Although we have now banned alcohol and tobacco advertising on TV there appears to be no control over the advertising of online gambling casino and bingo sites. These sites are largely endorsed by celebrities and are shown at times when our most vulnerable and lonely are viewing. I know from personal experience, through the death of my brother, by suicide. I was very close to him, but had no idea that he was a secret gambler. Gambling is as addictive as drinking and smoking, and in many ways more pernicious, causing other destructive behaviour. Often it those who an least afford to gamble who do so, people in financial trouble, who in a desperate attempt to pay off debts will gamble their last penny. The only winners are the sites themselves who load the odds against individuals winning. As a Samaritan listening volunteer I often take calls from desperate suicidal people who have become victims of such gambling sites.

The Cardiff Arms Fair described on their website as the “UK’s Premier Defence Procurement Event” is being hosted annually at the Cardiff Motorpoint Arena. One of their main exhibitors is BAE Systems, the world’s 3rd largest arms producer. We need to protest against such an event being held in Wales and show our opposition to the arms trade.

In the UK alone we waste over 7 billion tonnes of food. Most of which can be eaten and is perfectly fit for human consumption however many companies don’t do this due to: A the cost of processing and transporting this food to food banks, or B they won’t give it away for fear of legal repucussions. I want to see a change in government policy that impose strict fines on companies that waste over proposed targets. And promote and support companies giving away food to food banks and other charitable causes.

We are concerned that the Conservative Government’s under-funding of the NHS has meant: In Reading: • The Royal Berkshire Hospital (RBH) is expected to make additional cuts of £45 million by 2020. • GP appointments are becoming harder to get with many patients having to wait weeks to see their doctor. • GP surgeries, like Circuit Lane Surgery, have been unable to provide good quality care and have been rated inadequate. • A&E departments are unable to cope, with many patients having to wait for more than 4 hours – failing a key target. The Royal Berkshire Hospital has missed this target. Nationally: • Patients are waiting for hours on trolleys in corridors. • Thousands of non-emergency operations have been cancelled. • NHS budgets are not keeping up with an ageing and increasing population and cuts to social care budgets are putting further pressure on the NHS. • The UK spends a lower proportion on health than other EU countries resulting in fewer doctors, nurses and beds per patient. • NHS staff are leaving due to poor pay and increasing workloads and stress. In 2017 33,000 nurses left the NHS.

Nestor Sylla is much loved and highly respected. Following the murder of his sister in Guinea, Africa, in 2006, he fled for his life to the UK, but previous legal work failed Nestor when a solicitor did not respond to a Home Office request for photographs. His complaint about the solicitor was upheld. A natural helper, Nestor has volunteered for the BOAZ TRUST winter night shelter for seven years. He has also volunteered for Red Cross and the Mustard Tree. Nestor has created a new family in the UK and, in the process, become a vital carer for both Lawrence, aged 14, and for Elizabeth Coleman, retired. Lawrence says: “He’s a really great guy and helps me with my homework and takes me to school.” And Elizabeth says: “Nestor’s home is England. He is like a son to me. He has a lot to contribute to our society.” In April of 2017 Nestor, who is also a natural leader, was elected to represent many destitute people, questioning the Greater Manchester Mayoral Candidates at a Housing Hustings about their plans for tackling the city’s desperate housing problem. Nestor was detained on Friday 30th June 2017. He had a new Leave to Remain application that was received by the Home Office BEFORE he was detained, therefore his detention was unlawful. His lawyer, Mervyn Cross of Duncan Lewis said: ”There was absolutely no reason to detain Nestor.” When Nestor’s MP, Lucy Powell, contacted the Home Office on Nestor’s behalf, the Home Office insisted that Nestor’s detention was lawful. The MP has now written to the Immigration Minister again pointing out that Nestor has documentary evidence that proves his Leave to Remain application was indeed received by the Home Office before his detention. The Home Office must be called to account for this unlawful detention and for attempting to deny that they unlawfully detained Nestor Sylla. An admission of such unlawful detention will contribute to ensuring that the Home Office stops unlawfully detaining people seeking asylum.

Coin has two sides. If you do not consider worldwide income for a first time buyer of home mortgage, then how come you can tax him / her on his / her foreign income?

Stepney's Cafe has been a key social point for the community since it opened and it's closure will be a huge loss. The cafe provides a safe, comfortable environment for families to relax and enjoy time with friends and children.

We do not accept the level of power that is given to the developers of our city. We demand that all new housing developments should have both insulated buildings AND renewable energy. This requirement should not be dropped because of 'urban design'. We do not accept unsustainable development that contributes to climate change; our communities need clean energy, transport links, and schools, doctors surgeries and amenities.

This is hugely important because through blood donation we can save many people’s lives. It seems that gay men are only not allowed to give blood because of highly alarming rates of HIV within the community. However, this is awfully discriminative, considering thousands of heterosexual people give blood, even though they may also have sex with someone who has an STI. This means therefore that people should be inspected through a case-by-case basis, rather than categorised into not being allowed to give blood just because they simply identify as a homosexual man. I find this outrageous, that the current law states gay men have to not have sex for a whole 12 months in order to give blood. It is said to be reduced to 3 months, however, I deeply believe this is still unfair, as heterosexual men do not have to abstain from having sex if they want to donate at all. I am sure homosexual men want to donate blood just as much as any other man in this world and they should be given the right to do so. We see adverts all over the place saying that someone with a rare blood group needs a blood donation and enlarging the group by including homosexual men (after checkup for any serious STIs) could also help this, as they surely also have rare blood groups that may not be found in anyone else in the population.

Because he is responsible as health minister for systematically underfunding and under resourcing the NHS and alienating the doctors and nurses he serves. We would like to register a vote of no confidence.

‘Tradition’ could be upheld, and hunting dogs kept within the law, yet foxes, domestic pets and others could all be legally safeguarded. If you’re hunting a scent trail, legally, muzzling makes no difference. Why not?

Brexit, whether you voted for it or not, will be a moment where we will have to think afresh about how we present ourselves in the world. And it is matter because our future success as a country will be determined by whether people around the world want to buy goods and services designed, provided and manufactured in Britain. Get it right, people from around the world will want to buy British. Get it wrong, and people won't want to be associated with us. Passports are a physical manifestation of how a country sees itself and presents itself. So, let's create a passport which reflects our past, but isn't captured by it.