The forthcoming government cuts to the Science Museum Group's (SMG) annual funding will have a massive impact on the daily running of four of the UK's most visited Museums. Led by the Science Museum in London, the SMG also includes the National Railway Museum in York and the National Media Museum in Bradford. Ian Blatchford, Director of the Science Museum Group has stated that a further 10% cut in funding in the next round of government spending proposals meant "almost certainly" one museum would shut. BBC News - Science Museum Group says cuts put museums at risk: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22781573 Revealing interview with Ian Blatchford on Radio 4's The World at One: http://audioboo.fm/boos/1433319-science-museum-director-ian-blatchford-on-the-world-at-one-bbc-radio-4 The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) is a unique, world-class visitor destination and delivers a range of inspiring events, exhibitions and galleries. In the month of February 2013 alone, after a truly visionary upgrade to its exhibitions, it attracted over 100,000 visitors, some of whom were schoolchildren from schools in the poorest wards in the country. MOSI gives visitors a rare opportunity to experience many world firsts, including a replica of the world's first computer, working cotton machinery, a tour of the Victorian sewers, a power hall containing steam engines and an interactive Science exhibition for hands-on learning. The closure of MOSI would be a huge loss to the heritage of a city which was at the heart of the Industrial Revolution and would have consequences for the cultural, economic and tourism offer of the City and the Region.

East Sussex County Council want to build a link road from Bexhill to Hastings to regenerate the local area. On both counts, they are misguided. A landmark study from the University of Toronto (The Fundamental Law of Road Congestion: Evidence from US cities, 2010), showed that building more roads (or widening existing ones) leads to more traffic. The more roads you build, the more cars you have. And with cars comes more noise, more congestion, and more CO2. Indeed the Department of Transport has gone on record to say that the new road will be a significant producer of carbon emissions. But that’s not all. The new road will border Combe Haven nature reserve - disrupting wildlife and adding noise and pollution to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This is bad for animals, and humans who want to enjoy the outdoors. And it will destroy the original site of the battle of hastings. And it’s been assessed as number 39 in the 40 priority road schemes in the country We don’t need this road. We call on East Sussex County Council to stop this project and invest in quieter, cleaner, more equitable public transport. Not only will this reduce congestion much more effectively, it will improve access for everyone, just just those with cars.

The forthcoming government cuts to the Science Museum Group's (SMG) annual funding will have a massive impact on the daily running of four of the UK's most visited Museums. Led by the Science Museum in London, the SMG also includes the National Railway Museum in York, the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester and the National Media Museum in Bradford. Ian Blatchford, Director of the Science Museum Group has stated that a further 10% cut in funding in the next round of government spending proposals meant "almost certainly" one museum would shut. Out of the four Museums the National Media Museum in Bradford has the least visitors annually and is the most at risk to closure. BBC News - Science Museum Group says cuts put museums at risk: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22781573 Revealing interview with Ian Blatchford on Radio 4's The World at One: http://audioboo.fm/boos/1433319-science-museum-director-ian-blatchford-on-the-world-at-one-bbc-radio-4 The National Media Museum is a unique, world-class visitor destination and constantly delivers a range of inspiring events, exhibitions and galleries in one of the poorest Cities in the UK. The Museum gives visitors a rare opportunity to experience many world firsts and is home to over 3 million objects that track the history of photography, film, animation, television and videogames. The film and festival programme is an exciting offer that welcomes many award-winning filmmakers and artists to the UK. The Museum is the heart of the cultural community in Bradford and its closure would have truly tragic consequences for the cultural, economic and tourism offer of the City and the Region. The National Media Museum may have fewer visitors when compared to its family members in Manchester, York and London but at more than 500,000 visits in 2012 the Bradford attraction is still a popular visitor destination. There is no other public building in the UK that offers this combination of free galleries, temporary exhibitions, cinemas, events and workshops for all types of audiences - schools, families, students, community groups, photographers, film and television lovers, historians and enthusiasts - we can't lose this British gem of an institution. 2013 marks the 30th anniversary of the National Media Museum. Millions of visitors have benefited from the heritage, knowledge and inspiration found within its walls. Don't let this institution close and allow these opportunities slip away from future generations. The aim of this petition is not to ask to save the National Media Museum and close another Museum within the SMG. All of the SMG institutions are vital to their Cities and area of expertise. The aim of this campaign is to highlight the individual support for the National Media Museum and Bradford and urge the government to not allow any of the Museums in the SMG to close their doors. The Bradford Telegraph & Argus newspaper also has their own petition to help save the National Media Museum. We have agreed to pool both petitions together so don't worry about which one to sign. We're both pulling in the same direction. And of course, as well as signing these petitions the best way to show your support is to pay the Museum a visit in the next few weeks. Visitor figures are its life blood. http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/

