Many investors from 2007 were conned into buying properties that were fraudulently over-valued by third party professionals, including property developers, panel surveyors, mortgage brokers and conveyancing solicitors, all part of a scam to fleece money from high street lending institutions. The high street lenders have repossessed many of the properties which have so far seen millions of pounds lost in shortfalls on the original mortgages. These shortfalls have been 'lost' in the accounts of the Lloyds Group and UK tax-payers should be told in detail how much all this amounts to and what steps the group has taken to recover these shortfalls. Lloyds has protected itself by repossessing the houses of the investors who fell foul of what a member of Lloyds' Chief Executive Team termed as a 'scam', in a letter to one investor, it then repossessed. The investor had written to challenge the bank's conduct in the whole saga that saw three of her properties re-possessed to the tune of £530,000. In its reply, the bank's official wrote: 'I disagree that BoS should be accountable for the shortfall as we were also victims of the scam.' There are at least 22 properties in the north and north-west of England, which were all over-valued by between £100,000 and £150,000, involving investors that have been forced into repossession. Third-party professionals used by Lloyds on a daily basis have fleeced the group for millions. Lloyds meanwhile, has been able to 'write off' these 'bad debts' with no comeback or explanation on its behaviour. British taxpayers shored up the ailing Lloyds Group, following the disastrous and scandalous way it operated its business in the lead up to the 'credit crunch' in 2008. The public need to know exactly how the losses - in the region of £3.2 million - from this 'scam' were reported and whether Lloyds reported the 'scam' to the Police or any of the financial watchdogs and authorities. Bank of Scotland were made aware of the 'scam' in May 2008. It is now December 2017 and the Lloyds Group has not addressed any of the questions raised by investors about its handling of the situation and hides behind jargon, data protection and its solicitors, Eversheds. In the meantime, Lloyds continues to hand out 'performance' bonuses in the tens of millions to a raft of senior management, whilst it has taken no action in delving into the 'scam' that it said it was a 'victim' of. How shameful that it has not had the decency to work with the investors/borrowers involved in the 'scam' it too was involved in, other than to repossess their homes and push them into untold stress and misery! Come clean Bank of Scotland - face up to the situation like the rest of us do when times get tough!

There are estimated to be 1000 North Korean refugees living in the UK – that is an incredibly small number. But now the Government has confirmed that Britain will now automatically ship away the small number of North Koreans whom manage to escape from one of the world’s most oppressive regimes and make it to the UK. For North Koreans who do not have any information about the outside world when they escape the country, an option to choose another country to settle in should be guaranteed. A recent court ruling that means Britain regards all North Koreans as South Korean citizens and is likely to refuse them asylum. These people face amazing obstacles in order to escape the brutal regime, including famine (the arduous march), disease, forced labour camps, torture, reprisals on their families including the death penalty (North Korea has a guilt by association policy) and slavery both in North Korea and in China. For those that do cross the Tumen River into China thinking this to be their salvation they then find themselves sold into a life of slavery on the black market or hunted down by North Korean agents and the Chinese authorities to be forcibly repatriated to North Korea where death or starvation awaits. These people risk so much to escape such a ruthless regime in North Korea and Britain now decides not to help and to turn its back on the very, very small number that make it here? North Korea is in a category of its own when it comes to human rights violations. It is a totalitarian state where many people are enslaved and tortured. All forms of freedom of expression are repressed and people are purged using the death penalty, there is mass malnourishment and outside Kim’s Pyongyang it is commonplace for people to starve to death. Amnesty International reports that many North Koreans, including children, are detained in political prison camps and other detention facilities in North Korea. Conditions are dire. Torture is rampant and public execution is common. Many of the prisoners die of malnutrition and overwork. No refugee should be refused or prejudiced on language or cultural difference. Why should Britain cherry pick whom it helps in this way?

Because this type of discrimination is absolutely abhorrent. Three hundred teachers have been prevented from teaching because somebody else in their household has a criminal record of a proscribed nature. The household could include lodgers, children, people who are being cared for by the relatives within the household. A wayward family member, or worse any person living in the house such as a lodger could precipitate suspension and even removal from a job. The restrictions are independent of timescale, and so a single criminal act from many years ago could precipitate problems for all others within the household.

Raif Badawi has been sentenced to 1000 lashes and 10 years in prison for encouraging free speech and debate about politics and religion in his home country, Saudi Arabia. He has endured 50 lashes already in a public space in front of a crowd of on-lookers. Saudi Arabia is not a democracy and has its own system of government. Regardless of our respect for different cultures and traditions, it is not acceptable that any country should treat its citizens as criminals for expressing opinions about their society or that their citizens should be physically abused for their beliefs.

