Why in 2016 when the government are looking to make cuts, should they be immune to the same austerity they force so many others to live with? Last year a reported 1.1 million people were forced into using food banks, this year they are trying to force our NHS to do more, with less. They have already attacked the disabled, and raised tuition fees for those looking to further their education while at the same time taking a pay rise. Why should they get to claim personal expenses? Especially when the average MP salary is £67,060. The UK average salary is reported to be £26,500, and yet you and I have to pay for our own food, our own travel expenses, as well as our own day to day living expenses. Whilst I understand that staffing costs make up nearly three quarters of the total MP expenses budget, staffing and office costs as well as reasonable long distance travel costs should be managed by the IPSA. Any other personal claims simply shouldn't be allowed. Let's stand together and remind the Government they stand in office to serve the greater goods best interest and not their own.

The future of publishing in Wales and with it ‘a distinctive literature from Wales’ could be under threat if the Welsh Government agrees a proposed 10.6% cut to industry funding. Wales’ small but vibrant and diverse publishing industry produces everything from Costa prize-winning poetry titles to young adult novels, from books about sporting and music legends to Welsh history and art, from prize-winning literature: fiction, biography, travel and memoir, academic titles and Welsh classics, to richly illustrated titles and books for children, in English and Welsh. Its independent publishing companies are spread across the country, providing skilled work for an estimated 1000 plus people, from authors to publishers, freelance editors, designers, illustrators, printers, booksellers and many others, often in areas of high unemployment. After a decade of standstill funding, grants to Welsh publishing in English will have been cut by 21% - £158,050 – in the last three years if these latest plans go through. Sign this petition to protect the future of Welsh literature and the Welsh books industry. Join in the conversation on Twitter by using the hashtag #WelshBooksMatter

My daughter has a life long incurable disability. She did not choose to be so disadvantaged. She was born with the condition and her fiance has the same impairment. Both have autism, are highly intelligent, and like 90% of other people on the autistic spectrum are unemployed. The DWP placed them both in the 'support' group. This is a curious name as neither actually receive any extra assistance, financially or practically. It basically means they are 'unemployable', which is not great for self esteem. Neither chose to be out of work, on benefits and to live in poverty. What stops them, like others with disabilities, getting a job is employer attitudes, an individual's health, lack of experience and job opportunities, a review by the house of lords found in 2015. They were planning to get married this year and we were all looking forward to the day. It would have been a small family occasion, but something to celebrate. Even this small piece of happiness has been smashed by the latest revelations in the Guardian. Under the Tory welfare 'reforms' - I think the word 'changes' is more appropriate - if they marry, they will be moved over onto universal credits, which are less generous than the tax credits and ESA they currently receive. So much for the Tory endorsement of strong families. They have very little money now. Married, that would be even less. The hypocrisy amazes me. Iain Duncan Smith's speech in the summer of 2015 made the point that if the government wants to reduce the employment gap for those with disabilities, then support and financial investment are vital. Instead, these cuts are driving some of the poorest households into further poverty and penalising people who are too disabled, or sick, to work.

Mears helps the elderly to remain in their own homes. Elderly neighbours and relatives have found this service vital when they did not know who else to turn to. The cost is reasonable and the workmen are very good and caring.

Arts and culture have an important role to play in the life of a capital city such as Cardiff. The ambition that has been laid out for Cardiff in the current 10-year strategy, Cardiff Proud Capital, wants the city to be a great place to live, work and play. Arts festivals, venues and organisations make a valuable contribution to the delivery of this vision, not just by providing leisure activities, but also by supporting community cohesion, health and wellbeing outcomes, and educational attainment. What would our city and our nation look like without this provision? Investment in the arts often more than doubles in the return to the economy. Three of the arts festivals that are under threat of cuts bring visitors to Cardiff from across the world to see the world class visual arts and music they produce. Tourism is a key part of Cardiff’s economy and the proposed cuts also seeks an increase in tourism income. Surely, in light of this, the cuts are a false economy. Many of the arts organisations and venues that Cardiff Council are proposing to cut are working with some of the most vulnerable residents in Cardiff to improve their quality of life. These venues and organisations are willing partners who will work the Council to develop this provision the funding is sustained. The right to culture is a basic human right. We want Cardiff Council to ensure that Cardiff is the Capital City Wales deserves and needs, and that culture remains alive and vibrant in the city. We don't want a #cardiffwithoutculture. Mae'r celfyddydau a diwylliant yn chwarae rhan bwysig ym mywyd prifddinas fel Caerdydd. Mae'r uchelgais sydd wedi ei gosod allan ar gyfer Caerdydd yn y strategaeth gyfredol, Prifddinas Falch Caerdydd, eisiau i'r ddinas fod yn le gwych i fyw, gweithio a chwarae. Mae gwyliau celfyddydol, lleoliadau a sefydliadau yn gwneud cyfraniad gwerthfawr at gyflawni'r weledigaeth hon, nid yn unig drwy ddarparu gweithgareddau hamdden, ond hefyd drwy gefnogi cydlyniant cymunedol, iechyd a lles, a chyrhaeddiad addysgol. Sut le fyddai ein dinas a'n cenedl, heb y ddarpariaeth hon? Mae buddsoddi yn y celfyddydau yn aml yn fwy na dyblu'r budd i'r economi. Mae tri o'r gwyliau celfyddydol sydd o dan fygythiad o doriadau yn dod ag ymwelwyr i Gaerdydd o bob cwr o'r byd i weld y gorau yn y byd o ran y celfyddydau gweledol a cherddoriaeth. Mae twristiaeth yn rhan allweddol o economi Caerdydd ac mae'r toriadau arfaethedig hefyd yn ceisio sicrhau cynnydd mewn incwm twristiaeth. Yn sicr, o ran hyn, mae'r toriadau yn economi ffug. Mae nifer o'r sefydliadau a'r lleoliadau celfyddydol y mae Cyngor Caerdydd yn bwriadu eu torri yn gweithio gyda rhai o'r trigolion mwyaf bregus yng Nghaerdydd i wella ansawdd eu bywydau. Mae'r rhain yn lleoliadau a sefydliadau fydda'i yn bartneriaid parod i weithio gyda'r Cyngor i ddatblygu'r ddarpariaeth hon os yw'r cyllid yn parhau i fod ar gael. Mae'r hawl i ddiwylliant yn hawl dynol sylfaenol. Rydym eisiau i Gyngor Caerdydd sicrhau bod Caerdydd yn brifddinas y mae Cymru ei haeddu a'i hangen, a bod diwylliant yn parhau i fod yn fyw ac yn ffynnu yn y ddinas. Nid ydym eisiau gweld #caerdyddhebddiwylliant.

