‘SHOCKING: WATER COMPANIES WANT YOU TO PAY MORE TO CLEAN UP THEIR MESS. [1]
Water companies have APOLOGISED for sewage spilling into our rivers and seas, and announced that they would FINALLY proceed with the upgrades we have been demanding – to the tune of £10 billion. [2]
But that’s not the whole story!
It was also revealed that we – their customers – will be footing the bill. [3] Then, to add insult to injury, these same companies are still planning to give out shareholder dividends of £14.7 billion from our increased bills at the same time. [4] It’s an outrage!
Thankfully, this has yet to be approved by Ofwat, the water regulator, and we have some time to show these companies how strongly the public is against these plans. If we get thousands of signatures on a petition demanding no bonuses for CEOs or dividends for shareholders, we can pressure them to put a stop to this unjust system – and take responsibility for cleaning up their mess once and for all.
So, David, if you think water companies should be footing this bill and not us – their customers – add your name to this petition today:click the button below and your name will be added automatically.
No bonuses or dividends while you hike our bills to clean up the mess you made.Why is this important?Although the announcement of investment in our sewer network is welcome – your customers cannot be expected to foot the bill.The lack of investment and funding since water companies went private is not the public’s fault and therefore the onus to fix this should not be on us. And we definitely shouldn’t be paying a penny more for as long as shareholders and executives are still getting bonuses and dividends.SignedThousands of your customers
Our pressure is working but we cannot take our foot off the pedal. Sign the petition below and demand water companies stop this bill hike if shareholders are still being paid.Click the button below and your name will be added automatically.
I’ve signed it, because I strongly believe that it’s outrageous that customers should be charged for cleaning up the mess solely so that the companies can keep their boosted profits for their shareholders and senior staff, and I hope you’ll sign too.
‘David, energy prices are falling but we’re still paying DOUBLE what we were in 2020.
This means the average household will fork out over £2,074 each year for gas and electricity. [1] At the same time, thousands of families are buckling under £3.6 BILLION energy debt from simply trying to stay warm last winter. [2] It’s clear: the system is broken.
BUT, we have a rare chance to fix this: right now MPs are debating laws to overhaul our energy system. [3] It’s an unmissable opportunity to force the Government to commit to long-term solutions that will prevent families being punished by sky-high costs. But it’ll take us fighting together to make them listen.
We need to move fast. Some MPs are pushing the Government to use this moment to end forced prepayment meter installations and make sure more of us can insulate our leaky, cold homes. But they’ll only win if there’s a tidal wave of public support. [4]
So, David, will you sign our petition and call for the Government to commit to long term solutions to the energy crisis?It only takes 30 seconds to sign.
Time is ticking as the Government’s Energy Bill goes through Parliament, so we need to urgently get all MPs to support two things:
Making sure no-one gets their energy supply cut off if they can’t top up their meter, by ending forced transfers to prepayment meters.
Helping households stay warm by raising minimum energy efficiency standards of private rented sector homes so they are better insulated.
We don’t have long, David, but we know no one else can quickly ramp up the pressure like we can. Thousands of us recently piled pressure on the Government and forced them to make vital reforms to the private rental market – after FOUR YEARS of delays! [5] We made our voices impossible to ignore, and we can do it again.
So, David, will you help raise the pressure on MPs to back vital reforms to our broken energy system?It only takes 30 seconds to sign.
Hundreds of civilians have been killed on the streets of the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, as rival military factions fight for control. [1] As the violence escalates, hundreds of people have been evacuated by the UK to safety but many more still remain. [2]
This includes at least 74 NHS doctors who are being turned away from evacuation flights, despite having a UK Visa, because only UK passport holders are being let on board. [3] NHS doctors are being told to “make their own way” to the UK. [4] And there are many more people in Sudan who currently live and work in the UK that are also being denied.
This treatment is leaving these doctors feeling “betrayed” by the country they have given so much to – especially during the pandemic. [5] And with things moving so fast on the ground in Sudan right now – we have to act NOW to get these people to safety.
So David, if you think those with UK Visas who live and work in this country should be evacuated from Sudan, can you sign the petition today? For every 1000 signatures, we’ll send an email to the Foreign Office letting them know how many people are demanding they do the right thing. It will only take a few seconds:
I’ve signed the petition, because I think it is absolutely disgraceful that valued and needed NHS doctors, who have valid visas but not passports, should be abandoned to fend for themselves in the fighting. If you feel the same way I do, please sign it as well.
