a number of these children were refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria. Imagine fleeing your homeland, maybe losing contact with your mum and dad and walking across Europe only to be confronted by this cruelty and indignity. Wherever the children are from, the sight of wealthy men getting their entertainment from humiliating children reduced to begging on the streets was repulsive. Like you these scenes made me feel ashamed to be English, ashamed to be a football supporter and powerless to do anything. The French police are unable to stop this behaviour until a crime is committed. However, the Football Association does have it in their power to identify and ban supporters from buying tickets for its games and frequently works with the police to prevent them from travelling abroad. It also has the power to speak out, through its officials, manager and players, against this behaviour which shames us all. But I am writing this two days after the first reports and it has done nothing. There is a precedent to this: earlier in 2016 PSV Eindhoven supporters were caught on camera similarly humiliating people begging in Madrid. The PSV Eindhoven club immediately issued a video and written statement promising to identify and issue banning orders to those involved. You can read their statement here: http://www.psv.nl/english-psv/news/article/gerbrands-these-are-not-our-moral-values-and-ethical-norms.htm There is no reason at all why the English FA can't do the same. By not speaking out and not pursuing those responsible the FA are effectively saying that the experience these children have gone through doesn't matter. Please sign below and let's encourage the FA to send an important signal that we have not lost our compassion and humanity and that bullying children cannot go unpunished. Thank you.

On 24th July 2016, Go North East will remove the 11 and 11a bus services. These buses provide vital links between villages in Western Gateshead with Newcastle City Centre, including Blackhall Mill, Chopwell, High Spen, Greenside, Crawcrook and Ryton. Without the 11 and 11a services, local people face severe difficulty when travelling around their local area. I commute from Ryton to the Scotswood Road area of Newcastle every weekday. With the removal of the 11 and 11a buses in July, there will be NO direct bus from Ryton and several surrounding villages to Newcastle City Centre. Go North East have proposed to replace the cancelled services with a new 10x route, which will serve local areas 'at peak times' only: as an example, the new 10x from Ryton to Newcastle is only running at the 'peak' time of 7.25am - 7.55am! Go North East evidently believe that offering a replacement bus service for only 30 minutes a day on week days is enough. This is incredibly unreasonable: customers have found that the early morning 11 and 11a services are currently so well-used that it is often impossible to find a seat on the bus! The reason that Go North East give for axing these essential services is that 'the number of people travelling on the service 11 as whole means its not viable to continue running it.' (sic) With the forthcoming proposal of more than 400 new homes in Ryton alone, Go North East should be investing in our local area, not removing vital services from long-suffering residents! Please sign this petition and encourage your friends and family do the same - hopefully, Go North East will realise how important these services are to our local communities and scrap plans to remove them.

Because for more than 520 people, it's a life-saving, life-affirming space where they aren't judged and they can feel safe and supported. We desperately need a continuation of the service No.10 provides. Demolition of No.10 doesn't begin until January 2017, which will mean that currently the building will be left empty for four months from September 1st.

Woman's hour is the only programme for women in this country and its totally dominated by white middle class interests accents and perspectives. I am white and middle class and I am tired of having this window on my world so small and exclusive .

Camden Town is one of London's major tourist attractions and part of its charm is the amount and variety of small business owners who each sell a wide range of food from all around the world. Some were in tears yesterday as the new market management told them the news.The independent traders were also told to keep very quite about this development or they would be turfed out before the month was up ,The new management intend to replace the 200 present food traders with a corporate style concept where every trader is working for them with a till system taken .

It will ultimately lead to the development of a well site that will be hydraulically fracked. I am a mother and I believe that we all have a responsibility to protect our children and our future. The independent Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) study of the environmental impact of the shale gas technology has still not been published despite a legal requirement to do so. The CCC report could have a material impact on the planning application if it is been made public in time. Under Section 49 of the new Infrastructure Act 2015, the Government must seek independent advice from Lord Deben’s Committee on whether shale gas production can be compatible with future carbon emissions targets. Barry Gardiner, Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change, said “The Government is now losing the trust of the public on this issue who can see that the Energy Secretary has been sitting on this independent report for 56 days whilst simultaneously threatening to impose fracking on communities against their will.” Planning Application Number 3524

Pyrford’s fields, particularly those either side of Upshot Lane, are essential to the character of our semi-rural community and fulfil clear green belt purposes as laid down by the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework). The farmland is a rare resource in the Woking area providing a home for declining farmland birds and a natural setting for many heritage assets, which include Pyrford Court and Gardens and St. Nicholas Church. Pyrford’s farmland provides a setting for an escarpment which provides outstanding views to the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; views which may be enjoyed by the general public from the Sandy Lane Path (Surrey Bridleway 401) where local residents planted a WWI Memorial Hedgerow in 2015. Furthermore, the biodiversity of neighbouring Pyrford Common SNCI (Site of Nature Conservation Importance), and Rowley Bristow Woods would be damaged by the fragmentation of irreplaceable wildlife habitat. If Pyrford’s Green Belt is lost, it will be lost forever. Pyrford residents and their supporters wish to ensure this valuable asset is saved for future generations.

Berwick Street Market has been independent for 300 years yet Westminster City Council has decided to privatise it with barely any consultation - It's all happening behind the scenes - private operators are already in the tender process and traders’ licences have been terminated without warning. These licences are peoples livelihoods, businesses and relationships, and belong to traders who are part of Soho's history and culture. Berwick Street Market is now the frontline of the relentless cleansing of Soho. @BerW1ckStMarket