In 2010, the US government passed the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) obliging US citizens, regardless of dual citizenships and even though they may not have lived in the US since childhood, to self-report their non-US assets and to pay US tax on foreign income if the foreign tax should be less than US tax. For example, if such persons sell their home, then they are liable for American capital gains tax on the sale as the UK levies no such tax. FATCA obliges all non-US financial institutions to search through their customer databases to identify those customers suspected of being US citizens and to disclose the account holders' names, addresses, and the transactions of most types of account. It requires foreign financial institutions to require all foreign account holders (not just US citizens) to certify their foreign status. In 2014, The Economist called FATCA's "extraterritoriality stunning even by Washington's standards." FATCA potentially affects 173,470 people born in the US by chance but many of whom left the country as small children and have since been resident in the UK and are UK citizens. Following FATCA's passage, many such "accidental Americans" suffered closure of their bank accounts: a 2014 survey of US citizens in other countries by Democrats Abroad found that 12.7% of respondents had been denied financial services by their banks, making it harder for accidental Americans to live and work in their countries of residence. Accidental Americans often no owe US income tax, but must spend thousands of dollars in accounting fees to prove that fact, and face potential fines of tens of thousands of dollars for paperwork errors. Those who have spent their lives planning for their retirement without considering the US tax consequences of the non-US financial instruments they hold may find that US taxation wipes out most of their returns on investments. UK residents suspected to be US citizens are separated out at their financial institutions for differential treatment, based upon their place of birth and nationality. Discrimination according to national origin is prohibited in most countries and by the European Convention on Human Rights. American Citizens Abroad, a not-for-profit organization representing the interests of the millions of Americans residing outside the United States, points out that FATCA's problem is citizenship-based taxation. The United States and Eritrea are the only countries in the world which impose taxation and reporting requirements on citizens living abroad permanently. The Guardian reports that Americans living abroad feel financially terrorized by FATCA requirements. According to research by Democrats Abroad: "These survey results show the intense impact FATCA is having on overseas Americans. Their financial accounts are being closed, their relationships with their non-American spouses are under strain, some Americans are being denied promotion or partnership in business because of FATCA reporting requirements and some are planning or contemplating renouncing their US citizenship”. The US will not allow accidental Americans to renounce citizenship until they have filed five years’ of tax returns. Due to the rise in applications, the fee for renouncing citizenship was raised by roughly 400 percent in 2015 to $2,350. According to a recent piece in The Economist, a UK resident who was born in America but moved to Britain as a child, “recently received a huge bill from the IRS [the US Internal Revenue Service], out of the blue, for many years of unfiled taxes. He had not realised that he owed anything; he had always paid taxes promptly in Britain. The IRS was so aggressive that he feared he might lose his technology business; he even discussed divorce with his wife as a way to shield their assets. In the end, he settled for a six-figure sum.” In 2014, the UK Government entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement whereby financial institutions in the UK report information about US accounts to HMRC. HMRC then provides the information to the US. The UK government has estimated that the cost to British businesses will be £1.1 billion to £2 billion for the first five years, in order to locate the US citizens. HMRC estimates its own one-off IT and staff project costs at approximately £5m, with ongoing annual costs of £1.4m from this year. FATCA’s effects on UK citizens who by accident of birth are deemed American means that the UK Government’s cooperation with FATCA must end. The relationship between the British state and its citizens is founded on an implicit contract whereby, in exchange for obedience to the law and performance of their civic duties, citizens have a right to the state’s protection.

PERSONAL PRIVACY: The Digital Economy Bill currently before Parliament will introduce compulsory age verification without guaranteeing privacy protections for subscribers. This omission risks users’ personal details and private sexual preferences being exploited for commercial gain and/or leaked into the public domain. SEXUAL FREEDOM: Consensual adult sex should not be outlawed, yet this Bill will prohibit the publication of depictions of sexual activities that are legal to perform. This Bill imposes a financial burden on free, amateur and niche commercial websites, affecting sexual minorities by denying them from freely expressing their sexuality.

Anti-immigrant hate crime in the UK has increased fivefold over the past few months (according to the National Police Chiefs' Council). The UK media has, in the words of the United Nations human rights chief, peddled "sustained and unrestrained anti-foreigner abuse" and "vilification, intolerance and politicization of migrants." Migrants are routinely portrayed as less-than-human, and unworthy of dignity and respect. The Daily Express alone is responsible for headlines such as "BRITAIN MUST BAN MIGRANTS" and " SEND IN ARMY TO HALT MIGRANT INVASION." Specsavers: is this your vision? We are calling on you to take a stand, and no longer tacitly endorse the demonisation of migrant communities by the Daily Express. Just earlier this year, the newspaper was forced to publish a correction after press watchdog IPSO ruled that a piece entitled 'Europe's leaders have no plan to cut immigration' inflated and distorted migration figures. The impact of this kind of media rhetoric is not limited to the newspaper stands: it has real-life, divisive consequences. By withdrawing a recent front-page advert from the Daily Express, you have recognised that what your brand appears alongside, matters. We call on you to take this further and withdraw all financial and symbolic support for a newspaper that is notorious for inciting racism, Islamophobia and xenophobia.

