We need these staff members as they have expertise in support services to ensure that care can be delivered safely and effectively. Years of austerity and cuts have meant the NHS is now broken and needs to be rebuilt. In the NHS we need a massive recruitment drive that includes recruiting staff to work in support functions. We are demanding no cuts to NHS jobs.

The government stopped charging NHS staff parking fees during the height of the pandemic. Now they're saying ‘it can’t go on forever’. We need a firm commitment to make absolutely sure our NHS staff won’t be charged as much as £40 a day on parking fees. Our NHS staff - who have sacrificed so much over the last few months - deserve better. So, let's send a clear message to Boris Johnson: you cannot charge our NHS staff for parking.

Right now, MPs who can’t safely return to Parliament are not getting the same treatment as those who can. For constituents and people across the country, knowing that our MPs have the same access to voting and scrutinising the government is important. Until this week, all MPs were taking part in parliamentary activity remotely because of the coronavirus crisis. The system was not without its flaws, but this week MPs have been asked to return to Westminster. However, only 50 MPs can be present in the House of Commons at a time, and there is confusion about who is eligible for proxy votes. This isn’t doing justice to our democracy, and forces MPs to make difficult decisions about representing constituents or keeping themselves and their communities safe. The government’s own guidelines say work from home if you can. Add your name to the petition if you think MPs should be able to keep participating virtually so they can represent us properly, and fully hold the government to account during the COVID-19 crisis, add your name.

The Speaker of the House of Commons has announced that Government has decided to shut down the online Parliament and that a maximum of 50 MPs will be allowed to be present and participate in person. At the last election, we elected 650 MPs. If they are not able to be in the Chamber, they cannot represent us properly. This also means that if your MP has to shield, or is still in lockdown, they cannot attend and they cannot represent you, which would not be the case if the online Parliament were to continue. Ministers could oppose this by refusing to table the necessary Standing Orders, and MPs should not support the move to stop any virtual parliament. Sign the petition if you agree.

GMB Grassroots Left* is launching this petition to demand an investigation into the allegations and events surrounding the General Secretary’s recent resignation. The inept handling and reporting of the allegations testify that the GMB is not capable of conducting an investigation into its own organisation. In order to guarantee the probity of such an investigation, it must be conducted by an independent external agency to ensure no vested interest can influence the necessary action with the central objective of establishing the facts of the allegations, the events surrounding the former General Secretary’s decision and the subsequent actions of the union Executive. The terms of reference of such an investigation must include providing investigating agency with the authority to follow whatever direction it deems necessary to meet the above objectives. Central to the success of the investigation will be to provide staff affected by or privy to knowledge of the events a safe space to come forward and provide input to the investigation without fear of reprisal or victimisation. In order to guarantee transparency and the independence of the investigation, we also demand that any agency or committee to which the investigation reports includes lay membership representation. As an association of lay members, GMB Grassroots Left requests membership of such an agency or committee. The events of this issue call into question credibility and integrity of the GMB. The patent and suspicious mishandling undermines the standing of the whole trade union movement and affects all those activists ad members who adhere to and value the union movement. Therefore, we call on all GMB and trade union members and activists to sign, support and share this petition and support the call for a robust and transparent investigation to : • deliver practical recommendations • identify any wrongdoing that has occurred • acknowledge failures in managing allegations • attribute responsibility • deliver workplace justice and • provide recommendations to mitigate against future undermining of trade union ethics and principles. * GMB Grassroots Left is a rank and file organisation committed to transform the union from being a top-down institution, run like a business, into a member led bottom-up organisation, where members decide and the union apparatus provides the service it is employed to provide.

All other members are scientists, chosen for their relevant scientific expertise. We believe that Cummings and Warner have no legitimate place on this committee or at its meetings. Cummings in particular is a controversial, divisive figure with no scientific background. Their presence can only undermine the committee’s authority, and dangerously reduce public confidence in its advice.

