Self employed people generally work over 50 hours a week - many work considerably longer hours. They get no job security or holiday allowance. Their salary is not paid if they are sick and yet they contribute hugely to the nation's wealth. Many self employed people manage all aspects of their business from the PR, to office admin, to ensuring that they keep up to date with H&S, keeping accounts etc as well as delivering the core nature of their business. A three monthly submission process of tax return would create an unacceptably huge administrative burden on self employed people. It would stifle our collective ability to deliver our core business. It would discourage entrepreneurialism. In terms of the arts and third sector self-employment - it would add further administrative duress to an already ailing and underfunded landscape.

The youth project and KRAN are based at the Shed. They work with local young people many of whom live in Harbour Ward, one of the most deprived in the area. The young people receive sex and health education, drug and alcohol awareness, and help with writing CVs and applying for jobs. They are also encouraged to take part in a range of positive activities (such as sport, art, and music technology) and are able to make friends and integrate with other local young people. The Shed is a safe, non-judgemental space where all are welcome. One young person who uses the Shed said this, "People who find it hard to fit in anywhere else come here which enables them to feel valued...it also provides them with education and teaches them that everyone is equal no matter what their background is. We wouldn't have learnt these life lessons and morals if it wasn't for the Shed and the kind-hearted staff that give up their time to make sure we feel we belong."

FutureTech is an excellent provision for the children of Warrington who believed in and chose a completely different approach to learning. It's unique selling point was small numbers, small class sizes and work experience. Numbers for the school may be low but the grass roots difference that it is and has made to those attending is imperative for our town. Plus the intake number was originally set at 200 (changed to 300) and currently has 187 students. Some (NOT ALL) of the children there did not engage in the schools that they have left, for a myriad of reasons but under FutureTechs tuition and guidance have engage with education again and gained confidence and self worth beyond measure. These kids will now be left to find new school placements (often to places that will not offer the subjects they are taking now) and will be disrupted right in the middle of their preparation for their GCSE's.

The bus shelters in Milton Keynes are vital for people who get the bus to work or school every day. They keep people dry and out of the wind and the rain. Without these shelters, infants, disabled people and the elderly will be forced to wait out in the cold. Th council talk about the regeneration of estates but they are planning to demolish these bus shelters. If Milton Keynes, with seven deprived estates, is going to demolish their bus shelters, this could happen in other areas where councils want to save money. The demolition may look minimal at first, but this is no small demolition.

It is important because many life changing decisions, for example the EU referendum, are determined by vote and will affect young people for decades to come, however, they do not get a voice in these matters. It is therefore necessary in order to achieve a balanced and equal society to lower the voting age to 16 and give young people a chance to have a say in the choices that will affect their future.

We live in a society in which our children are being told what roles they should take up as adults in a multitude of subtle ways. The characteristics that are seen to be appropriate for boys and for girls are highlighted by dolls and frills in the 'girl's toys' while engineering, cars and dinosaurs are for boys. This kind of explicit segregation is outdated, unnecessary and damaging. If it were any other two labels (e.g. black and white) the inherent prejudice would be immediately apparent and would not be allowed by the law of modern society. I want my daughter and nieces to have the freedom to access whichever toys they are naturally interested in without having to hear them say 'that's not for me, that's only for boys.'

1) 2017 is the 50th Anniversary of the passing of the Sexual Offences Act 1967 which partly decriminalised sexual acts between two men in private and aged over 21. 2) As a cultural centre, the queer museum would be a vital space in which to counteract the effects of homophobia, transphobia, racism and religious intolerance, especially important with the rise of right leaning political parties throughout Europe and America and attacks upon the LGBTQI+ community. 3) Some of the demands of the Gay Liberation Front from the 1970s have yet to be met, including the demand that ‘sex education in schools stop being exclusively heterosexual.’ Schools must provide sex and gender education that addresses the needs of LGBTQI+ students, queer histories must find a permanent home, and the LGBTQI+ community must have a place to organize: anything less is a betrayal to the courage of the pioneering queer activists of the 1960s and beyond.

