Small businesses create employment and opportunity and are critical to keep the economy healthy. We need to encourage and reward the entrepreneurs, who take on the personal risks and stress of starting new businesses and help them get off the ground.

The holdups to traffic, particularly commercial vehicles, are costing the country money. Not to mention the mental anguish of living rough in France, and the dangers of illegal transport.

Transport for London recently decided that bus passengers would no longer be able to pay their fares with cash, but instead could only pay with Oyster cards that need to have credit put on them in advance, or with contactless debit cards. This means that if someone doesnt realise their Oyster card has run out of credit, and doesn't have a debit card (as many don't), they are unable to use the bus. This leaves people stranded and unable to use the only form of transport available to many. It is often difficult to find a shop which will put credit on the oyster card, and all the machines are switched off at 9 or 10 o'clock. If you lose your card or can't find a shop that does it, you are stranded. It is impractical, not fit for purpose, and discriminates against those who can not afford other means of transport.

Our native woodlands are in danger: imported trees pose a biosecurity risk. They may be infected with pests and diseases and if so they will contaminate UK grown trees, in tree nurseries and out in the woodlands. There are 700 pests and diseases on the Forestry Commission's Risk Register. We need to keep these out of the country. Remove the risk; DO NOT PLANT IMPORTED TREES

Apart from rural footpaths, the only way to and from Dinder is by road; without a bus service then school kids, mobility impaired and elderly residents, as well as their friends and family in the local area, will no longer have the independence the bus service provides. Destroying rather than building environmentally-friendly transport networks, while giving no alternative provision is a terrible step backwards, affecting us all.

Because the majority of British people cannot take you seriously if you keep beating us up for more of our hard earned money whilst you give it away to your money-grabbing city chums.

Democracy in Malaysia is at danger of being overtaken by the dictatorial rule of PM Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak who has been accused of misappropriating public funds. Billions have been moved around the world in suspicious circumstances and the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) had reported that RM2.6 bilion (US$700mil) had been transferred into PM Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's personal bank accounts. The PM has attempted to silence the people through blocking internet sites, suspending the publishing of selected newspapers, the arrests of politicians, media representatives, individuals who protest the misappropriation or those who are involved in its investigation. The Ministry of Home Affairs, Malaysia has through abuse of discretionary powers removed evidence compiled by the "Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)" in their investigation of 1MDB, to thwart investigations and where some of MACC’s personnel were arrested or questioned. The gabenor of the national bank has been removed and the Malaysian authorities in its attempt to further silence the people have issued an arrest warrant for Clare Rewcastle-Brown, the editor-in-chief of the Sarawak Report who has been most vocal in revealing the truth to the people.

because one day it might be your loved one who needs an organ to survive

Currently the big 5 supermarkets control the price paid for farmers production where once dozens of small dairies, abattoirs, butchers and other small businesses bought at a fair price to the farmer of 50% of the end price. Now the supermarkets buyers control that price, and profiteer pushing farmers to the brink of bankruptcy. The marvellous countryside of the UK is cared for largely by farmers if we do not support them, our countryside will cease to be a vibrant place Our lambs here in the Scottish Border hills sold for £80 at this time last year are now down to under £60 - the supermarket price is nearly unaltered

