The cost to charge an electric vehicle on the UK road system is often as high as filling a vehicle with fossil fuels, this is no encouragement to make the switch.  There is clear profiteering from the big players and this needs to be capped.

Project Play works with children at the border between France and the UK. In recent years, children have been telling us more and more about experiences of horrifying violence at the hands of the state. From tear gassing babies to confiscating toys and tents during brutal evictions, the actions of the police leave many children terrified and traumatised. Children also tell us about witnessing drowning, injury and death during attempts to cross the Channel. New reports from Humans For Rights Network and Project Play show that UK funding and policy is responsible for deaths at the border in Calais. The UK government has given at least £784 million to France since 2014 for border security. A group of French MPs have recently launched an inquiry into how joint UK-French funding has affected people’s lives there, and it’s time for the UK to do the same. In 2024 and 2025, 22 children lost their lives at the UK-France border. Their names were Abadeh, Mohamed, Roula, Sara, Abdelaziz, Mohammed, Ishannullah, Sablia, Meri, Mansur, Maryam, Salah, Agdad, and 8 unnamed children. Many more adults were also killed. In their memory, we must stop the cruel policy choices that led to their deaths.  People have to land on UK soil in order to claim asylum. UK policy has left people in Calais no choice other than to use dangerous methods to do this, because no safe and legal routes are provided. And, according to the French Interior Minister, 720 out of 1200 police officers patrolling the border daily - the ones treating children and babies with such inhumane violence - are funded by the UK. We need an urgent inquiry into how our funding and policy is causing deaths and trauma for people at our borders.  

We're sick of it. Sick of the lies, sick of the greed, and sick of a system rigged against us. This is a scandal and this dirty business must end. For more than 30 years water companies have put corporate greed and profit before public health and the environment.    Our privatised water system has failed.  Sewage pollution is making people sick, destroying livelihoods, and wrecking our environment. Whilst bills rise, water companies extract billions and fail to invest. Whilst they get rich, we get sick.  This is no accident. It was a choice. Since privatisation, the Government and regulators have looked the other way and let this scandal fester. Now our waters are some of the dirtiest in Europe.   After more than three decades of broken pipes, broken promises and a devastating human cost, your Government has pledged “once in a generation” plans to clean up the water industry. But in reality, your plans lock us into the privatised system where profit comes first and the public gets sick.    What are we calling for?     1. Public health must come first and profit from sewage pollution must end.   2. The Government must end the current privatised water industry.   3. The Government must take back control of water companies and restructure them, removing the profit motive, to ensure they operate for people and the environment. No option, including public ownership, should be off the table.  It’s time to end the profit-driven sewage scandal and put #PeopleBeforePayouts 

Stagecoach is stopping people from getting to places because people can't afford £3 for a bus that used to be £1

In our rural area there is almost no brown-field building land, so field after green field is going under concrete. Trees are being felled. The water table is higher than ever before. In the current climate conditions, houses are flooding, roads are flooding. Sewage is pouring across our streets and into play areas. And still we are forced to build more houses to meet impossible Government targets. We call for the Government to purchase local land and fund its conversion to Wetlands, to absorb and hold surface water, to reduce flooding, to slow the loss of biodiversity and form an environment where our increasingly cornered wildlife can thrive. 

Hens left to rot for days next to injured birds. Entire lives spent in a space not much bigger than an A4 sheet of paper – never seen the sun or felt the earth. Workers caught on camera kicking them, crushing their necks, and tossing them into crates like rubbish. That’s still the cruel reality for 7 million hens locked in cages across the UK. Now, we have a unique opportunity to end this industrial-scale torture: the Government has proposed ending the use of cages for British hens, and they have launched an official consultation to ask the public if we support a ban. But big farming lobbyists are fighting back hard to delay the transition. We are so close to ending this suffering – we can’t let the egg industry derail it now. We only have a hours left to flood the consultation with our voices, and give the Secretary of State a powerful public mandate to stand up to the mega-farms. Please sign this petition to ban cages for British hens, and share it far and wide – every name added will be submitted to the official consultation. Affordable food doesn’t have to come at the cost of animal welfare. In fact, major UK supermarkets and household brands have already switched to cage-free eggs – from Co-op to Sainsbury's, and from Heinz to Hellmann's. Now the government needs to catch up with these industry leaders and create a level playing field: protecting our farmers from being undercut by low-welfare eggs, and ensuring that British shelves are cruelty-free. Sign this petition and share it. Let’s flood the consultation with our voices — and bring an end to the cage age.