Edward Colston was Deputy Governor of Royal African Company (RAC) - the dominant slaving organisation in the British Empire. Between 1672 and 1698, the RAC transported around 100,000 enslaved Africans to plantations in the West Indies and America. This included women and children as young as six – each enslaved person was branded with the company’s initials on their chest. More than 20,000 enslaved Africans were killed during the crossings. Their bodies were thrown overboard. Colston, RAC and Merchant Venturers became millionaires from this so-called 'business'. However, Bristol is full of resistance. Since 1920, Bristolians have rallied, boycotted and demanded that Bristol's institutions stop honouring Colston through statues, buildings and ceremonies. The Hall is 150 years old this year - now is the time. Use the 150th year celebrations to finally rename the Hall. Massive Attack boycott the Hall, as do other musicians and artists but the Hall's management continues to turn a blind eye to calls for progress. People of colour have been ignored and excluded even though they make up 16% of Bristol's population. We demand that our institutions reflect our communities and become accessible to all Bristolians. Enough is enough. We are proud of our city - Bristol is a modern, inclusive, multicultural place. We want to be proud of our main music venue. Share your thoughts on social media using #CounteringColston and Like us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CounteringColston/ Sign and share this petition and partake in the Colston Hall Consultation (until 24th Feb). More info on our website: https://counteringcolston.wordpress.com/colston-hall/

Breitbart News Network has been a cheerleader for Trumps presidential campaign and continues to promote his far right agenda - applauding the #Muslimban, slurring opponents of the ban and supporting French National Front leader Le Pen's plan to bring the ban to Europe. After we started this petition Newman University pulled their ads from #MuslimBan cheerleader Breitbart Media. Stating 'our values of social justice and the common good are extremely important to us'. Ordnance Survey and UK Migration Lawyers should not be paying for adverts in racist far right publications. We call on them to pull their ads from Breitbart immediately.

Since his Inauguration, President Trump has created significant division and prejudice regarding human rights, asylum and refugee seeking people. His ban on muslims has created significant unrest and his hate speech is not befitting of a World Leader. Therefore, we call upon the Prime Minister and UK Parliament to request a cancellation of the offer for a State Visit that may threaten the UK and create divisive actions.

Currently, in the UK everyone has to pass their maths and English language GCSE, regardless of any disabilities that may prevent them from doing so. Since 2013, all 16 to 18-year-old students who do not already have a grade C in English or maths have to continue studying the subjects. Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw has said: “Inspection evidence shows that, for some students, having to retake their GCSE can be demotivating and that attendance at these lessons is lower.” My mother works in the field of special education and says it is upsetting and unfair to those with learning difficulties who just can't pass. It is obvious that some people are more able than others, and judging everyone by the same standards is unfair and wrong. I know of a 19-year-old resitting his GCSE maths and English for the fourth time this summer, and planning to continue trying for another two years. He is perfectly eloquent, has a job, and plans to join the army. The only thing holding him back is his dyslexia and dyscalculia (number and letter blindness) that means he can't read the test papers and is stopping him continuing with his life. We plan to ask the government to allow people with a diagnosed learning difficulty to stop repeating their GCSE Mathematics and English after they have completed full-time education (at 18) if they and a specialist learning support member both agree they do not wish to continue. The government should then be more flexible with other qualifications and job prospects.

This is important because it is an outdated and ignorant approach to modern day work life. I left my role within a very large law firm as I was unable to continue working for a company who said that I cannot be taken seriously and would never have a successful career if I did not wear makeup or wear a specific nail colour. This archaic approach made me feel very uncomfortable and disheartened that as a woman, my looks were considered far more important and influential than my abilities to fulfill a role. Dress length, make-up, nail colours, heels are all things that don't define your ability to do a job, so they should not be made part of a company policy. I'd love Intelligent Office to take a stand on this and show the way for other companies on these sexist policies