• NHS privatisation MPs & Lords
    To much privatisation is happening to the NHS .. 70 MPs and 140 Lords have some sort of investment or involvement with private healthcare companies that we know of ..I believe that giving them a vote on NHS issues brings to mind a conflict of interest
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    Created by john beardsmore
  • Stop the press revealing identities of Calais children
    Publication of photos and personal details can risk the security of unaccompanied young people, who are known to be at a high risk of human trafficking and may be exposed to hate crime. The language used by The Sun, the Daily Star, the Daily Mail and the Daily Express to describe these young people arriving from the 'jungle' camp in Calais is incendiary and inhumane. The deliberate questioning of age, without due care to safety or lawful processes, has the very real potential to expose individuals to abuse, racism and hatred whilst in the UK. International law makes it clear that anyone under the age of 18 is a child. Unaccompanied children frequently have no documents to prove their age. Some don’t even know their own chronological age. Others have had their identities faked by human traffickers. There is a duty on the UK to give those in such situations the ‘benefit of the doubt’ where there is reason to believe they may be a child. The current approach of 'trial by media' undermines these young people's right to fair and impartial assessments of their individual circumstances. It ignores well-established, legal processes that are designed to protect those most in need and undermines the validity of the laws to protect children and refugees. ECPAT UK is a leading children’s rights organisation campaigning to prevent child trafficking, transnational child abuse and child exploitation for the past 20 years. To complement our research, policy and campaigning activity, we run peer support groups for child victims of trafficking and deliver training to a broad range of professionals. For more info about our charity, visit: www.ecpat.org.uk.
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    Created by ECPAT UK Picture
  • Stop Rushcliffe Borough Council fining the homeless
    Rushcliffe Borough Council have proposed plans to fine homeless people £100 under the 2014 "Public Space Protection Order". Rushcliffe Borough Council believe that the rough sleepers cause a "nuisance" to those who live locally. Fines can be increased to £1000 following non-payment of the original fine. The idea of fining those who already have so little that they are forced to sleep out in the cold is a cruel and heartless act. This is attacking vulnerable persons and does not aid in resolving the homeless issues. Other campaigns have successfully halted other councils from imposing similar fines. More info here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/37693295?client=ms-android-htc-rev
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    Created by Paula Sanders
  • United States Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)
    In 2010, the US government passed the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) obliging US citizens, regardless of dual citizenships and even though they may not have lived in the US since childhood, to self-report their non-US assets and to pay US tax on foreign income if the foreign tax should be less than US tax. For example, if such persons sell their home, then they are liable for American capital gains tax on the sale as the UK levies no such tax. FATCA obliges all non-US financial institutions to search through their customer databases to identify those customers suspected of being US citizens and to disclose the account holders' names, addresses, and the transactions of most types of account. It requires foreign financial institutions to require all foreign account holders (not just US citizens) to certify their foreign status. In 2014, The Economist called FATCA's "extraterritoriality stunning even by Washington's standards." FATCA potentially affects 173,470 people born in the US by chance but many of whom left the country as small children and have since been resident in the UK and are UK citizens. Following FATCA's passage, many such "accidental Americans" suffered closure of their bank accounts: a 2014 survey of US citizens in other countries by Democrats Abroad found that 12.7% of respondents had been denied financial services by their banks, making it harder for accidental Americans to live and work in their countries of residence. Accidental Americans often no owe US income tax, but must spend thousands of dollars in accounting fees to prove that fact, and face potential fines of tens of thousands of dollars for paperwork errors. Those who have spent their lives planning for their retirement without considering the US tax consequences of the non-US financial instruments they hold may find that US taxation wipes out most of their returns on investments. UK residents suspected to be US citizens are separated out at their financial institutions for differential treatment, based upon their place of birth and nationality. Discrimination according to national origin is prohibited in most countries and by the European Convention on Human Rights. American Citizens Abroad, a not-for-profit organization representing the interests of the millions of Americans residing outside the United States, points out that FATCA's problem is citizenship-based taxation. The United States and Eritrea are the only countries in the world which impose taxation and reporting requirements on citizens living abroad permanently. The Guardian reports that Americans living abroad feel financially terrorized by FATCA requirements. According to research by Democrats Abroad: "These survey results show the intense impact FATCA is having on overseas Americans. Their financial accounts are being closed, their relationships with their non-American spouses are under strain, some Americans are being denied promotion or partnership in business because of FATCA reporting requirements and some are planning or contemplating renouncing their US citizenship”. The US will not allow accidental Americans to renounce citizenship until they have filed five years’ of tax returns. Due to the rise in applications, the fee for renouncing citizenship was raised by roughly 400 percent in 2015 to $2,350. According to a recent piece in The Economist, a UK resident who was born in America but moved to Britain as a child, “recently received a huge bill from the IRS [the US Internal Revenue Service], out of the blue, for many years of unfiled taxes. He had not realised that he owed anything; he had always paid taxes promptly in Britain. The IRS was so aggressive that he feared he might lose his technology business; he even discussed divorce with his wife as a way to shield their assets. In the end, he settled for a six-figure sum.” In 2014, the UK Government entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement whereby financial institutions in the UK report information about US accounts to HMRC. HMRC then provides the information to the US. The UK government has estimated that the cost to British businesses will be £1.1 billion to £2 billion for the first five years, in order to locate the US citizens. HMRC estimates its own one-off IT and staff project costs at approximately £5m, with ongoing annual costs of £1.4m from this year. FATCA’s effects on UK citizens who by accident of birth are deemed American means that the UK Government’s cooperation with FATCA must end. The relationship between the British state and its citizens is founded on an implicit contract whereby, in exchange for obedience to the law and performance of their civic duties, citizens have a right to the state’s protection.
