Privatised energy has failed citizens. For evidence please see: www.weownit.org.uk/evidence/energy Meanwhile, the Referendum on Independence has created an inspiring re-engagement in politics across Scotland and some brilliant ideas about what sort of society we should work together to create. Now that all the drama is finally over, it is essential we keep the pressure up and utilise the 'new powers' to make these ideas a reality. New books such as 'Common Weal' (2014) and 'Yes: The Radical Case for Scottish Independence' (2014) both foreground the need for the Democratic Public Ownership of our essential services and infrastructure, in order to move towards a green economy and a more just society. Therefore, this petition has been created alongside another to the Minister for Transport demanding the Public Ownership of Scotland’s Railway. Please sign both and share the links below to help spread the word: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/publicrailwayscotland https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/publicenergyscotland This petition is supported by: http://www.bringbackbritishrail.org/images/pftp_supporters.png To add your organisation to this list, please use the 'Contact User' button above.

Say no to the non-democratic ‘vow’ to Scotland. In recent weeks all our leading political party leaders have agreed to give the people of Scotland a much better deal per person than the rest of the British public. Regardless of which way you sit on the yes no divide is it fair that a minority proportion of the British public have a substantially larger amount of the government purse spent on them than the majority of the British public. Already Scots have free university places (at£9k per year), free prescriptions, 15% more spend per capita etc. than the rest of Brits and now without asking parliament, our MP’s or the British public our political leaders have promised the ‘Scots’ even more. Bribery or not why should an English, Welsh or Irish person should receive far less support from our government than a Scottish person? If you believe the recent offer is undemocratic and unfair to the rest of Britain then please sign this petition so that we can lobby the government not to implement this 'give away' they have ‘vowed’ on behalf of the rest of the British public

Because the licence payers in Scotland deserve an impartial broadcaster in these times of great change and not to have someone biased reporting on currant events.

Its important because our elderly people should be able to live in dignity in their old age, and not have to endure means testing for State handouts. Tony Blair's New Labour Government in 1997 did not reverse Margaret Thatcher's 1980 State pensions policy.

Approximately 4,000 new cases of cancer in children and young adults are diagnosed in the UK each year. Be Child Cancer Aware, a parent led and run charity has already sent out millions of signs and symptoms awareness cards with the result that a number of families have received an early diagnosis. Ben's diagnosis is featured on their website. We ask the UK government to officially support this campaign to empower parents with the knowledge that might save the life of a child they know or love. The charity Be Child Cancer Aware introduced and has been successfully leading this awareness campaign for over 4 years without any official support. They now look to the government to recognise the importance of knowing the main signs and symptoms of all childhood cancers.

The issue of the Union between Scotland and England, the future of the United Kingdom, is one that affects every man, woman and child that lives within it's borders, my family, your family - everyone - we will all be affected by the outcome of the Scottish independence referendum, socially, economically, politically, it will affect friends, relationships, jobs, borders, our great public services, our relationships. Over 200 years of Unionship between our countries has shown us that Scotland is a great asset, that combined we are a great force for positive change and that yes, we are better together as allies and united. It can therefore, only be constitutionally right that everyone who lives within this Union, our United Kingdom, be allowed to vote in this referendum and be a party to this greatest of decisions that will affect us all. It is not so much a referendum on independence as one on breaking up a major part of our Union. I want us all to be a part of making that decision.

The right of self-determination is an essential part of british society and is important for the longetivity of peace and prosperity. It also furthers british values of fairness, equality, reasonability and justice.

