• Clarity v Censorship of Social Media
    Without this clarity our rights to opinions and free speech will be at the behest of a regulator who may classify some as illegal financial promotions. Our regulator (the FCA) and their equivalent in the USA (the SEC) are currently the only regulators in the western world who are seeking to limit the free speech and flow of opinions of citizens on social media. So this matters to us all. Opinions & Free Speech Regulated = Censorship What it proposes is far from clear. The result of this lack of clarity is it places rights to monitor and regulate the expression of opinions and free speech, by both innovators and innocent members of the public, initially in this small but very significant area, into the hands of unelected and unaccountable regulators. Historical precedents are clear where this can, and usually does, lead. Clarity This unclarity is simply not necessary. One of the UK's leading legal minds, Chris Moss,of JMW solicitors, who continues to guide The Bank of Dave, has looked with us at the legislation, which was created before social media existed, and identified the small but crucial and uncontroversial changes needed to bring exactly this clarity. He has identified that these are changes that can be made by the Chancellor and his Treasury ministers. In under a week the UK's Financial Regulator close their consultation as they tighten their grip on Social Media and what messages from the trade and public will be outlawed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PLEASE ACT NOW Please sign the petition and also respond now to the FCA to ensure ordinary citizens are not placed in legal jeopardy for using social media to express an opinion, or talk about a crowdfund. This only need takes a few moments. The full details are at http://www.fca.org.uk/your-fca/documents/guidance-consultations/gc14-06 and it closes 6th Nov 2014. If you care about free speech or the freedom of social media please read the summary and express your opinion, below. One way or another it's important you express your opinion about free speech. We need clarity and unless there's a change of direction that won't happen. PLEASE NOTE Sample/Template Text is provided below and you can skip to it below and send it if you're familiar with this issue and short of time. As requested by the FCA please email : [email protected] or use the response form at http://www.fca.org.uk/your-fca/documents/guidance-consultations/gc14-06 ------ Sample Template Response (for you to adapt and send) ----- I/we do not believe that the FCA should have the right to monitor and classify ordinary citizens use of social media as illegal. Paid financial promotions (adverts) are different from citizens use of such media, and measures to ensure they are policed to be 'clear, fair and not misleading' must not remove the rights of citizens to free speech and free expression, or place citizens in jeopardy. This is paramount and we call on the FCA to ensure that this clear distinction is maintained in the handling of social media, and to make the necessary changes to these proposals to ensure that they are, and citizens and entrepreneurs use of social media for crowdfunding or other purposes is not restricted. To also, if necessary, directly raise these matters with government to ensure such clarity. We need clarity. Please play your part by taking just a few moments to respond to the FCAs consultation and express your opinion.
    21 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Barry James
  • Stop Eric Pickles undermining the Onshore wind industry
    Onshore wind is the most efficient form of clean energy. Strict local planning procedures are in place to prevent them being built in places where they might spoil the environment. But Eric Pickles, scared by the climate deniers in UKIP is riding roughshod over local preferences by stalling the planning procedures. Please stop.
    104 of 200 Signatures
    Created by Norman Vetter
  • Reduce MP Wages as Austerity Measure
    We didn't cause the financial crisis, the bankers did and our politicians decided to bail them out without asking us for our opinion on it first. They should therefore make some sacrifice too. The current basic MP salary is £67,000 and a cabinet minister earns around £135,000. This is between 3 and 6 times the average salary of the population and coupled with their generous expenses package, this makes them very comfortable indeed; the rest of us are suffering with low pay increases and rising living costs. Share the pain with us, as you are elected representatives of us; or are you all just in for yourselves and what you can get out of it?
    37 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Martin Brown
  • We Want Our Railways Back
    Why it matters I am addressing this petition to the above three party leaders because I have no real idea who will form the next government after May 2015. Our national railways were privatised in the 1990 with the usual promises of better services, cheaper fares, less or no pull on the taxpayer and ownership by us, the British public. Despite the fact of course that we already owned the railway. As with every privatisation before and after it the results have been very different to those promised. However it is true that many train companies that run franchises in the UK are publicly owned, but by other European countries. Arriva is a wholly owned subsidiary of the German national rail company Deutsche Bahn, and runs the Arriva Trains Wales and Cross Country franchises. The French national rail operator SNCF has a majority stake in Keolis, which operates the Trans Pennine franchise in partnership with FirstGroup. Keolis is also a minority partner in the Govia rail operating company, which runs the Southern, Southeastern and London Midland services. The Dutch state railway company Nederlandse Spoorwegen owns Abellio, which has a 50% stake in Serco-Abellio, which runs the Merseyrail and Northern Rail franchises. Abellio also runs Scotrail. European governments make millions of pounds a year in dividends from their British operations. From the subsidies paid by British tax payers. Please do not read this piece as an 'anti-foreigner' rant. I simply do not understand how paying other governments vast profits to run our railways is good for the British people. Since privatisation billions of pounds of tax payer subsidised profits have gone into the coffers of other governments. There is one railway still at the moment in the hands of the UK tax payer. The state-owned East Coast railway paid £225m to the government in the year to March 2014. In our hands now but for how long. We are about to sell our stake in Eurostar. Who to? It seems the French State Railways SNCF. As a side word I can tell you that last year I travelled First Class on SNCF from Tarbes in the South West of France to Paris, a journey of about 600 Km, for a cost of 45 Euros. Subsidised? Probably. Should I thank the British taxpayer for their contribution? So the publicly owned East Coast Railway paid £225m in 'profits' to the UK taxpayers. What should we do with it now? Privatise it seems. And one of the front runners to take over this publicly owned success story? It seems its a joint venture between Keolis and Eurostar, subsidiaries of France's state-owned railway company, SNCF. So should I book my return journey to Tarbes now or wait a little while. After all it could be even cheaper in a few months.