Sadly, it has come to my attention that after over four decades of the Ridings Shopping Centre being here, it will be demolished. The once vibrant, hustle and bustle of busy shops and shoppers alike is soon to be nothing but a distant memory, to be forgotten as if it were never there to begin with. It’s hard to understand why this happening. It’s not only the shop owners that are being thrown out on their ear but also the individuals, single mums and the families with their children, living in the flats above. These poor people were barely given a day’s notice before this was announced. No indication of re-homing, temporary accommodation, nothing, just a cold harsh black and white neatly typed generic letter with no remorse, compassion or feeling of regret with what is about to happen to these people.   It’s hard to think that a place that for so long had given people warmth and safety from the harsh weather, not to mention being part of our local heritage, will just be destroyed for no good reason. It is a safe place for people to raise their children. A place where people can meet their friends for coffees, go see a movie, shopping spree or do their usual groceries. A place that did not discriminate based on age, ethnicity or wealth. There was always something for everyone. I remember walking through the Ridings not so long ago, spending time and money at the craft fayres; and just genuinely enjoying myself a long with my friends. Imagining what interesting things I could buy them for Christmas, trying unique ethnic foods from all over the world. But, in the next two years it will be destroyed and become nothing but an eye sore.  My friend overheard a disabled girl say “Where can I go when this is no longer here? I feel safe because it’s indoors”. It’s sad to say it will soon be no longer indoors, it will be exposed, open space and houses replacing the ones already there. No more safe, warm shelter for the disabled, the elderly or those suffering with anxiety in this location. Not everyone likes or can handle open spaces like we already have at the Trinity Shopping Centre, myself included.   I must admit that I have a nagging thought running through my head. Where are the shop owners going to go if they can’t relocate? What will happen to the employees of the shops? Unemployment is already bad enough without hundreds of people and dozens of businesses closing because, “we want to build more homes in this location, even though we already have some”. People go to these shops, support these businesses, which in turn employ people because they are central, somewhere familiar, easy access for people in wheelchairs, etc. now they will be scattered all over the place. Not everyone can walk or drive to numerous locations all around Wakefield to visit the places they are used to going, a journey that could take less than two minutes between shops, could now take hours, assuming they are able to.   It feels like this is more about a huge organisation making money out of the taxpayer, than supporting small businesses and people. Almost feels like an oxymoron kicking people out of their homes to make new ones they don’t need or can’t immediately be moved into. Who are these homes to be made for? I have heard, it won’t be the current tenants. They say this project will take between ten to fifteen years to complete. It starts in 2028. Roughly, two years from now, the safe, warm place, this thriving business location, this home. It won't be there anymore.   I understand that it may look a little tired and weathered. Surely it would be more cost effective to revamp, freshen up the place, rather than destroy it. May even be worth restoring it back to its former glory. Some people have said the black and gold of the eighties did make it look like it you were visiting a glamorous American Mall straight out of the movies. But is this a bad thing? I believe its design was based on something like this? Some people don’t always like ultra modern, some people like nostalgia. It's surely more cost effective to breathe some new life in to the place and bring hope and optimism to people and businesses alike.   How far will people take this? What is next for the chopping board in our historical Wakefield? What other part of our heritage is to be dismantled so a corporate organisation can make a few quid? The Hepworth? Cathedral? The Rugby grounds we are so famous for?   The Ridings is our Meadow Hall, our White Rose, our Bloomingdale’s.  Please help keep our Heritage and sign this petition. 

The Home Office has arbitrarily decided that dual British citizens can no longer enter the UK without a valid British passport from 25th February 2026. This rule change has come like a bolt from the blue, with thousands of people unaware they are about to be locked out of their own country. I only learned about this from a newspaper article while visiting family in France. My British passport expired three months ago, and because of this sudden deadline and travelling on my French passport, I have been left scrambling to find a way home. It is bureaucracy gone mad. Now, British citizens without a current British passport need to pay a £589 fee for a "certificate of entitlement" just to get home. Lots of people are potentially affected by this ruling, some of whom might be currently abroad or do not have time to renew passports before the deadline. Even if you are not affected, you will know someone who is. We are asking the Home Office to stop this chaos, delay the deadline, and ensure British citizens are not penalised for having dual nationality.

