The use of palm oil in products is causing serious environmental harm across the planet. It is linked to major deforestation in many countries, causing widespread loss of habitats, including the rainforest habitat. In fact, 27 million hectares of the earth's surface has been used for the cultivation of palm oil. It is now widely used in a range of products, and is currently in up to half of products sold in supermarkets. Flying over countries where palm oil production is concentrated is shocking. Seeing huge scars across landscapes which should be covered in rainforest is unacceptable when there are suitable alternatives. Allowing palm oil to be the substitute for tallow is not acceptable. This must be stopped. This is not the right substitute. It is unnecessary to add another demand and reason to increase palm oil production.

For most people in the UK, a full time job is a 35-42 hour per week position, and to get a full time salary it is expected that this work is completed. However, we clearly have MPs undertaking additional work that means that it is impossible that they are fulfilling the hours required to justify a full time MPs salary. With wages stagnating, 0 hour contracts becoming a reality for thousands of workers, increasing budget cuts and a recent rise in the annual salary of MPs, it is unjustifiable that so many are abdicating their duties, and subcontracting their workload to their staff and interns (also paid for by the tax payer). We need a full audit of the time MPs spend undertaking their roles vs. other commercial enterprises in order to relieve the tax burden on many millions of UK citizens. If an MP cannot demonstrate that they are committing full time hours to their role, they should be paid, pro-rata, based on the hours they can justify.

It's a statistical fact that the MAJOR employers in the UK are small businesses. The High Street creates not only job opportunities for shop workers, but for support services such as delivery drivers, window cleaners, waste companies etc. On a human level, they also help to keep towns alive and to maintain a sense of community. The latest hike in business rates that have seen some shopkeepers rates rise by 200% is probably the last straw for many. So add this to the income tax, VAT, rising rents, fuel and staff costs, staff N.I contributions and Local Authorities making it increasingly difficult for shoppers to park etc. and you may start to get the picture. the hike in business rates may well be the last straw for many small independents. So what will become of our High streets? If the government does not help the independents, the people that make your shopping trip more interesting and diverse, then we will end up with rows of chains who are run by faceless profiteers who have no understanding nor interest in local communities. Remember, with every High Street shop that closes goes jobs, personal service and the very soul of a local community. Please sign this petition and get something done for the little guys.

There is a climate of fear and insecurity in all areas of employment this, opportunistic, cynical attempt to off-set costs will add to that. Furthermore, workers should not be given a double penalty: lost wages plus the burden of paying for cover while they are sick. No businesses should feel this is an acceptable response. This is a chance for the government to demonstrate a modicum of support for struggling workers.

The homeless crisis in Brighton is shocking. With the rising cost of living and rent hikes in the area homelessness has visibly increased. There are people living in shop doorways on almost every street and alley way. They are begging for money for food with absolutely no way out of their situation. It is virtually impossible to get a job when you are homeless and in offering the homeless a home we give them a second chance at life. A chance to get a job and live with the dignity and respect we all deserve.

People are being put into further poverty due to ongoing price hikes in energy prices. Trust in this industry is at an all time low and the Government is not being seen to do enough to help people. I believe a peer to peer review will look at the issue from a customer perspective and all details will be passed to Government to review recommendations on improving the industry.

Tesco has decided to pull British-produced Silver Spoon from its shelves and has instead opted to sell Tate and Lyle cane sugar, which is imported from as far afield as Belize, in a bid to “provide the best possible prices” to customers. Sugar industry representatives said it was a blow to a sector estimated to employ 1,400 people and supporting a further 9,500 skilled jobs – the majority of which are based in East Anglia, where most of the nation’s beet crop is grown and processed. Michael Sly, Chairman of the National Farmers’ Union’s sugar board said: “NFU Sugar and its growers are hugely disappointed that Tesco is no longer selling Silver Spoon sugar which is proudly grown by British sugar beet producers,” said Mr Sly. “Not only is it a great product, the sugar beet industry makes an important contribution to the rural economy. “What makes it even more frustrating is that Tesco has chosen to deny consumers the choice of buying home-grown sugar which is produced sustainably, benefitting both the economy and the environment alike.”

Tesco has huge influence and reach and offers a great service to the community but they need to understand if they don't support local industries and jobs that there business will ultimately suffer because the communities will have less money in there economies to spend at Tesco.

Over the last few years the MoD has thrown away an increasing number of ORPs (ration packs). Last year they threw away over 12,000 ORPs. That's over 12,000 meals, balanced and high energy, suitable for consumption by someone who has no access to cooking facilities, just dumped. 12,000 people who could have been fed went hungry. And at no cost to the MoD, these meals could have been made available to charities for collection and distribution. This is a terrible example of needless waste.

New babies and mother's are leaving hospital too early. This is affected the babies ability to learn to feed. This is potentially lethal and inhibits a new mothers confidence to continue to breast feed. Such babies miss out on the gifts that breast feeding provides such as increased immunity and decreased sensitivity to food allergens aswell as the emotional bond and comfort breast feeding provides.

CETA is the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement . It is very similar to TTIP. Part of it is the Investor Court System which is the same as the ISDS which will enable corporations to sue governments if they pass any laws that the corporation regards as infringing on any expected profits. the British European Committee B voted not to have an open debate in parliament about it so our only hope now is to persuade our MEPs to vote against it . Tufts University has performed a study which concludes that if CETA is approved it will lead to job losses, rising unemployment and inequality and the NHS will be threatened as Britain has not ring fenced it, as Germany has done for it's health service.

We love and support the ambitions of working people to own their own home. The Lower Lea Valley marshes (Leyton marshes, Walthamstow marshes and Hackney marshes) are an amazing, open space on our doorstep, a place to use in a sustainable way to provide much-needed new land to build homes in one of the most densely populated cities in the world. We want to make sure the marshes are sensibly used to help tackle the ever-larger inequality of wealth in London so that future generations are not worse off than those that went before. This is why we are devastated to learn that a group of self-interested NIMBYS are campaigning to prevent the sensible proposals for Lea Valley Eastside (http://walthamforest-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/leabridge/leyton), to rezone a portion of the open space around The WaterWorks Centre for housing. This land is Metropolitan Open Land, which means it should be used to provide for appropriate development. If these plans are not approved, then the spectre of crippling poverty caused by massive imbalances between housing supply and demand will be felt even more keenly by those in the local area. We must tell the Council - loud and clear - that we will support building on the marshes.