A year ago my adult sons lost their transport when Salford's mayor decided they did not fit their criteria to keep it. Both my sons are totally dependent for all their needs and now we have to transport them ourselves. This has taken its toll on our health, and now the same mayor is looking to stop children's coaches to get them to their schools. This really cannot happen again. Our children need this service - it's vital to give them a better future. It is also needed for parents, to give them that little bit extra respite so that they can relax and know that their children are in safe hands on the way to and from school. So I am asking all the people who read this: please sign and don't let this happen again. Our children deserve the best.

This is important because this will stop disabled people from accessing the library in the way they do at the moment. The decision was made with no consultation. Due to the nature of some disabilities some people cannot read books, but benefit from literature in different ways. The charges will mean people will start having to pay to use a service that is available free for people without disabilities in the form of books.

I lost my husband to mental health just before Christmas. This has ripped apart and devastated our family. As a family we were failed. We were given very little support and information. Basically left to cope on our own. More needs to be done. Mental illness can be a killer like cancer and heart disease but it has a very low profile and funding. This needs to change and it needs to change NOW! More and more people are suffering. Mental health wards are full yet run on minimal staff. Patient care is lacking and community follow up is so stretched that the support just isn't there. We need to change this for now and future generations. As a nation we need to do something. Stand together and fight for more help. Everyone knows someone affected. Please sign and support me in this campaign so we can hopefully change the lives of those suffering. Its what my husband would want us to do...he wasn't happy with the care he had.

The policies of your government are causing, the deaths, homelessness, increased poverty and child poverty, among your subjects, with people taking their own lives because they can no longer cope with the way they are being treated by your government, due to welfare cuts,and unfair sanctions, and the spare room subsidy (bedroom tax) increased risk of flooding due to cuts in funding to flood relief. All being done in the name of austerity. But with all the money the cuts are saving them why is this country getting further and further into debt.Where is all the money from these cuts going.your subjects are suffering and dying needlessly as most financial experts agree that austerity doesn't work. This government needs to be stopped before more people die or are made homeless needlessly. This government needs to be stopped before this country has been destroyed beyond repair, they are selling off one of our greatest institutions the NHS, do you really want to be the queen of a country that sees the return of workhorses for the poor because they have completely dismantled the welfare state, a country where the poorest and most vulnerable, and the disabled, can not afford healthcare, because they have sold of the NHS, This was once a great country but it is fast becoming a laughing stock around the world, when a rich country like ours is being investigated by the UN for the treatment of disabled and for child poverty. Please help to defend your subjects from the excesses of your government.

The reason that this is an important issue is because there are many community’s that rely on bus services in Herefordshire. The importance of this is compounded by the reality that most people who use buses are those who are the most vulnerable in society who do not have access to private transport such as those who are retired and/or on low incomes. This issue is particularly significant in Herefordshire as its bus services have been one of the most affected by cutbacks in the whole of the UK. The extent of this is shown by the fact that since 2010 there has been a 49% cut in funding resulting in 13 routes being cut and the reduction of 31 services. Finally, on a personal note this is something that is very important to me as I have relied on bus during my time in education and still do in order to have a social life.

Swindon Council plan to Decommission the following five children’s centres currently provided by 4Children service to achieve a reduction in the budget for this service  Drove  Moredon  Gorse Hill  Pinehurst & Penhill  Parks & Walcot East Instead, create a new family support service running from Penhill Sure Start Centre offering targeted help for families with vulnerable children Utilise the remaining four children’s centre buildings for early years’ education and wider community-based services The two family centres at Butterflies in Abbey Meads and West Swindon Family Centre are not affected by these proposals and continue to be funded in 2016/17 as part of the two year funding commitment made in 2015. This will also apply to the Ladybird Centre, Highworth Please also complete the consultation www.swindon.gov.uk/childrenscentres

Members of the public find it difficult to support a political party 100%. Our system is out of date, our MPs out of touch, the public go unheard. We agree with points made by the Lib Dems, the Conservatives, Labour, the Green Party, the SNP etc and sometimes we disagree with them all. Either way we can't communicate with the government effectively. The system needs to work for us all but instead it's dusty, nobody really understands it or cares to sort it out with any long term vision. We need to start again. Simplify. Direct questions, direct answers. If regular referendums were to take place, the public are truly part of the process, allowing us to demonstrate what we care about, that we're united and want to invest in the future of this land and it's people. Less moaning and more doing, having a proactive and fair say, feeling satisfied that the decisions are being made and supported by the majority of the UK. Let the UK public vote for their future. This Kingdom can then begin to feel proud and respected, and most importantly, united.