Calgary Bay, situated on the beautiful Scottish Island of Mull, is one of the most picturesque spots in the country. This iconic beach is not just a haven for locals and visitors, but it is also home to myriad wildlife species. Beyond its natural beauty, the bay holds significant cultural and historical value. The connection between Calgary Bay and Calgary, Alberta, Canada is profound. It was in 1876 that Colonel James Macleod visited the bay and was so inspired by its stunning landscape that he proposed the name 'Calgary' for a new fort being established in Alberta. Calgary Bay's name and beauty went on to inspire the naming of what has become one of Canada's major cities. Despite its cultural, historical, and ecological importance, Calgary Bay is now facing the threat of irreversible change from proposed development plans. The untouched landscape, which has remained largely pristine through the years, is at risk of being marred by construction. The development plans could jeopardize the delicate balance of the local ecosystem and undermine the very essence of this treasured location. Preserving Calgary Bay is paramount not only for maintaining its natural beauty but also for safeguarding its role as a critical habitat for wildlife. Development in the area could severely disrupt the flora and fauna that depend on this unique landscape.  It is also a key visitor attraction for the island, supporting a fragile rural economy. Immediate action is needed to protect Calgary Bay from development, so that current and future generations can enjoy its tranquil beauty and learn about its historical significance. This is a call to ask the Council's Planning Committee to consider plans that threaten this invaluable site very carefully. Please join us in urging decision-makers to prioritise conservation and livelihoods of islanders over construction. Let the legacy of Calgary Bay continue to inspire and captivate those who visit. Public support is key in protecting the bay and getting this unwelcome planning application refused.  By signing this petition, you are confirming your objection to the proposed development reference 26/00126/PP.   Thank you!

Protecting Children’s Safety Children are less able to judge vehicle speed and distance accurately, and they can act unpredictably near roads. Lower vehicle speeds significantly reduce both the likelihood of a collision and the severity of injuries if one occurs. At 20mph, drivers have more time to react, and stopping distances are considerably shorter than at 30mph. 2. Reducing the Severity of Injuries Research consistently shows that pedestrians struck at 20mph are far more likely to survive than those hit at higher speeds. Even a small reduction in average speed can make a substantial difference in injury outcomes. 3. Improving Crossing Opportunities Traffic calming measures—such as raised tables, speed cushions, clearer signage, or pedestrian crossings—slow vehicles consistently rather than relying solely on signage. This makes it easier and safer for children, parents, and staff to cross the road, particularly during busy drop-off and pick-up times. 4. Encouraging Walking and Cycling A safer road environment encourages more families to walk or cycle to school. This reduces congestion at peak times, improves air quality, and promotes healthier lifestyles. 5. Supporting the Wider Community Lower speeds create a calmer, more community-focused environment. They reduce noise, increase driver awareness, and make the area feel safer for all residents—not just during school hours. 6. Aligning with Best Practice Many local authorities now implement 20mph zones around schools as standard road safety practice, recognising the heightened risk in areas with high child pedestrian activity. Overall, introducing a 20mph limit and appropriate traffic calming measures outside Cockshutt School is a proactive, preventative step that prioritises child safety, reduces risk, and supports the wellbeing of the whole community.

The current measles outbreaks are unnecessary & preventable.

For instance the interest rates they charge are always above the bank rate, why?  When the person who took out the equity release passes the company takes the property, sells it and pockets the money which more than compensates for their original outlay. It’s immoral, unfair and something needs to be done. Equity Release is initially a good way of getting much needed funding but once you have the funds you are virtually worthless. There must be a better way a more fairer way so that people who have invested their whole lives into a property hoping to leave something behind for their children and grandchildren. Please support this petition by signing and sending it to as many people as you can. Thankyou Perhaps you know someone. A parent or a friends parent who have taken equity release to help in getting much needed funding and end up with nothing to show for their lifetime working. Please support this campaign