Here’s another internet petition about the scandal of Rishi Sunak not disclosing that his wife has a financial interest in a childcare company that may benefit from government spending in this year’s budget. I’ve had no problem signing it because I’m sick of ministers and government officials breaking these regulations about conflicts of interest again and again, particularly under the present succession of Tory prime ministers. Although Major’s and Blair’s administrations were also mired in copious amounts of sleaze.
‘BREAKING NEWS: Rishi Sunak is under investigation, after it emerged his wife holds shares in a childcare agency that could benefit from a spending pledge in last month’s budget. [1]
Authorities are looking into whether the PM’s declaration of interest was “open and frank”, after he failed to disclose it to a parliamentary committee. [2] Instead, he sent a letter afterwards, saying his wife’s interest was declared and the register of Ministers’ Interests would be out ‘shortly’. But shockingly it’s almost a year (and three Prime Ministers) since the last register was published. [3]
David, it’s time we sent a clear message: the British public demands transparency from our leaders. If thousands of us reading this add our names to a giant petition, we can show the PM we’re all watching and waiting – and that we’ll keep the pressure on until the updated register of Ministers’ Interests is finally published.
So David, will you sign the petition demanding the Prime Minister urgently publishes the register of Ministers’ Interests?It only takes 30 seconds to sign and for every 500 signatures we’ll send a message to Rishi Sunak’s inbox!
There’ve been many big weeks in UK politics lately, but this one was a belter. The biggest news, obviously, is that Boris Johnson embarrassed himself on live television, dealing a possibly fatal blow to his chances of returning as Tory leader (fingers crossed). But our joint campaign against voter ID also made strides this week, creating national buzz around the misguided policy.
Boris Johnson’s defence – which we outlined in our last blast – imploded spectacularly for the whole world to see, as the privileges committee picked away at his bluster and obfuscation. Johnson entered the committee room masquerading as a statesman, pretending to be serious and sombre. But that facade quickly crumbled, revealing the arrogant and entitled schoolboy that’s been there all along.
This was the critical moment when the mask fell off. After an hour of trying to paint the committee as partisan, he lost his cool at Sir Bernard Jenkins’ line of questioning:
Johnson’s case – that he accidentally misled the house in “good faith” – just doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. On the basis of what we saw yesterday, it’s entirely possible the privileges committee will find that he intentionally misled Parliament. If they don’t, it’s almost impossible to imagine them not finding him guilty of doing so recklessly. We’ll have to wait for their final report, but it’s not looking good for the disgraced former PM.
Looking ahead to May elections and the next general election, our joint voter ID campaign also made strides this week. We, alongside other organisations committed to fair elections, displayed a giant map showing how many people across the country could lose their vote as a result of the unjustified and rushed restrictions put in place.
Twenty Parliamentarians attended, and members of our coalition made our case on Good Morning Britain, local BBC news stations and in nearly 200 local newspapers. That coverage sparked some heated debate on TV and on social media and the government’s voter ID website showed a noticeable spike in applications (the second-highest daily total ever, though still not high enough to ensure everyone has their vote in May).
We’re working hard to dispel the myths about voter ID: people say that it’s not going to reduce participation, that it’s needed to stop voter fraud, and that the free voter ID certificate solves everything. Here’s the truth:We’ve had more PMs in the last five years than cases of voter fraud – and the government’s own data shows that it’s going to cut people out of democracy.
Even one voter turned away in May is too many. If we want to finally put an end to the era of politicians like Boris Johnson – who lie nonstop to the nation, commit crimes, and dodge accountability at every turn – we can’t start by locking people out. The Elections Act 2022, which mandates voter ID, was just one small part of Boris Johnson’s overarching plan to mould Britain into his own image and take power away from everyday people.
We’re claiming our victories for this week, but the road ahead is long and hard. There’s much more to be done. Johnson, greased piglet that he is, may yet slip out of this one.
If you want to help us keep the pressure on him, add your name to the 26,000 people who’ve already signed our StopBoris petition, or click the button below to boost the campaign activities we’ll carry out in the event that privileges committee sanctions force Johnson to face a recall process and possible by-election.
I got this email from the internet petitioning organisation 38 Degrees yesterday. They are launching a pin as part of their campaign against the Tory privatisation of the NHS. They say it’s free, but they’re asking for donations to fund the campaign. I don’t object to this as it is in a very, very good cause and have donated and ordered one for myself.