Countries such as Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina are refusing to allow Brits to disembark the ship to catch flights back to the UK, including my mum who is travelling on her own. There is no illness onboard and they haven't been off the ship for the last 12 days. The plan now is to sail to Fort Lauderdale in Florida (due to arrive 4th April) but we need the government to step in and send repatriation flights to ensure that they can get home. The reason being is that they have twice been promised that they can disembark (in Buenos Aires and Rio) to catch flights but have then had this revoked at the very last minute. This is causing so much distress to the 400+ Brits on board. Make Dominic Raab take some proper action here and get them all home!

In light of Government advice to minimise the scale and spread of coronavirus many people, especially freelancers, self-employed people and people on lower incomes will be left with little to no money for the foreseeable future. The Government must adopt emergency measures right now to support people across the country, by providing temporary universal basic income so we all have enough money to survive. Universal basic income is a sum of money given to everyone to help pay for essentials like food and bills. Already Labour and Conservative MPs are calling on the Government to do it, and politicians in the USA and other countries are also calling on their Governments to do the same. There is a lot more that needs to be done to mitigate the impact of coronavirus - from helping people get support from their workplace when they are sick, to making sure tenants don’t face eviction. But ensuring everyone across the country has a set sum to get by could save lives. If you think everyone should be guaranteed enough money to pay for basic essentials at a time like this, will you add your name to the petition now? Notes here: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2020/mar/17/boris-johnson-coronavirus-press-conference-rishi-sunak-cabinet-as-rishi-sunak-set-to-announcing-coronavirus-financial-rescue-package-politics-live?page=with:block-5e70afeb8f085e564ad859ba#block-5e70afeb8f085e564ad859ba

The homes of the people of the UK are far more important than a vanity project to build a whole new line to cut travel time when the infrastructure already exists to do this. The Great Central Railway was closed in the 1960s and has the capacity to take high speed trains. It survives almost totally intact and would serve the same purpose as HS2 at a fraction of the cost. ‘ Re-opening The Great Central Railway fulfils all the main objectives of HS2 without the excruciating cost, the environmental objections and absurdities of the latter project.‘ https://www.spectator.co.uk/2019/08/there-is-a-far-better-option-than-hs2-and-it-already-exists/ People are suffering and putting the money saved from a ridiculously inappropriate vanity project into flood defences will save livelihoods and protect our communities.

The situation with the grot spot on Springfield Road Sparkhill Birmingham is becoming unbearable. Rubbish is being dumped their repeatedly. It is causing an obstruction on the pavement and is a hazard. School children from Springfield School are having to walk into the road to get past it.

Tensions are at breaking point between the US and Iran after President Trump ordered an airstrike killing an Iranian military commander. Iran is threatening retaliation. A US led war with the Middle East is looming. To avoid needless destruction and civilian death, Prime Minister Boris Johnson must publicly rule out being dragged into a Trump led war. Together we can show Boris Johnson that the British public don’t want to get into bed with Trump and enter another war. Sign the petition to up the pressure now.

There has been a lot of decisions by Halton council that have made a lot of people very angry, however if we was to look, very little if any members of the public actually attend these Council meetings and as often to be the case people are not happy with decisions that have been made but only learn of these decisions when they are happening. Is it not about time that in 2020 the Council should be considering steaming live Council meetings, its a new way of communicating with and to engage the general public, these live and on-demand streaming can be used for all the council meetings. If people can’t attend the Council meetings in person, they can still participate virtually by watching live streaming broadcasts, it will of course be educational to know what actually is happening at the council meetings and being able to see key decisions being made. This will make local democracy more accessible for residents being able to watch from home or even their workplace or even on the go, this really is a great opportunity to bring the council chamber into the 21st century with the installation of a live streaming system. They will be able to watch live as issues are debated, motions are voted on and planning applications how they are decided, I believe this will increase engagement with residents and making meetings available to view online could improve the communication with residents, we must also think residents who cannot leave their homes due to illness or old age. I have looked at other councils who take part in this live streaming and have spoken to them direct and what I have been told on occasions although they experience very low if any attendance from members of the public just like Halton, each meeting has been watched between 400 and 2,500 times, this is far in excess of expectations of any number that our Council meetings attract however this idea will work.