Freedom of speech and freedom of expression are integral to global peace and security. We don't have to agree with what is being said, but we have to respect the persons rights to say it without fear. States which have laws like this which restrict free speech are wont to abuse them - to shut down dissent, to punish difference of opinion, and to insulate the government from all criticism. That is why the right to free speech, including the right to offend, is protected in international law. Even Raif's lawyer has been jailed. His crimes? 'Harming the reputation of the state by communicating with international organizations' and 'preparing, storing and sending information that harms public order'. Without respect for the right to freedom of expression, we are vulnerable to the worst oppression states can muster.

Failure to undertake appropriate identity checks makes it very easy for criminals to use a stolen identity to obtain goods on credit. Victims of identity fraud now have to report the crime to a central fraud investigation unit who may or may not decide to investigate. This delay can lead to more uses of the stolen identity which can adversely affect the victim's credit rating and lead to tremendous levels of stress as letters arrive demanding money for goods obtained on credit. Common routes used for this type of fraud are mobile phone companies, store cards and catalogues. In theory, the current security checks should minimise criminal opportunities, however many shop and call centre staff do not always check fully at the point of sale. If it were mandatory for a verifiable photo ID such as passport, citizen card or driving license to be part of the application process this would help reduce identity fraud. Shops whose staff do not run the appropriate checks, thus resulting in a fraudulent application succeeding should also have to compensate the victim for the stress caused.

This will not only end the treatment of addicts and recreational drug users as criminals, but it can also see an increase in revenues through taxation, a reduction of the government deficit by roughly £1.25 billion and a decrease in crime as seen in the US state of Colorado. The "Misuse of Drugs Act 1971" is a 43 year old law with a desperate need of an overhaul and needs to be repealed, if possible, in order to allow for a safer, better law regarding decriminalisation of illicit substances to be put in place. For information regarding the legalisation of Cannabis and decriminalisation of other illicit substances visit: http://www.clear-uk.org/ http://norml-uk.org/ And watch the documentaries: "The Culture High" and "The Union: The Business Behind Getting High".

People can't live on the low wages.

This is important as there is masses of evidence (sorry, we don't have any of it to show you) that proves that the Scotland v England football game, played on the 18th November 2014, was rigged in favour of England by the Westminster Establishment. The fact that 3 Scotland goals were found in a bin behind the BBC HQ is just one bit of proof we have of this claim (again, sorry we have no proof of the claim. I'm sure we can make a video or something). We all know that Scotland actually won, so please sign this petition!

too many children are being removed from loving families, more often than not by force; the end result is predictable, their voices are not heard; if you were to really ask children without using local authority employees; or representatives of, ie; cafcass, nyas, childrens services, you would get the same answer, why am i not allowed to go back home to my normal mum and dad; why are they with strangers, foster carers etc? little do they understand the fragility of their future; no-one has really told them, let alone talk to them, and ask them what they want. forced adoption, and the practise of it is draconian; the same with foster care; that too is enforced on the children that no-one wants to adopt. send them back home, stop wasting tax payers money on the excuse of possible future harm, it would cost far less financially and is in the interest of the child, if families need help; give them it, do not split them up ; and tear them apart because it is easier to do so!! spend the taxpayers money being used to keep them in care, away from their families differently, use it to enable parents to be better parents; so that their children can stay at home; with them

Justice for Shahzad and Shama On 4th November 2014, a Christian couple Shahzad Masih (26 yrs) and Shama Bibi (24 yrs) were beaten, tortured and burned alive in the fiery furnace of a brick kiln -while those baying for their blood screamed praises to Allah. The incident occurred after Muslim accusers led by Muslim landowner Yousaf Gujjar alleged Shama had burnt the Koran. He then sent men to three mosques in neighbouring towns, while he tried to coerce money out of the couple who he had locked in a room on his land. Eventually in response to local Mosques preaching hatred over their loud speakers, a mob of over 300 Muslims gathered outside the locked room. They climbed the roof of the building and entered through the straw roof. They then beat the couple with sharp and hard implements, stripped them naked while they goaded them and finally burnt then alive in the kiln - when they could no longer stand due to their fractured bones. Until Pakistan reforms their ways more Christians and other minorities will meet a similar fate. This is not acceptable in the 21st Century or any other century. Petition by Wilson Chowdhry of the British Pakistani Christian Association Read more here: http://www.britishpakistanichristians.co.uk/blog/christian-couple-burnt-alive-in-brick-kiln-after-alleged-blasphemy The BPCA have initiated a benevolent fund for the family of Shahzad and Shama, if you would like to contribute, please follow this link: http://www.britishpakistanichristians.co.uk/blog/protest-in-kasur-on-9th-november If you are in the UK please join our protest outside 10 Downing Street, from 11am on Saturday 22nd November 2014. http://www.britishpakistanichristians.co.uk/blog/evangelical-christians-call-on-westminster-to-take-action-against-pakistan-for-summary-execution-of-

The industry has got away with too much for too long since 2007. We need to demonstrate that the general public have had enough. Unless action is taken and those within the industry are sanctioned for their behaviour this cycle of unethical and illegal behaviour will continue. They have broken the law. They need to be punished to the full extent of the law to send a message to the industry as a whole. We have had enough.