• Stop piracy in the planning process
    At the moment the law favours developers, who can cast doubt on boundaries and have the resources to pursue such claims. Planners rely on a prescriptive set of measurements and rules which limit their ability to make ethical judgements. Councillors equally err in favour of planners to avoid expensive litigation. Neighbours who are unable to fund a challenge are easily disregarded. Currently planning applications are being passed despite boundary disputes, causing immense distress to residents in neighbouring properties who can object but are told by planning officers that there is no requirement for applicants to demonstrate ownership of land being developed.
    90 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Berni Walsh
  • Make it a criminal offence for Independent Schools to cover up child sexual abuse
    Many children commit suicide as a result of sexual abuse. They are not here to write their petitions are to ask for your help. I ask for your help for them, and for those victims of child sexual abuse who are still suffering and whose brave and truthful stories have been covered up by the schools where they were hurt. Child X was sexually abused at New Beacon School in Kent by Paul Woodward, a music teacher at the school who had previously been suspended as a result of allegations of sex offences and who was subsequently reinstated at the school before abusing child X. Woodward was found guilty of sexual offences against other children in the community and sent to prison. The headmaster, Mr Constantine quickly found another job at Ipswich. Child X was too ill to give evidence in Court against Woodward in 2008, but in 2013 was made an award by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. New Beacon School sought to protect its own reputation by the new head, Mr Piercy making misleading press statements which covered up the abuse at the school, regardless of the effect on child X. He and the school continues to refuse to admit the abuse, to apologise or to correct the misleading press statements. The most vulnerable victims of child sexual abuse are too ill to give evidence at the time, and these are at the greatest risk of health problems and adult suicide. There are many cases of Independent Schools who cover up abuse in this way regardless of the very serious consequences of their behaviour on the victims. The Government is considering introducing mandatory reporting for independent schools. I strongly ask that all cover ups by Independent Schools of sexual abuse of children be included in this legislation, so that misleading press statements of known or proven abuse (including awards made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority) are criminal acts.
    135 of 200 Signatures
    Created by John O'Brien
  • Violence towards the women of Raqqa is a flagrant act of war
    I visited Raqqa in 2005 and found it to be hospitable and the home to the many different cultures, which make up the Syrian population. There is no hard evidence, that female circumcision is a religious or cultural practice in Syria, which has an inclusive state education system. The brutal practice is the ultimate war crime against women and the act of marriage absolves the perpetrators of rape allegations. Refusal to comply with their marriage requests can result in ''lashings'' by both male and female mercenaries (Alison Baily, Woman's Hour, July 4th 2014). In the light of remarks made at the recent 'Girl Summit', this petition asks the Home Office to focus on Raqqa and condemn those responsible. At the summit, hosted jointly by the British Government and UNICEF, the Home Secretary Teresa May pledged to end the practices of forced marriage and female genital mutilation in the UK. Justine Greening, International Development Secretary, is quoted by the Telegraph as saying: ''We need to take on the issues that we have instinctively shied away from in the past. This has got to be a global movement. We know we need to do much, much more." The brutal acts against women are carried out by one or more of the groups, which declared Raqqa a ''Caliphate'' in February of this year. No-one admits to owning the groups, which carry out the barbaric acts but the British Government recognise them as ''invaders'' and ''terrorists'' and not part of the solution to the crisis in Syria. In a recent letter my local MP stated, that ''...the UK government is deeply concerned with the growth of terrorism in Syria...'' This is for Afaf, a young woman from Raqqa, who befriended me when I was there. Syria was once a safe destination and living space for women; lets make it so again. I don't have any recent photos and it would be dangerous to publish them. I do have photos taken in 2005, of some local children, who were attracted to my sun umbrella and made my walk around the now famous city walls of Raqqa fun.
    28 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Diane Karoui
  • A return to affordable council housing
    For many reasons. to house Britain's 1,500,000 homeless. to revitalise the building industry and its ancilliary suppliers. to return Britain to being a community in charge of its own destiny. We have the skills we have the labour and there's plenty of money around at very low rates of interest.
    76 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Malcolm Hart
  • Stop Referring to Migrants as 'Illegal'
    It has been almost forty years since the UN recognised that referring to migrants as 'illegal' is dehumanising, discriminatory, and above all, incorrect. Since 1975, the UN has used either 'undocumented' or 'irregular' to refer to migrants that 'do not fulfil the requirements established by the country of destination to enter, stay, or exercise an economic activity'. As Editor-in-Chief of the BBC Tony Hall has the mandate to implement this change and correct inaccurate reporting. The BBC continues to use the term 'illegal' with no justification. A headline as recent as 15 May 2014 reads: 'Illegal migration to EU rises by nearly half'. As a public service broadcaster and influential media organisation the BBC ought to abide by its own clear editorial guidlines that say: 'We...are committed to achieving due accuracy in all our output...Impartiality lies at the core of the BBC's commitment to its audiences'. Unfounded discrimination against migrants is a clear breach of these standards. Human Rights Watch recently observed, 'The term “illegal”...reinforces prejudices about nationals of a particular country or persons of a particular race.' The term incorrectly suggests that migrants are criminals and encourages prejudiced views about those individuals. Cecilia Malmström, European Commisioner for Home Affairs clarified the issue in 2010. She said, 'Let me be clear about my vocabulary...illegal migrants do not exist. People may come to the EU and might be required to use irregular ways...but no human being is illegal'. This petition supports the use of the word 'undocumented' instead of 'irregular' as 'irregular' retains connotations of otherness and deviation from a perceived norm, marking individuals as abnormal and continuing to estrange migrants. For more information see: http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/06/24/dispatches-why-we-should-outlaw-illegal http://picum.org/picum.org/uploads/file_/TerminologyLeaflet_reprint_FINAL.pdf http://www.un.org/esa/population/migration/index.html
    14 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Matthew Bevington
  • Send Urgent Aid and Vital Self Defence Materials to the Yazidi People of Iraq
    This is a humanitarian crisis on the same scale as Rwanda or Srebrenica. The Yazidi people are being hunted down purely for their beliefs
    7 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Melissa Borris
  • Boycott Israeli Products
    Hamas is regarded as a 'terrorist' organisation because it is fighting the Israeli blockade of the Gaza strip. If the blockade was lifted, there would be no need for Hamas to fire rockets into Israel, and thus no reason for Israel to continue with its programme of ethnic cleansing in the Gaza strip.