We want to see positive change for all children to develop and by nurtured by both parents and their respective families after divorce and or separation. Help us challenge for Change.

1500 children were transferred yesterday, Wednesday 2nd November, from the container camp in Calais to processing centres and temporary accommodation in France Besides the children with family to join in UK, there are many hundreds of unaccompanied children seeking asylum. Surely we can offer sanctuary to a large proportion of these children in Scotland and give them the care and attention they need? The risk of unsupervised children leaving temporary centres in France and setting out alone or in small groups to look for an illegal route to UK is HUGE. It has been reported that many children went missing during last week's evacuation of the Calais Camp, as did 129 children during partial evacuation of the camp in February this year. It will be shameful for us a a nation if we cannot resolve this situation, by harnessing the goodwill of the British public in welcoming these children, and encouraging Local Authorities to accommodate them.

I wonder what it must be like to be a non-British family worrying about the possible outcome of Brexit and then to receive a text message from your children's school saying "Info required-If your child is not of British Nationality or was not born in the UK, pls inform the school by tomorrow"? Then, a few days later, you receive a letter from the school ([1]). Maybe you've also been asked to declare your nationality by your employer too ([2])? We should not discriminate between British and non-British children in our schools: * It is not clear what purpose this data serves given that the DfE already records pupils' ethnicity and first language. * The data is unlikely to be accurate since responding is optional and non-respondents will be assumed to have British children. * The data could be abused in the future ([3]). * The Greater Manchester Law Centre has called parents to ignore the census to avoid discrimination and inequality ([4]). Thanks for reading this far. Please have a think about this issue and decide whether to sign this petition. The DfE's plans are probably entirely innocent, but is this the direction we want our country to go in? [1] https://twitter.com/twrc/status/783744325234679808 [2] https://speakout.38degrees.org.uk/campaigns/fw-proposal-petition?utm_campaign=speakout_campaign_1437&utm_medium=thank_you&utm_source=twitter [3] http://schoolsweek.co.uk/pupil-nationality-data-is-safe-with-us-says-government/ [4] https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/oct/05/ignore-school-census-queries-on-nationality

Because Abu al is likely to be crippled for life and yehia has life threatening injuries and both boys are suffering beyond words. There are many injured children in Syria and we can't help them all; but we must be able to get these boys out. The film crew were there so there is a route in and out. We helped people in the Second World War so now we do it again!

Unaccompanied children in the Calais Jungle are suffering appalling conditions. Many are being abused and have mental health problems. Many have been injured and some killed trying to reach the UK. Their suffering is needless - they have the legal right to be in the UK. The Home Office has the details of nearly 400 young people and children with legal entitlement to come to the UK. They are therefore now our responsibility. Refusing to welcome them is criminal negligence. The Calais Jungle is due to be demolished by October 31. The children must be brought to safety before then. As Hastings and Rye residents, with a proud tradition of helping those in need, we call on Amber Rudd MP to do whatever she can to bring those children to safety immediately.

Because the extreme bloodshed and destruction in and of Syria is a War Crime foisted on them by the West and their Middle East 'Allies', and just like Iraq and Libya, it is a 'Regime Change' plot based on lies. The creation, arming, paying and transport to Syria of terrorist mercenary interventionist groups is the worst crime of all, a 'Crime Against Peace', which also enshrines War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity.

I would like to petition the UK Department for Education to support the launch of a recent global education platform known as PEER. As one who is working closely with refugees and their children, I would like to wholeheartedly support the launch of this platform called Platform for Education in Emergencies Response. Working together hand in hand with the IIE (Institute of International Education) in New York, PEER aims to connect refugee students with university scholarships, resources and other higher education opportunities that they deserve without having a need to buy a diploma just to further their studies. A brainchild of the Catalyst Trust for Universal Education, PEER is fast gaining support from various parties. Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has been in discussion with the UN to better understand the emergency needs of 57 million refugee schoolchildren and youths who are on the verge of attending University without the intention to buy a diploma. The ongoing refugee crisis is something these children can do without, and if there is anything to alleviate their condition without exacerbating the situation, this global education platform would be it. In Syria alone, as many as 150,000 youths who are on the brink of university life have had their progress disrupted by war and persecution. That's 150,000 young impressionable lives stuck without higher education. Without the need to buy a diploma, refugee students can expect to benefit from the platform dispensing university scholarships and placement, translation services, higher learning resources and support or counselling. Therefore, I hope the UK Department for Education would consider backing this platform and to spread word about it helping refugee students. Thank you for lending me your ears. Brook Arnold

Because Equality Can't Wait

Zaina Erhaim, originally from Aleppo, has had her passport confiscated by officials at Heathrow at the request of the Assad government. 'Ms Erhaim has won international awards for courageous and ethical journalism and trained hundreds of citizen reporters, including many women, to report independently and accurately on the horrors of Syria’s six-year-long civil war before finally being forced to flee last year'. (Independent) If, like me, you are ashamed that our government is bending to the will of a brutal dictator, Bashar al-Assad, instead of defending this remarkable woman, then please sign this petition.