• Exeter Fire - Rebuild Our Heritage
    Like me, the people of Exeter and Devon were devastated to watch the recent destruction by fire of the beautiful and historically significant buildings on Cathedral Green - including the Clarence Hotel, the first true hotel in England. The reconstruction of these buildings must follow the same restorative approach taken at Windsor Castle following the fire there some years ago. Sympathetic reconstruction of both internal and external fabric is the only appropriate path to follow; one that will not damage the heritage and aesthetic value of this historically important area. We must not make the same mistakes made after World War 2, when much of Exeter's surviving heritage was destroyed in a fit of modernist madness. This is not just about restoring beauty, this is also about valuing the contribution of heritage to the economic and social life of the city and the wider county. In their recent 'Heritage Counts' report, Historic England explain the link between economy and heritage. I urge you to read the linked document and support this petition: https://content.historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/heritage-and-the-economy/heritage-and-the-economy-2016.pdf/ Photo by By Pymouss - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44937241
    4,278 of 5,000 Signatures
    Created by Ian Carr
  • WASPI. Redress the injustice of pension denial.
    Hundreds of thousands of women have worked hard, planned and saved toward their pension. Some years back, they were told to wait an extra few years. They bit that bullet, but now, for some, just a few months before finally getting THEIR money back, they are told to wait another 2 or more years. No reasons, no apology, no letter even. It's UNACCEPTABLE.
    224 of 300 Signatures
    Created by John Dutfield
  • STOP TiSA. ANOTHER TIPP by the back door!
    See Wikileaks -Trade in Services Agreement. This is yet another deal that gives soverignty to International business at the expence of the public. Another case where companies can sue governments if they dont get what they want. Hundreds of millions of dollars in fines for countries! The people have a voice! WE WILL BE HEARD!!!
    4 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Robin Phillips
  • End the employment agency/umbrella company rip off
    Millions of workers across the UK, from construction workers to IT professionals, are being hit hard in their pay packets. The Umbrella companies make the workers pay their NI contributions (employers NI) as well their own (employees NI). On top of this double NI deduction the company also charges the worker for the 'privilege' of receiving their own money. They call this their 'margin' and can cost as much as £30 a week to the employee. https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.ucatt.org.uk/umbrella-company-con-trick&ved=0ahUKEwicvcjBxvDPAhVsAsAKHdbSDFQQFgg9MAA&usg=AFQjCNF0VVD62uWTQceD9W6OE2JAog9C2g&sig2=UAe8y414tNQmyJAwDvFXHQ
    408 of 500 Signatures
    Created by Anton Duploy
  • Equal living wage for all ages
    The government wants the young to get working but they do not want, I am not surprised they do not want to work for peanuts while someone who is over 25 will make double the wage of 16. The price of bread is not different for 16 year old person to what it is for 25 year old person, so I do not know why there is big wage gap.
    5 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Dawid Godawa
  • Rethink Hinkley Point
    Because 1. Buying Hinkley Point is a colossal mistake 2. Mrs May inherited the project from Osborne & Cameron, keen to develop Chinese trade, 3. but now finds it politically embarrassing to back out of this very bad deal Consequently, we need to inform the public 1. why the deal is bad 2. that there are better alternatives and 3. the Chinese and French can be placated while serving British interests Why is Hinkley Point such a bad deal? 1. It is far too expensive 2. There are undeclared costs associated with the nuclear legacy which make nonsense of published costs – we will have to look after the abandoned reactors and radioactive waste for centuries and nobody knows how to do it or cares how much it will cost 3. There is a huge risk of failure – no such reactor has yet been completed and the ones started (Finland 2005, France 2007) are unfinished, in deep technical trouble and seriously (by billions each) over budget 4. The risks are ultimately borne by us, not the French contractors or Chinese financiers – the project is too big to be allowed to fail by the Government of the day (not Mrs May) 5. Nuclear technology is in any case the wrong choice for filling our anticipated supply gap: nuclear energy gets more expensive as new ideas to improve safety are incorporated in the design; in contrast other well established methods of electricity generation such as gas or coal-fired turbines and particularly offshore wind and solar energy get cheaper by the day owing to accumulating experience and rapid technical development 6.IF it has to be nuclear, the Hinkley Point reactors are too big (small modular reactors can be built instead as needed, at a fraction of the cost and in much less time) and probably also the wrong technology (a debatable, but only secondary, point) Why is the Government pursuing it? The above problems with the Hinkley project are well known to Mrs May and her advisers, but 1. Mrs May inherited it from Messrs Cameron & Osborne, who promoted it mainly in order to develop tempting business relations with China. 