I wish to debate with Michael Gove because he is all too ready to rubbish teaching and teachers, yet seldom does he stand toe to toe and listen to the genuine concerns that classroom practitioners have. Please support me in my drive to try and get Michael Gove into the arena of public debate. I am only one teacher, working as hard as I can. I only want to be listened to by the Secretary of State for Education. Is that too much to ask?

In times of austerity, the Queen should not be exempt from the cuts that affect people with far less money than she has. We're constantly being told by the government that we are "all in this together", however it seems that in every reform it's always the poorest who are hit the hardest. This year the queen was given a £5 million "pay rise" after a new system of paying the monarchy came into force.Apparently she owns all of OUR country's sea-shore! Meaning that she gets "royalties" for EVERY type of energy -oil,gas,wind,wave, - that crosses HER shoreline.Her annual tax-free government grant has been set at £36.1 million for 2013/14 and will rise accordingly every year. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/queen-handed-pay-rise-5-1806123 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1323228/Queens-38m-year-offshore-windfarm-windfall--owns-seabed.html The queen is estimated to be worth about £17 Billion - much of it made through wars around the world and the arms trade: in other words, she Profits from Human suffering - as all her ancestors have since 1066 A.D. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm6P5sDXs3k Yet at the same time people across this country are struggling to cope as the bedroom tax makes it harder and harder to make ends meet each month. The queen should pay the bedroom tax on her hundreds and hundreds of ornate and unused bedrooms - as a sign that we really are all in this together. Since I first instigated this Petition, we have had to pay 'William and Kate's decoration Expenses at Kensington Palace and also the increased Security Costs for the ever extending royal family Also, queenie has just been granted £76,000,000 for repairs at 'buck hice' (you and I will have to make do with Ikea and Homebase). I had to pay £120 per hour in order to gain MY pilot's Licence. I wonder how much Wills and Harry and Charlie and Stavros (Philips nickname in aristocratic circles) had to pay to get theirs'

In 1913 Emily Davison ran in front of the King's horse and was killed, in what was probably the most historically memorable event of the movement for Women's Suffrage. Emily Davison should be remembered, as should all women who campaigned for women's suffrage in the early 20th Century. The place where she made her stand should carry her name so that her sacrifice will always be remembered

