https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P-z10pKGdc The new Minister for Disabled People, Justin Tomlinson MP says the most important part of his job is to offer "disabled people the same opportunities to reach their goals as non-disabled people." Yet on 30 June the government will close the Independent Living Fund (ILF) which provides essential support to disabled people with the highest support needs to live in the community amongst friends and family. The closure of the ILF means that the 17,500 disabled people who are currently able to employ assistants to help with everyday tasks from getting out of bed to going to work, will instead be forced into care homes or effectively imprisoned in their own homes. Last year, a high court ruling about the decision to close the fund referred to "the inevitable and considerable adverse effect" this would have on disabled people and how "independent living might well be put seriously in peril for... most (or a substantial number of) ILF users." This is because the government will give responsibility for the fund to cash strapped local authorities which will not be able to cope as they are already suffering huge cuts of 26% to social care funding with a further £10 billion cuts in the pipeline. The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services has said it cannot take any further pressure and disability experts agree that the future looks bleak for disabled people. The governments of Scotland and Northern Ireland have committed to create their own versions of the ILF, and the Welsh government has said it will put money aside to help recipients for 9 months. This leaves people currently receiving the ILF in England unprotected. Sometimes it's hard to know what the right thing is. This is not one of those times. Please sign the petition now and tell Prime Minister David Cameron and his new minister Justin Tomlinson MP to keep the Independent Living Fund open, or at least ring fence the money at local authority level. Remind them that the UK is better than this.

The Queen's Speech includes an 'Extremism Bill' that will “strengthen the role of Ofcom so that tough measures can be taken against channels that broadcast extremist content”. According to a leaked letter from Cabinet member and former Culture Secretary Sajid Javid these measures involve “a fundamental shift in the way UK broadcasting is regulated” and would move Ofcom from being an independent regulator “into the role of a censor”. The Government should not be allowed to dictate what we can or can't watch on TV. Please sign and share this petition to stop this unacceptable clamp down on freedom of speech.

As we suffer the daily rigors of Austerity, The City of London & The Banks are draining our Real Economy with fraud, asset stripping, the privatisation of sovereign assets. Combined with The Corporations accounting fraud & their failure to pay taxes, the UK Economy has been left heavily in debt. We should not silently put up with this illegal behavior by Criminal Banks. We need Bank Reform to be undertaken by this government in this year. Please write to your local high street banks to let them know how you feel. Also The Bank of England governor Mark Carney, The Accountants; KPMG, PWC, Deloitte, Ernst & Young(EY) The Attorney General, The Rt Hon Jeremy Wright QC Your Local Crime Commissioner And your local Chief Constable. You can send them this: http://www.realnewsuk.com/print/Banking_Reform.pdf

The human cost of welfare cuts is huge, with levels of stress, depression, physical ill health and family breakdown likely to increase as the cuts hit. Welfare cuts are about so much more than simply reducing the deficit for so many people. It's not possible for our politicians to experience fully what it is to be on a low income long-term, but we call on them to make this effort to engage with the human cost of their policies.

EU citizens living in the UK are to be banned from voting in the EU referendum. This includes citizens who have come to the UK to study or work, or who have joined (British and non-British) partners and have family here. In addition, as the University of Oxford indicates, EU migrants prop up vital public services, including in the area of care, where demand for EU migrants is high 'largely due to low wages and poor working conditions' (http://www.migrationobservatory.ox.ac.uk/britains-70-million-debate/5-british-and-other-eu-migration). Despite our contributions to this British society, we are now to be kept from participating in an election that fundamentally decides our and our families' futures. This seems to counter all sense of fairness. We urge you to change your decision.

16 and 17 year olds can marry, pay taxes and serve in the armed forces. The high turnout from this age group in the recent Scottish Independence referendum shows that many in this age group are politically aware.

Lord Janner was excused from standing trial for serious sexual offences toward children on the basis that the dementia that he suffers was too advance. If this is truly the case he is then also unfit to be a member of a parliament commitee and should be removed. If he is fit to remain then he is also fit to stand trial, and be forced to face the consequences of the alleged abuse.

Alistair Carmichael has admitted that he leaked the memo that began the 'Frenchgate' scandal despite saying that it had nothing to do with him. He now says that he committed an error of judgement. His campaign in Orkney and Shetland was characterised by his attacks on people who disagreed with them accusing them of smears. This is what he said, ‘I had not seen the document before it was published in the Daily Telegraph, however I was aware of its content and agreed that my special adviser should make it public. I should not have agreed this. It was an error of judgement which I regret. ‘I accept full responsibility for the publication of the document. I have written today to the First Minister and to the French Ambassador to apologise to them both. ‘Had I still been a Government Minister I would have considered this to be a matter that required my resignation. I have therefore informed the Cabinet Secretary that I will decline my ministerial severance payment.’ We do not want to represented by a dishonest politician. If the matter merited his resignation as a Cabinet Minster, it means that he is not fit to be our MP and has to go immediately. He was elected knowing that he had lied to the press and his electorate and must now pay the price.

Alistair Carmichael MP should resign as an MP for allowing a false leak regarding Nicola Sturgeon 's preference for Prime Minister. He has already taken responsibility for it. But as this was not known before election and his mandate being so slim; the people of Orkney and Shetland should be allowed to judge his behaviour in a by election. It looks like the investigation into this matter has also been hugely costly to the taxpayer. Pay back the money and quit.

Since the Callants (young men) of Hawick Fought and Won the flag from the English camped at Hornshole in 1514 Hornshole has played an important part in the towns history and culture. For the Past 501 years this site has been of great historical intrest to the towns people of Hawick and the removal of such an important location and monument from a Hawick council ward is more than just a line on a piece of paper. We the people of Hawick must get behind this petition to keep this sacred and cherished site within our local boundary.

I feel this is important because attendances in Scottish football are falling, and anything we can do to help bring supporters back should be considered. As long as it's safe ect. I myself would certainly go back, I stopped going mainly because I don't want to sit down at the football. And as long as it's done safely and passes all the relevant health and safety criteria, I don't see what the hold up is?

Medway Council Loses Ballots! We've spoken & written to Medway Council, had Local and National Media Coverage including ITV Meridian News but still they refuse to look into this. Outraged local election candidate, Paul Dennis, has polled an impossible zero votes in Rainham North. Standing for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), Mr Dennis and his supporters demand justice from Medway Council following this clearly invalid result. TUSC’s average vote across the constituency was 229 per ward. However, Returning Officer Neil Davies and Deputy Richard Hicks ruled out a re-count. Local train conductor Paul Dennis said: “This is impossible. The result sticks out like a sore thumb. I know people who have voted for me. I live in the ward and definitely voted for myself! Since the result was announced others have been on touch to say they also voted for me. So why have our votes not been counted? The council needs to answer this.” Overworked staff didn’t finish counting the General Election results for the Rochester & Strood, Chatham & Aylesford and Gillingham & Rainham constituencies until 09:30 on 8th May. Returning Officer Neil Davies demanded counters return just five and a half hours later to resume for the local elections. Mr Dennis’ agent, Alec Price said: “We’re an anti-austerity party and it appears Medway Council’s austerity policies have disenfranchised every TUSC voter in Rainham North. By overstretching staff at a chaotic count, Medway Council have failed in their fundamental duty to ensure that every vote counts. This raises serious questions about the democratic process. No-one knows how many ballots have not been counted“. This does not just affect TUSC however, if Paul is missing his votes who else might be missing theirs?