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    Created by Jim Newell Picture
  • Outrageous-Westminster reverses Fracking refusal
    The Government should not interfere, alter, or ride roughshod over the duly elected officials who are there by the people's will.
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    Created by Jk Deeney
  • Specsavers - Stop Advertising in the Daily Express
    Anti-immigrant hate crime in the UK has increased fivefold over the past few months (according to the National Police Chiefs' Council). The UK media has, in the words of the United Nations human rights chief, peddled "sustained and unrestrained anti-foreigner abuse" and "vilification, intolerance and politicization of migrants." Migrants are routinely portrayed as less-than-human, and unworthy of dignity and respect. The Daily Express alone is responsible for headlines such as "BRITAIN MUST BAN MIGRANTS" and " SEND IN ARMY TO HALT MIGRANT INVASION." Specsavers: is this your vision? We are calling on you to take a stand, and no longer tacitly endorse the demonisation of migrant communities by the Daily Express. Just earlier this year, the newspaper was forced to publish a correction after press watchdog IPSO ruled that a piece entitled 'Europe's leaders have no plan to cut immigration' inflated and distorted migration figures. The impact of this kind of media rhetoric is not limited to the newspaper stands: it has real-life, divisive consequences. By withdrawing a recent front-page advert from the Daily Express, you have recognised that what your brand appears alongside, matters. We call on you to take this further and withdraw all financial and symbolic support for a newspaper that is notorious for inciting racism, Islamophobia and xenophobia.
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    Created by Undoing Borders (People & Planet) Picture
  • Dyspraxia
    I want them to have a debate on dyspraxia and I will cripple and it is to people suffering from this condition. Plus I want them to treat it as a separate condition completely independent of dyslexia I would like to see a low where it makes educational establishment such as universities and schools. Because at the moment the educational establishment say a lot of it is the same as dyslexia. But this condition has many more parts to it than dyslexia. I find in many educational institutes that they fail to treat dyspraxia raise a different condition.
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    Created by Royston Carlmain
  • PROTECT LONE CHILDREN FROM CALAIS CAMP: ALLOW THEM INTO SCOTLAND AND UK
    1500 children were transferred yesterday, Wednesday 2nd November, from the container camp in Calais to processing centres and temporary accommodation in France Besides the children with family to join in UK, there are many hundreds of unaccompanied children seeking asylum. Surely we can offer sanctuary to a large proportion of these children in Scotland and give them the care and attention they need? The risk of unsupervised children leaving temporary centres in France and setting out alone or in small groups to look for an illegal route to UK is HUGE. It has been reported that many children went missing during last week's evacuation of the Calais Camp, as did 129 children during partial evacuation of the camp in February this year. It will be shameful for us a a nation if we cannot resolve this situation, by harnessing the goodwill of the British public in welcoming these children, and encouraging Local Authorities to accommodate them.
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    Created by deborah riley
  • Bristol's Sorting Office: Get it sorted!
