Brides and Grooms should not be penalised for a situation out with their control and no decent, honest and empathetic company should be MAKING extra money out of an epidemic that has seen thousands of people lose their lives. I urge you to do the decent thing, as countless other suppliers have, and remove the charge and refund all those who have already paid out of fear of losing their deposits.

Hounding and bullying celebrities and ordinary people. Harassing Grenfell Tower survivors. Stoking prejudice and hate against muslims, migrants and refugees. Some newspapers are getting away with ruining lives because the system that’s supposed to hold them to account is run by the very newspaper bosses publishing the stories. But it doesn't have to be like this. An independent regulator - with the power to really hold newspapers to account - could make sure there are real consequences when papers overstep the line. Broadcasters are regulated independently and soon social media companies could be too. Why shouldn’t newspapers be held to the same standard? It’s time to level the playing field. Nobody’s tweets should be more regulated than huge media outlets like The Sun and The Mail.

To stop the bad practices that have damaged the lives of so many people due to no fault of their own .

If you go to a football match or watch football on TV, there is a high chance you will see a betting company's logo. That’s because the top football clubs in the country have deals with gambling companies, half of premier league teams have betting company logos on their kit. This means millions of fans across the UK and all over the world are being exposed to predatory companies which profit from problem gambling. An estimated 400,000 people in England have a gambling addiction. And it’s ruining lives. The Government and the Football Association should step in and do the right thing: ban any gambling company from sponsoring sponsoring football teams and advertising their brand on football shirts. Italy and Turkey have already banned gambling companies from sponsoring football shirts. Now it’s our turn.

“I use a pre-pay meter because I can’t afford a direct debit. £5 may not sound a lot, but when you’re scraping together coppers just to make up the money, it can be the difference between a hot meal and going hungry.” – Daniel, British Gas customer* As anti-poverty campaigners and charities have made clear, this decision will mean that many parents and pensioners on low incomes will have to make a choice between food and fuel; it will mean not being able to cook a hot meal, have a bath or turn the heating on. Those who use top-up meters are often in debt and have insecure incomes, and rely on small top-ups to ration their heating to see themselves through to payday. What's more, research shows that those on pre-pay meters pay hundreds of pounds more in tariffs on average than direct debit customers. This decision will disproportionately affect those who are already struggling to get by. To implement it in the middle of winter, and what is the most financially challenging time of the year for many people, is the height of social irresponsibility. A company which last reported profits of £466 million should not be increasing the burden on its most hard-up customers. We ask that British Gas does the responsible thing and reverses this decision. Preet Gill MP has sent the following letter to British Gas bosses calling for this increase to be reversed. A huge petition, joining her call, could convince them to do the right thing: https://files.38degrees.org.uk/items/files/000/002/709/original/PKG_to_British_Gas_15-01-20.pdf *Name changed for anonymity

Because there is very little choice between Coop and Tesco on an ever expanding Island. With tourism being high in the summer months shopping for locals can be a nightmare another couple of shops would help reduce the chaos.

Stubhub is currently Viagogo’s only competitor in the UK for ticket reselling. If Viagogo takes over Stubhub, Viagogo will have no competition when it comes to reselling tickets online. That means fans will only have one place to shop if they miss out on a sold out event. This should be stopped. Viagogo makes huge profits by capitalising on high demand on sold out events, and was recently investigated by the CMA for misleading customers. If they’re the only company in the UK reselling tickets, more and more fans will have no choice but use Viagogo. The Competition Markets Authority can stop this takeover happening. If they intervene in this deal, it could mean that fans have a customers and fans have better choice when trying to get tickets to their favourite concerts and events.

Slavery did not end with abolition in the 19th century. Instead, it changed its forms and continues to harm people in every country in the world. Including here in the UK. Currently, the UK Modern Slavery Act requires companies with a turnover of £36 million to release annual statements of their anti-slavery efforts. And hotels and the hospitality industry often don't do enough to stop the exploitation of workers, and in the worst cases, modern slavery. But some of these hotel companies are not producing these statements - even though they have to by law. This means that right now we don't know if they are failing to address the specific risks of modern slavery in their direct operations and supply chains, because they are not releasing an annual report. These hotel chains must reflect on the specific risks facing the sector: they must do the bare minimum and take slavery seriously. *These groups have not complied as of 22 November 2019

When travel company Thomas Cook collapsed, thousands of jobs were lost and families were stranded on holiday, desperate to get home. Our taxes ended up paying for the clean-up. But the bosses in charge at Thomas Cook walked away with millions of pounds in bonuses. It’s not right. Now the government is considering making them return the money, and stripping them of the right to run companies again. It would be a huge step forward in holding big business to account. Forcing Thomas Cook’s bosses to pay back their money won’t bring our jobs or holidays back. But it could send a message - you can’t walk away while the public clears up your mess. It could make other bosses think twice before taking risks with our jobs and savings. By signing the petition, together we can create a wave of public outrage - it could tip the government into cracking down properly on businesses who cause a mess and walk away.

I have been campainging for years and have been interviewed locally By Hereford and Worcester local radio, had positive responses from Newspapers and contacted Rip Off Britain. I have been asked in the past to pay extra but refuse to do so. Tour operators are just as guilty as they are complicit in allowing this practice to continue.