2. Brexit makes such relations even more important as proof of GBplc's viability outside the EU Are there any alternatives? Technical alternatives are set out above, but how to meet the political and commercial imperatives? We must persuade the public, and thus influence the Government, to 1. Abandon Hinkley even at this late stage and with possible compensation costs and offer the Chinese and French Governments partnerships in implementing the chosen technical alternative (the Chinese are leaders in solar cell development and production and both the French and Chinese may be interested in offshore developments, small reactors and advanced research). 2. Maximise the benefits to UKplc by ensuring that a good share of work is retained (for example involving UK contractors and Rolls-Royce if small modular nuclear plants form part of the chosen technical mix). Balint Bodroghy BASC DIC (nuclear engineering) 5 Palmeira Avenue Mansions 17-19 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2FA REFERENCES Why Hinkley Point is a nuclear folly of Titanic proportions New Scientist 28.07.16 Michael Le Page Forget the economics of Hinkley Point, the politics are convincing Daily Telegraph Matthew Lynn 15 SEPTEMBER 2016 • 6:21PM If there’s one sure-fire way to irritate de Rivaz of EDF, it’s to mention Christmas turkeys. Emily Gosden, energy editor, Daily Telegraph 17 SEPTEMBER 2016 • 8:00PM Let's ditch Hinkley Point and HS2 to get more bang for our bucks, Daily Telegraph Liam Halligan 17 SEPTEMBER 2016 • 12:59PM Hinkley Point fires up Britain's nuclear ambitions Daily Telegraph 17 September 2016, 8:00pm Rolls submitted designs to the Government for Small Modular Reactors capable of generating 220MW, that could be doubled up to 440, a 10th of the size of a traditional nuclear power station. Rolls Royce Publicity: For some 50 years, Rolls-Royce has been helping Naval and utility customers maximise plant operation and safely extend plant lifetimes. Britain is “ideally placed” to take a global lead in the SMR market, which could be worth £400bn,
    216 of 300 Signatures
    Created by Balint Bodroghy BASc DIC (Nuclear engineering)
  • Executive Pay
    It will show the disparity in earnings between the top and average pay in these organisations at a time when the gap is widening. HMG has put a limit on most peoples pay increases whilst executives are receiving much more, which is taking money away from front line services.
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    Created by Julian Breese
  • Stop VAT on children's shoes!
    It is important because as children their feet grow at significantly different rates and it is largely parents who have to pay for this. It is unfair that zero rate VAT stops at 6 1/2 whereas children as young as 11 or 12 can have size 8 or 9 plus. Once children are legally independent at 18 then this should attract VAT, but not before.
    4 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Stuart Moor
  • CETA is TTIP in other clothes
    TTIP may be dead but worse still is the upcoming Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (Ceta). Not only the NHS but every service will be totally controlled by corporations that can simply sue governments for any supposed future profits that it claims to lose if action is taken to protect the public. We elect governments and hold them to account - we do not elect corporations to decide what is best for us.
    56 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Ray Kohn
  • No UK public service contracts for companies who don't pay UK tax
    I feel that this is important because public services should not be used to generate profit for individuals or shareholders beyond what is necessary to operate the service and provide investment into improving the service.
    5 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Helen Cridland
  • Tell Paypal to allow Palestinians to use their services.
    The inability to use Paypal's global electronic money transfer system, is hindering the progress of Palestinian owned businesses to exploit markets necessary to their healthy growth, in an location where this is vital. They should have the right to compete on a more even footing with Israeli settlers who suffer no such restrictions.
    406 of 500 Signatures
    Created by Peter Cox
  • Bring Isle of Skye into 21st century tourism
    As Scotland moves forward to whatever it's new future entails the fact that the oil industry is in the doldrums and Scotland is a world class destination means tourism will only become more important. The Isle of Skye, whilst becoming ever more popular with visitors, is currently under resourced to meet growing demand to visit the island. This must be addressed to make sure a real opportunity for Scotland's future is met.
    976 of 1,000 Signatures
    Created by Ste Carter