We are better together and diminished apart

The Hunting Act is in urgent need of strengthening, to enable the authorities to clamp down on illegal hunting. At present, hunts can escape prosecution – and nearly always do - by cynically claiming their pursuit and killing of a hunted animal was “unintentional”. This nonsense is enabling hunts to carry on as if there were no ban at all. Over 80% of the British public support the ban, but hunters appear to believe they are above the law. 50,000 hunters signed a Declaration before the ban came into force stating they would defy it, and continue to hunt as before, thus displaying their total contempt for democracy. REIN IN THE HUNTERS – STRENGTHEN THE HUNTING ACT

At Fineshade Woods in Northamptonshire, Forest Holidays are planning to erect 70 deluxe timber lodges with ancillary accommodation, plus a new road, within the woods against the wishes of all the local Parish Councils and with over 200 objections raised. Authoritative organisations such as the Wildlife Trust the Council’s advisors, RSPB, badger groups, bat groups, butterfly organisations and ecologists of many hues have all objected but their views appear to be being ignored by the local planning authority. Requests for at least an Environmental Impact Assessment have been rejected out of hand with statements that there will be no significant environmental damage when 40+ hectares of semi ancient woodland on a Local Wildlife Site that is subject of an application to be considered as a potential SSSI are subject to development. At nine other Forests in the UK and with at least two further planning applications in the pipeline as well planning applications for additional chalets in existing projects, Forest Holidays appear to be being given Carte Blanche to take possession of public Forests and convert them into a private business; they are supported by Lloyds Development Capital and the Forestry Commission. In Feb 2011 the “save our forests” campaign was considered to be over when the Government said the forests would not be privatised. The Forestry Commission and Directors of Forest Holidays and their financial backers appear to have reversed this policy by taking possession of public forests on 125 year leases and using that natural resource for their personal gain. This must be against the stated policy of the current Government and against the wishes of the 700,000 people who voted supporting the original save our Forest campaign.

I feel this attitude is disgusting as a fellow sufferer of Aspergers I am outraged by these comments. See mirror article below for more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/tory-mp-tells-autistic-man-4166980

The secret negotiations for CETA (official name: Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement) between Canada and the European Union have already been concluded, without consulting any of us! - Even though Canada and the EU have been negotiating this so-called “next generation free trade and investment pact" behind closed doors since May 2009. But CETA is better understood as another corporate power grab. If signed, CETA will give multinational corporations the right to sue countries for loss of profits in secret courts of arbitration if those countries seek, for example, to pass laws to prevent fracking, to regulate prices, or to raise the minimum wage. Also (like TTIP), CETA will enable the multinationals to pressurise communities to privatise basic public services like water systems, transport and energy - and much more. As the social justice organisation the Council of Canadians points out: "The secret negotiating process, as well as the overall corporate agenda behind next generation deals are an affront to democracy on both sides of the Atlantic." If all this sounds horribly familiar, it's because CETA would have exactly the same adverse effects on our society and economy as TTIP - the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership planned between the USA and Europe (for further info on TTIP, see the 38 degrees campaign and petition to stop TTIP). Here are some examples of current cases arising from other, very similar "free trade agreements" that are already in force. Tobacco giant Philip Morris is suing Australia for billions of dollars in lost profits because the Australian government took action to reduce teenage smoking by stipulating plain packaging for cigarettes. Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly is suing Canada for $400 million because Canada has introduced laws to keep essential medications affordable. Worst of all, those proceedings are being held in secret international courts to which only corporations have access, in accordance with "investor-state dispute settlement rules" which also apply to CETA (and to TTIIP). This basically gives greedy corporations power over our social values, our legislative procedures and our trading standards. That's why CETA must be stopped now! To quote the corporation-loving TheCityUK website: "Canadian and the EU officials have agreed a complete CETA text, to be initialled at the EU-Canada Summit in Ottawa on 25 September 2014."... (That's only weeks away!)... "The gains to be had from the EU-Canada CETA are potentially very large." ...(Yes, you can bet they are - but only for big business!)... "The agreement – all 1,500 pages of it - now needs to be translated into all EU languages and reviewed by lawyers. Once approved by the EU’s 28 member-states and Canada’s ten provinces it will then be formally signed (probably in 2015). It is expected to be ratified by the EU's 28 member states and the Canadian provinces in the course of 2016." So big business is very confident that this undemocratic deal is going to go through, to the huge benefit of its profits. But if enough of us raise our voices and raise awareness about CETA, we can still force our politicians to think again about selling us out to big business. Please sign the petition to stop CETA.