    59 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Ken Long
  • Devolution for all the United Kingdom
    Apart from Scotland more and more power has been taken by central government in London. Recently Jim O'Neill has proposed that 15 big cities should have devolved budgets. George Osborne is reported to agree with the idea but not necessarily 15 cities. Scotland has been promised even more devolution. The rest of the UK should start the same process. Senior politicians talk about 'localism' but that means nothing without local budgets. And why 15 cities. All areas both built up and rural should have increased power. This might also reverse the increasing voter apathy which is damaging our democracy
    15 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Ian Cocks
  • Get Petition Against Mike Read Removed
    For the Importance of freedom of speech this kind of petition is not conducive to modern day Britain, it is restrictive and at most Insulting to peoples Intelligence and sense of fun. Will Richard McKenzie next be asking UB40 to be banned from performing in Public just because Ally Campbell is singing also in the Afro-Caribbean style?
    7 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Gerry Gee
  • Stop politicians misleading voters with fictional figures.
    It's a well known fact that the British population is a big target of social manipulation. From the newspapers to social networking. We are told how to think by what we view. Obviously not everybody believes in everything our media sources tell us. But when politicians give us figures to bolster their laws and regulations, that is when it too can get lost in translation. FOR EXAMPLE: The TTIP (transatlantic trade and investment partnership) has predicted an additional £10bn being added to the UK economy, with the EU reaping dividend of some £100bn if the agreement is sealed within 12 months. These statistics are a complete fallacy. There is no truth, no mathematical procedure, nor evidence to suggest that this trade deal will bring in such figures. In fact IBtimes, recently posted that A report commissioned by the Left political grouping in the European Parliament, released in March, echoed these views. The report found that "estimated gains from TTIP are very small"; that it will likely have minimal impact on EU unemployment and that any impact on EU exports (a maximum 10% increase) will take place over a number of decades, rather than immediately. The Left group added that the most zealous projections around TTIP fail to include the social and environmental impact of the treaty. But these factors are more nebulous, whereas the figures are just wrong. It is dangerous for our governments to blatantly lie through their teeth with false statistics to benefit their own agendas. This needs to stop. Right now. With your help we can make sure that the Government provides factual statistics, backed up with a mathematical, and practical procedure as to how they got that result, when contributing to political debates.
    80 of 100 Signatures
    Created by James Bonner
  • Independence for the people of Scotland From Westminster Rule
    We the undersigned are fed up with the lies and deceit that comes from Westminster. The empty and broken promises from before and after the referendum left many angry from both the Yes and No camps. We can not watch any more of our countries recourses being plundered when millions are being forced to use foodbanks. We will not allow any fracking or nuclear waste to destroy or land. The only way to get the powers that Scotland need to survive is to become a full independent nation with or without Westminster's permission.
    66 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Robbie Crossan
  • Rerun of Referendum
    The people of Scotland are not satisfied with the interference by those opposed to Independence. Too many lies were told to OAPs and a Media so Bias, it reminded people of PRAVDA in the days of the USSR.
    50 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Jim Hume
  • A referendum should occur for 16 and 17 years olds having the right to vote
    We have seen in the Scottish referendum that 16 and 17 year olds have voted on a rational basis and not as protest votes. I truly believe that if we are living in a so called "liberal democracy" or "representative democracy" then the voting in the general election must represent the whole population and therefore represent those of a younger age for the fairest outcome and the fairest election. The Scottish referendum had a ground breaking turn out of almost 85%. If we allow younger ages to become part of the electorate , then more of a fair change may come about.
    12 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Harry Smith
  • Demand input into UK constitution
    The UK is hanging together by a thread - cries for Scottish Independence and English Devolution will not go away whilst the existing constitution is so unbalanced and clumsily constructed. There needs to be radical overhaul bringing together the 4 nations of Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England in a fair and structured way that gives each nation proper representation. The future of the UK constitution should not be decided by political parties in their own best interests, but by a national conversation that includes representatives from all sections of society. We need all political parties to commit to holding a constitutional convention after the next election that will seek the views of all. If the UK disintegrates, it will affect us all - we have a chance to shape our own future and create a stronger, fairer UK that will survive the test of time. If you agree that the future of the UK should not be decided by politicians alone, then please sign the petition now.
    89 of 100 Signatures
    Created by rowan Woodward
  • TFL's Cycle Super Highway meeting needs a neutral Chair
    Decisions that can affect the interests and safety of the people of London and Britain should be made in a way that allows the public to be confident that no-one involved in the decision stands to make personal or corporate gains from the outcome.
    20 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Ciaran Hurley