If equality and social mobility are regarded as important in a society, that society will provide all with equal access to the whole education system. Either education will be free, or it will be subsidised in such a way that people are not disadvantaged based on their background. Generations in the past have been screwed over by the government, but nothing like the current youth. If you’re tired of being told you are lucky to be able to afford a £200 iPhone by people who bought a house in central London for £21,000, then this campaign is for you. For most of us, if you want to be one of the people who can change the situation we’re in, you’re probably going to need a certain kind of job. And to get those kinds of jobs nowadays, you’re going to need some form of postgraduate qualification. If education isn’t affordable for all, we can never expect to live in a fair society. A lack of funding for higher-education means that the only people who are able to change our country will be the very people who want it to remain the same. To protect our democracy, this must be opposed. On 6th January 2013, the Observer printed a letter from nine UK university vice-chancellors calling for action on the 'policy vacuum' on postgraduate study. Since then, the number of students opting for postgraduate study has fallen by around 16,000 a year. This is despite the importance of postgraduate qualifications skyrocketing in that time. A Confederation of British Industry (CBI) report states that ‘anticipated changes to occupational structure mean that by 2020 nearly half of all employment will be for highly skilled roles.’ Worldwide, the number of high-level jobs that require postgraduate qualifications is growing by roughly 75% per year, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). At home, all this means less influence in our society for ordinary British people. As Gary Bell, a man from a working class background who is now a QC specialising in criminal defence, put it in the Guardian yesterday: 'The chances I had just aren't there for deprived young people today.' When Labour introduced university fees and the student loan (as opposed to the grant), Ken Livingston famously accused the Blairites of 'whipping away the ladder that they themselves had climbed.' Of the Tories' current policy, Bell added that: 'The ladder has now been not just whipped away but burned.' The Government is currently considering providing a postgraduate loan for the 2016/17 academic year. However, this loan has already been rejected by six Russell-Group Universities for the following reasons: 1. The loan will be a maximum of £10,000. This figure is lower than the costs of many postgraduate courses and will not provide living costs, even if it covers the course fees. It therefore greatly discourages lower income students - the very problem such loans should be set up to avoid. 2. The rate of repayment is set at 9% on earnings over £21,000. This is the same repayment rate as the undergraduate loans, but they will be paid CONCURRENTLY. Therefore the real figure for almost all students will be 18%. When you add income tax and national security to this, a person with a postgraduate qualification earning £24,000 will end up taking home around £12,000. This figure is only fractionally above minimum wage and, like the minimum, is not sustainable for the vast majority of people. 3. The loan is only available to people under the age of 30. Not only does this rule out the option for any professionals who desire a change of career, but it makes it even more unlikely that people will have time to apply by the time they have paid off their undergraduate loan. We’re looking for the 100,000 signatures required to force the MPs to debate this issue in The House of Commons. Our goal is to make campaigns such as this one unnecessary in future. In the meantime it's up to us to build a fairer society together. THANK YOU in advance. Please SIGN AND SHARE!

Last month the government slashed and axed green energy subsidies because no money was left. But now the government is pushing full steam ahead with £17 BILLION subsidies for untested nuclear reactor at Hinkley. How can there be on rule for green energy and another for nuclear energy? If there is no money for green energy how can there be BILLIONS for nuclear? If there’s no money left why are we committing to subsidising a deal that’s been called as “economically insane” by city analysts and “one of the worst deals ever for British households and British industry” by Lord Howell, the pro-nuclear’ former Tory Energy Secretary. Agree with me that paying billions of pounds for nuclear energy is wrong? Please sign the petition now. There have been safety concerns over Hinkley. Two plants in Finland and France which use the same design, have been plagued with construction delays, spiralling costs and design flaws. Hinkley is under attack from not just from campaigners and community but also from one of our biggest banks. A report from HSBC on 2nd August 2015 warned that the massive cost was the new nuclear power plant was ‘becoming harder to justify.’ HSBC concluded: ‘We see ample reason for the UK Government to delay or cancel the project.’ The Hinkley deal is so outrageous and over-subsidised (£17 Billion), that ten green energy firms from Germany and Austria launched a legal challenge against it last month. Let’s not lavish the nuclear energy with billions of pounds while we’re cutting back from renewable energy because apparently the piggy bank is empty. The chorus of disapproval growing and if 38 Degrees members add our voice we could force the government to bin this bonkers plan.

The recent scandal involving Lord Sewel has highlighted the fact that peers can claim a £300 allowance for sitting in the Upper Chamber. Surely this level of subsidy is the real scandal here!