Lowestoft is losing shops in its town centre almost weekly. The latest announcement that Tesco is to close its store in London Road North is the last straw. Although the Tesco store closure may be part of a national strategic re-think by Tesco, we know that town centres and high streets up and down the country are having to deal with competition from out-of-town retail parks and online retailers. We also know that footfall in Lowestoft town centre is discouraged by high business rates and the cost of town centre parking. These issues are compounded by cynical leasing practices: as leases come up for renewal, property owners frequently raise the rents making the businesses unsustainable. Property owners are often living in other towns or countries and have no interest or stake in local communities: basically, they are speculators. On top of all this, seaside towns and former fishing ports like Lowestoft are struggling to replace lost industry and livelihoods. People who don't drive are finding it harder and harder to shop. People with disabilities, older people and families are particularly affected by shop closures, especially those on low incomes. Not everyone has access to the Internet, and many of those who do still prefer to shop in store, for the social interaction and company that it gives them. Loneliness is recognised as a significant social problem for many people: especially the elderly and those with mental health issues. Access to local shops helps to combat the isolation of vulnerable people. Lowestoft Town Council, East Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council have all backed 'Climate Emergency' motions. This means in part encouraging people to walk, cycle and use public transport rather than drive. Retail parks are aimed at car drivers and they do little to build and support a sense of community. Lowestoft now has several retail parks. Town centres are a community link. A vibrant town centre is necessary for the economic regeneration of this town. But it is more than that: it should act as a hub for our community, something that we can build out from, and build a future on.

A big bike ride is a lovely idea but not when it involves a large corporation telling thousands of people that they have to be restricted in their movements for the majority of the day and that there is nothing they can do about it. Velo is proposed for height of the Summer on 28 June 2020, closing 100 miles of roads across the West Midlands for the majority of daylight hours (04.45am - 19.00pm, and with other restrictions from midnight the day before). CSM Sport and Entertainment is a private global company which will charge 19000 Riders between £70 - £120 to take part. Some riders may raise their own sponsorship for charity which is of course, admirable, but it could be argued that cyclists would be better taking part in the many events across the UK where all money raised, including entry fees, goes to charity and doesn’t close roads all day / impose restrictions on others. Sadly this also means that all charity events along the way have to be cancelled at the behest of this corporate giant. What happened last year and why you should be concerned: • Many residents were trapped in their own homes as many closed roads were their only exit and entry points, with no diversion route / alternative available. Some people were trapped in their homes for over 13 hours. Public transport was also suspended for most of the day. • Home help and visiting carers were prevented from delivering food, hydration and medication as part of routine care plans; a vet was refused access to a premises because of road closures, leading to the death of two horses. Many people were prevented from travel to work and some were stranded at Birmingham International Airport and train station and couldn't return home for hours. • Previous proposals for this event have prompted grave concern from local ambulance services and previous events / event routes have been cancelled. • As per previous Velo mass road closures, levels of frustration have resulted in sabotage, with nails and razor blades being put on roads, and people trying to break through barriers, which is a risk to public safety and potentially causes a waste of police time. • In addition to stress anxiety and inconvenience, the Velo event can also have a negative effect on communities, many of which have to shelve their own plans for community events and suspend the operation of small businesses, particularly on the new proposed mid-summer date. Your rights compromised: It is highly unlikely that this event is compliant with the Equality Act 2010 in relation to disability and the denying of physical access for some in and out of their homes and to access services on the day. Signs prior to the event, blocked pavements in some areas for the 2019 event (pictured). Last year's event was not only an unwelcome intrusion to a large amount of people, forced to put up with it, but has been seen by many trapped for the day as an infringement of civil liberties and a danger to health and safety. No one asked communities what they want: Many of you will no doubt have read about this via third-party sources as opposed to being notified or consulted with directly. There has been no consultation with those living along the route, with Velo instead relying on a third party leaflet drop (which in the past missed out many people, who weren't aware of road closures when a Velo event was attempted previously) which tells people that the road will be closed and residents vehicles may be towed away from outside their homes - which is a little harsh for anyone who doesn’t have a driveway. It doesn’t have to be like this: Much of this could be avoided by CSM / Velo working out a route which doesn't trap people in their own homes / only routing past homes where residents have an alternative access road to get in and out as they wish (other than on foot). The benefits and the real cost: The benefits of Velo have mainly been promoted along economic lines, yes there may have been a spike in hotel bookings in Birmingham and Coventry City Centre, but this seems to be totally at the expense of the wellbeing of many people along the route. Velo and your Council’s accountability: Despite being contacted, Velo is remaining silent at the time of writing as per the exact route for 2020, and have stated that they will know in around 5 weeks. Last year despite a request they also failed to make available their evacuation plan for communities that were locked-down for the day. The aim of this petition and who it will be sent to: This petition will be presented to the leaders of Birmingham, Solihull, Warwickshire and Coventry Councils and Velo itself, to request that the event is cancelled in its current form, as it has been previously in the North, South and Worcester. This petition will also outline the risks and issues associated with this event, should the event be given permission, so that in the event of a serious incident attributed to the road closures, the Councils' involved and CSM / Velo cannot use the excuse that they were unaware of the potential consequences as a defence, should any legal challenges be issued. Please note: The original petition deadline was to sign before 3 February 2020, so that this could be submitted in good time, prior to the event, this has been done but please continue to sign in order to keep the pressure on, and it will be sent again when Velo send notifications out to send a clear message to the authorities that they are not being representative of communities in backing this. It will help if as well as signing the petition, you include additional information when possible, so please use the comments box to record your experiences particularly / effects on health and safety / poor treatment that you have received at the hands of CSM and the Velo event team. And of course, share as widely as you can!