E-petition: Save 1,500 healthy trees in Trafford Trafford Council plans to destroy 1500 healthy, mature trees at a cost of £1500 each. Here is the proof: http://snipurl.com/277kq1q (perhaps predictably, this page no longer exists, but we do have the original document if anyone wishes to see it.) And after local campaigners referred to a page on the Council’s website called The Benefits of Trees, the Council swiftly removed it from their website. We, the undersigned, believe that this is a terrible waste of £2.25 million of public money, destroying trees at a time when the nation’s nature and wildlife is suffering due to our lack of care as a society, and because of short-sighted policies such as this. Trees add value to our homes and neighbourhoods, provide habitat for birds and insects, and it is proven that they increase our health and wellbeing. They also provide valuable protection from pollution - protection that cannot be achieved by tiny saplings. Therefore, we demand that Trafford Council: (1) Urgently reviews its tree policy and pledges to keep healthy trees in place, unless they are demonstrably dangerous. (2) Reinstates the page on their website which outlines The Benefits of Trees. Relevant links: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/may/21/uk-species-struggling-wildlife http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/22609000 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22671186 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/21/trees-linked-with-human-h_n_2505267.html http://www.keeptraffordgreenandclean.co.uk/trafford-council-the-benefits-of-trees/ LATEST NEWS [8th June 2013]: The Council have been asked about this by a reporter from the Stretford & Urmston Advertiser and are denying that they want to chop down 1,500 trees. Here is the link to the document which gives that figure and which also states that it costs £1,500 per destroyed tree: http://snipurl.com/277kq1q Let's see how long THAT document remains in place! We have downloaded a copy just in case... (it's entitled "Trafford Council Tree Management Policy")

I am one of the B.E.S.T. petition team. For years, I suffered severe anxiety, poor health and suffered infertility as a result of doctors not diagnosing me with Graves disease. Even after my condition was recognised, I received appalling treatment. I was given unnecessary Radioactive Iodine treatment, which resulted in a range of unpleasant side effects. It took me five years to find an informed GP and Endocrinologist to provide me with the T3 hormone treatment, which now means I can live a normal life in mostly stable health. I consider myself one of the lucky ones. Huge numbers of people are being left to suffer severe, debilitating symptoms because thyroid and related autoimmune and adrenal dysfunctions are not being diagnosed or treated. Not enough of our GPs and endocrinologists are versed in these issues. For example, Eric Pritchard MSc has just recently written a paper that estimates 300,000 UK sufferers are on the wrong medication: http://tpauk.com/news/8639-medical-negligence-within-endocrinology-are-you-a-victim-- Tens of thousands of sufferers are being prescribed anti-depressants and other unnecessary drugs. Many are left unable to work and are forced to exist on state benefits. Medical practitioners are not being correctly trained to deal with these disorders which are affecting a huge number of people and costing the state millions as a result of misdiagnosis and incorrect treatments. There are hundreds of websites and support groups throughout the world dedicated to these conditions, with sufferers pouring out their stories of how long it has taken to be diagnosed, or receive the correct diagnosis, or receive the correct treatment: http://tpauk.com/ and http://www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/index.html are UK based. A worldwide organisation is http://www.thyroidchange.org/evidence.html Despite the thousands of daily posts and cries for help on these sites, endocrinology seems to neither listen, nor act. The specific reasons for the petition and particulars of the review we require are here http://tinyurl.com/knh5dpp Ultimately, we are calling for the education and training of medical practitioners to be urgently improved so that diagnosis and treatment of these conditions is effective. A timely and radical review would be welcomed by an increasingly knowledgeable and empowered public, as well as by those doctors currently struggling to provide what they know to be the most appropriate treatment for their patients. WE NEED OUR HEALTH BACK.

Without statutory regulation (SR) of herbalists patient choice and safety are at risk. As a result of recent changes to European Medicines law, herbalists must be authorized health professionals (by being statutorily regulated) to continue supplying a range of herbal medicines that have been in use for decades. Now, because of the delay in granting SR, many patients are now without the herbs that they have come to rely on. This is driving some people to purchase herbal medicines from unsafe internet herbal sites without advice from a qualified practitioner. SR will enable the public to consult properly trained practitioners rather than back-street traders. Without SR well-regulated degree level courses are under threat as the future of herbal medicine is uncertain. The loss of a wide range of herbal medicines means many practitioners are struggling to maintain their livelihoods or have been forced to stop practising. In addition, many herbal suppliers are being driven out of business or are making staff redundant. Why the delay? There is no adequate explanation. A promise is a promise! Grant herbalists SR now!