    In 2015 the former Sorting Office on Cattle Market Road, derelict for 18 years and long considered an eyesore, was acquired by Bristol City Council for an estimated £5.4 million. The Council has budgeted up to £2m for the Sorting Office's demolition with “The aspiration...to develop a high quality commercially led, high density mixed use development that re‐imagines this high profile, strategically significant site…”. The public ownership of the iconic former Sorting Office makes it a community asset and affords Bristol a unique opportunity to pursue a development which meets the needs and aspirations of the people of Bristol. By replacing 'commercially led' with 'community led', the site could become a vision worthy of our city, meeting Bristol’s needs as defined not by commercial boundaries alone, but by the community who own it. What kind of developments on this high profile city centre site could really serve the communities of Bristol? Do we need to knock down the building - and spend £2million doing so? Does the site need yet another vacant area of rubble, waiting for commercial interests to redevelop it, like at least five other currently empty sites in the Enterprise Zone have so far failed to do? Rather than commercially-led overpriced flats, half-empty office blocks, and national chain stores; could we see community-led council housing, food production and eating, local shops and makers, learning centres, social enterprise, reuse of resources, renewable energy, sustainable transport, art and performance, beautiful spaces and more? If the people were given a voice in the area’s development, what would we envision? So far, public involvement in determining the future of this publicly owned building and site has been practically non-existent. The council have only consulted on a ‘Spatial Framework’’ for the totality of the Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone, and there has never been a full public consultation on plans for the Cattle Market site itself. As a public asset, shouldn’t we, the community, lead its future? A genuine process of engagement, involvement and collaboration with the city’s residents, community stakeholders, progressive thinkers and academics, would result in a creative, pioneering and shared vision - truly representative of both the progressive nature of our city and its needs. We the undersigned therefore demand that Bristol City Council call a halt to current plans to demolish the Sorting Office, and hold a transparent, participatory and collaborative consultation in order to create a shared, community-led vision for the future of the Cattle Market site, which meets the needs and aspirations of the people of the city. #BristolGetItSorted
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    Created by Ben Moss
  • Stop MHRA Removing CBD Products From Sale! Patients Will Suffer!
    Whilst we welcome the move to schedule CBD as a medicine following clinical trials, it must be understood that completely removing it from the market with only 28 days notice is not sufficient time for patients to find alternative ways of maintaining their health. CBD is well documented through clinical research to be non-toxic and non-psychoactive and has no recorded negative side effects in humans, as well as being a powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic and anti-epilepsy drug. This move will lead to more vulnerable patients buying untested CBD products on the illicit market, potentially bringing them to more harm or falling prey to unscrupulous cannabis oil scammers as it is an expensive product. Thousands of patients with hundreds of medical conditions ranging from acute to life threatening rely on CBD as a safe and non-toxic form of medical and therapeutic treatment. Patients who are buying CBD products have conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's, Alzheimer’s, Crohn's Disease, Epilepsy, Fybromyalgia, Arthritis, Anxiety, Depression, Cancer, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Elhers Danlos Syndrome, and Chronic Pain. We petition the MHRA to please consider other means of approving CBD products so that patients do not suffer the consequences of this decision whilst stricter regulations are decided upon. Yours Sincerely United Kingdom Cannabis Social Clubs
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    Created by Greg de Hoedt
  • Restore democracy to Lancashire [Fracking]
    We citizens of Lancashire, put politicians in place to represent our needs. We are sovereign, and have the highest form of political authority--you are temporary. Our local council, made up of councillors democratically elected by us, and charged with serving our interests, is exactly the right body to make decisions on local matters. The government have displaced our democracy in Lancashire and we intend to make our vote count next time round. WE THE UNDERSIGNED: PLEDGE TO VOTE FOR NO CONSERVATIVE MP IN THE UPCOMING PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
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    Created by Gary McMahon Picture
  • Save the Broomhill Avenue Greenspace
    Update Unfortunately, despite having a temporary reprieve in January this year, the Greenspace is once again under threat. Glasgow City Council have been again been approached with a proposal to have the land declared surplus and sold for development of flats. Our councillors have been asked to comment on this proposal. The likely outcome of this part of the process is unclear. The more signatures we have on the petition, the stronger the case against that proposal will be, and the more pressure we can place on the City Council to listen to the community, and save the Greenspace for the third, and hopefully final, time. Our much-loved green space on Broomhill Avenue is under threat again - this is a vital green space for families, walkers and dog-walkers to enjoy in the area. If this space goes to be replaced by more housing, this could lead to many families leaving the area in search of accessible green space. (https://www.facebook.com/broomhillavenuepark/) Right now, Glasgow City Council are in negotiations with a developer which could lead to flats being built on our sole green space in the area. Shouldn't Glasgow City Council be preserving this space to help promote physical activity in local communities and be on ongoing legacy from the Commonwealth Games? This is especially sad as in 2008, Glasgow City Council (GCC) promised us that the Broomhill Avenue Greenspace would "be excluded from any future development packages", and assured us that there was no need to officially protect the site as it would be protected under the councils own rules and guidance on open spaces. GCC themselves list the site as part of the "green corridor" which is intended to provide areas for protection of wildlife, which begs the question of why the negotiations over a sale are taking place at all? Although this area is not an official park, it is tended and maintained by local residents and the trees, wildlife and open space are an important part of the community. The space is cared for - residents and children in the community have been working on the site and planted hundreds of flower bulbs, cleaned up rubbish and prepared bird and bat boxes to provide homes for wildlife, with more planting planned coming. All of this hard work is at risk, if the proposed sale goes ahead. We need as many people as possible to hold Glasgow City Council to their promise. Please sign and share our petition to help us protect the site and save a small, but important local resource for the benefit of the residents, wildlife, children and dog walkers who value and appreciate this area. Thank you for your support.
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    Created by Chris Osborne Picture