    49 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Dave de Santis
  • No EU referendum
    We, the undersigned members of Unite, were disappointed by Unite's decision, announced on 2 July 2014, to urge the Labour Party to commit to holding a referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union.[1] We believe this decision by Unite's Executive Council was a mistake. It does not reflect our wishes, it was taken without consulting Unite's members, and it demonstrates race-to-the-bottom politics. We believe the UK should remain a member of the EU because membership enhances UK workers' rights, including via the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.[2] We believe the best way to ensure the UK remains a member of the EU is for political parties to reject referendum calls and instead make the case for continued membership. With no referendum, there would be no risk of the UK exiting the EU. We note that the Conservative Party rejected the Charter when previously in power, and that it is only thanks to the Labour Party that it covers UK workers.[3] We note that because the Conservatives have committed to a parliamentary vote in favour of an in/out referendum on the EU, the only realistic prospect of avoiding such a referendum and saving the Charter is for the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats to commit themselves against such a vote.[4] The Liberal Democrats have already done this.[5] We emphasise that neither this petition, nor the act it requests, brings any injury to or discredit upon Unite or any member of Unite. On the contrary, the act requested would strengthen Unite by demonstrating Unite's commitment to the EU's protection of worker's rights, and would help to forge a Labour Party that will provide a real alternative to the Conservative Party in opposition and at the next General Election. REFERENCES: [1] http://www.unitetheunion.org/news/unite-urges-labour-party-to-hold-eu-referendum/ [2] http://ec.europa.eu/justice/fundamental-rights/charter/index_en.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charter_of_Fundamental_Rights_of_the_European_Union&oldid=614017036#Legal_status [3] http://socialrights.net/community-charter-of-fundamental-social-rights-of-workers/ [4] http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/02/david-cameron-eu-referendum-pledge-disaster [5] http://www.libdems.org.uk/european_election_manifesto_2014 Image source and license: https://secure.flickr.com/photos/skuds/3736995016/
    12 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Sam Kuper
  • Stop GCHQ Spying on us
    GCHQ are taking away our freedoms and rights to privacy. Collecting masses of data that will undoubtably be leaked in the future. All of UK citizens privacy is now at risk!
    84 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Andrew Crowdy
  • Boycott Qatar 2022
    Sepp Blatter has expressed concern about the safety of the players playing in 50 degree heat. There has also been concern about the shady way Qatar - one of the World's richest countries - has obtained the right to host the world cup. But no-one seems to have expressed concern that there are already over 1200 dead migrant workers building the British designed stadiums that we are all supposed to be enjoying in 8 years time. This is not on. There are reports that workers, who have travelled from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, are living in slave like conditions and earning as little as 45p an hour. The ITUC has based the estimate on current mortality figures for Nepalese and Indian workers who form the bulk of Qatar's 1.2 million-strong migrant workforce, the large majority of whom are builders. While it admits that the cause of death is not clear for many of the deceased – with autopsies often not being conducted and routine attribution to heart failure – it believes harsh and dangerous conditions at work and cramped and squalid living quarters are to blame. Workers described forced labour in 50C heat, employers who retain salaries for several months and passports making it impossible for them to leave and being denied free drinking water. The investigation found sickness is endemic among workers living in overcrowded and insanitary conditions and hunger has been reported. Thirty Nepalese construction workers took refuge in the their country's embassy and subsequently left the country, after they claimed they received no pay. It it simply an affront to humanity that Qatar is to host the world cup and an utter disgrace that no-one in the world of football seems to care. We need to show the FA and FIFA and their sponsers that we the people care about these issues and this is not OK. It is not Ok that there are already 1200 dead workers building the stadiums. We need to show that we care about these workers and their families and that what once was a beautiful tournament is fast becoming a giant corporate money machine that has no regard for even the very people that make it happen. That number again, 1200 dead workers. And there's 8 years to go.
    76 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Tony Hemphill
  • STOP Israel's massacre
    Israel's continual blockade of Gaza, expanding illegal settlements in Palestinian territory and massacre of Palestinian women and children needs to STOP. This is state terrorism. Our government together with the US and other European countries sell Israel the arms to do this. All the Palestinians can do is fire rockets which are intercepted easily by Israeli mighty fire power. We all feel helpless as the world cannot stop Israel from killing more civilians. A boycott of Israeli goods is something we can all do in our small way, maybe it will affect them and make them consider longer term peace options. In the meantime let's sign a petition to our government to stop selling arms to Israel.
    118 of 200 Signatures
    Created by Raksha Mccann
  • EU: Leave Google censorship notifications alone!
    The Internet is the world's greatest platform for free speech. I accept the need to censor a few things, but not the need to do so in secret. Far from it. Why should the applicant have an automatic right to censor another's work without being held accountable for doing so?
    35 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Chris Wilson