Ilford police ran co-ordinated raids on homeless people in Redbridge on the night of the 23rd of May. One of the men targeted, Adam Jaskowiak, reported that the police swooped in on the group he was sheltering with, bundling all their belongings into the back of a car: “They were just taking the sleeping bags and chucking out everything. I asked to keep it and the food, but they said ‘no’. I just grabbed as many of my things as possible and put them into a bag and ran.” Ilford chief inspector John Fish has been quoted as follows:- "The public rely on police to reduce the negative impact of rough sleepers.' This strongly suggests that Chief Inspector John Fish sees Rough Sleepers as something other than 'the public', and the actions of the Ilford Metropolitan Police, in confiscating these items, are surely the most despicable form of bullying - taking from those who have nothing. Indeed, Chief Inspector Fish states, with no apparent regret, that:- 'This includes the need for us to assist in the removal of temporary structures, tents, and bedding from public spaces and other inappropriate locations.' It is reported that nine of the men were taking refuge in the former Ilford Baths - do Chief Inspector John Fish and the Metropolitan Police realise that rough sleeping is not a lifestyle choice? Where would they suggest these men sleep? The police claimed they carried out this raid in the name of public. Well, we are the public - so let’s show them this isn’t what they want. Sign the petition now and help make sure nothing like this ever happens again.

Three judges have ruled that the procedure currently used by the Department for Work and Pension ( the Work Capability Assessment) to decide whether people are eligible for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) substantially disadvantages people with mental health problems, learning disabilities and autism. The judgement is the result of a judicial review. The charities Rethink Mental Illness, Mind and The National Autistic Society intervened in the case to provide evidence based on the experiences of their members and supporters. Under the current system, evidence from a professional such as a GP or social worker is expected to be provided by people themselves. There is no obligation for the DWP to collect this evidence, even on behalf of the most vulnerable claimants, apart from in some rare cases. Seeking evidence can be very challenging for people with mental health problems, learning disabilities or autism whose health or condition can make it hard for them to understand or navigate the complex processes involved in being assessed. As a result, those who need support the most are frequently being assessed without this important evidence being taken into account. It was ruled that the Department must do more to ensure this sort of evidence is collected and taken into account. This means the current procedure for the WCA puts some groups at a substantial disadvantage. The Department of Work and Pensions will not I believe willingly abolish or revise the Work Capability Assessment unless enough pressure is brought to bear upon then to do so. By signing this petition you will help three very vulnerable groups of people in our society achieve some fairness in a matter which greatly affects their lives.

Independent midwives are fully registered and regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and choose to practice outside the NHS in order to provide continuity of care during pregnancy, birth and post-natally. They are valued by women who seek their support and better maternity outcomes that continuity of care provides. Independent midwives often care for women who have had traumatic experiences in previous pregnancies. For many women, this is an absolute priority. Women must be able to choose where, how and with whom they give birth. Some women have said that if they cannot choose an independent midwife, they would rather give birth alone. We know this is not safe. We are concerned that midwives may be go underground or that women may seek the services of untrained birth attendants. Our midwives also provide vital support to the NHS. Trusts call on the support of their local Independent Midwives when they do not have the skills available. We also relieve pressure on the system when women opt out of NHS care, saving an estimated £10-13 million per year with just 170 midwives. With 2000 expressions of interest from midwives to become independent we could potentially save the NHS in the region of £100 million pounds per annum. From October 2013 thousands of women could be denied this ‘gold standard’ midwifery care as independent midwives have not been able to obtain the insurance cover required by EU law. The Government has promised to support us in finding a solution and has said that independent Midwives should continue to book women who are due to give birth after October but no action has yet been taken. You can find out more about the current situation regarding independent midwifery in the U.K in this recent R4 ‘Woman’s Hour’ programme: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01s8qxc You can read more about the history and background to this situation here: http://www.birthrights.org.uk/2013/02/the-end-of-independent-midwifery-consultation-launched-into-mandatory-insurance-for-midwives/ Independent midwives Facebook campaign page here: https://www.facebook.com/ChooseYourMidwife