‘David, we’re planning the next steps of our NHS anti-privatisation campaign and we need your help.
Since we launched our petition warning the Government not to listen to the likes of Sajid Javid and Ken Clarke’s ideas on charging the sick for being sick, over 103,000 of us have added our names. [1] Thanks to you, our strength is growing.
Over the next few weeks, we want to drive home this message to the Government: don’t you dare privatise our NHS! And together we’ve come up with the perfect plan. Thousands of us said we’d help shine a spotlight on the issue by wearing a pro-NHS pin in a recent survey. [2] So, we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to make it happen.
Now, here’s the exciting bit – we’ve designed a striking limited edition pin that we can all wear to send a clear message: the British public demand an end to the creeping privatisation of our NHS, and are proud of this cherished institution. We’ve already sourced a UK based ethical producer to bring this vision to life.
But if we’re going to send our pins to production on the scale needed, we’ll need your help. To do this, we need to raise £32,000. That’s a lot, but if just 3,721 of us chipped in an average donation of £8.60 today, we’d have the money we need to hit go right away!
So David, will you help us make this exciting plan a reality by chipping in today? After you donate, you can sign up to reserve your own pin.
Imagine walking along your high street – and seeing the people you pass wearing this pin with the same message as you. Our strength is in our numbers, David. No matter what the rich, powerful and connected might think, they won’t get away with charging for NHS services if we – the people who use it – fight back. And we could even get pro-NHS MPs to wear it too!
We know public pressure works. Last year we turned a disused ambulance into a huge advertising van and drove it across the country, while Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak battled it out to become our next PM. [3] In her first speech as Prime Minister, Liz Truss said the NHS was one of her top priorities. [4] And Rishi Sunak has been forced to promise he’ll bring down waiting lists. [5]
Together, we’ve held our politicians to account, and reminded them of how much ordinary people like us value our NHS. If tens of thousands of us show our support publicly, nothing will be able to stop us.
So, David, will you be one of the special people that helps make this happen by chipping in whatever you can afford today? After you donate, you can sign up to reserve your own pin.
PS: 38 Degrees is a campaigning organisation with a small office team and so doesn’t have the facilities of an online giant like Amazon. Please be patient with us after you make your order, we will try our best to get orders out to you as quickly as possible! To ensure as many households get a pack we’re limiting orders to one pack per household. Please also note, packs will not be shipped outside of the UK. You can find out more on our FAQs page here.
This is another petition from the internet democracy organisation I’ve got absolutely no problem signing. People are succumbing to addiction and suicide because of the industry. And I also remember how, back during Blair’s tenure of No. 10, there were briefly plans for gambling megacentres. One of them was going to be Blackpool, which was going to be Britain’s Las Vegas. These were mercifully dropped. Nevertheless, television and the internet are saturated with adverts for online gambling, there have been concerns about a specific type of one-armed bandit or something like it in betting shops and documentaries about the toll gambling addiction has taken in broken lives.
Content warning: this email contains mentions of suicide and addiction.
Dear David,
Four years. Five different ministers. And an estimated 1,600 deaths. [1] That’s how long it’s been since the Government announced they’d be drawing up plans to reform the gambling industry and make it safer. But delay after delay has stopped those plans being published – and with every delay comes real danger. [2]
But during these years of waiting Annie, who lost her husband to gambling related suicide, has worked tirelessly to ensure the Government publishes these plans. [3] They’re long overdue. In fact, the rules regulating the gambling industry haven’t been properly updated since before the smartphone was invented. [4]
There’s rumours that the report could finally be released early next month, but we’ve heard that before. This time, Annie is determined to make sure it happens. So she’s travelling to 10 Downing Street to hand in her petition calling on the Government to finally set out the action it’ll take to protect people affected by gambling.
Over 83,000 of us have already signed Annie’s petition. Will you sign the petition today and help Annie get to 100,000 signatures by Monday? We can’t all be with Annie in person, but we can lend her our names – and our support:
“The idea that he was being encouraged and rewarded for doing something that would potentially kill him is hard to swallow. If there had been interventions on the gambling sites, rather than incentives, then perhaps he would still be here… I don’t want what happened to Luke to happen to anyone else…The delays to the white paper mean there will be plenty more people suffering.” [5] – Annie
After struggling with gambling for years, Annie’s husband Luke was given “free bets” to encourage him to gamble during the pandemic. [6] If these gambling laws had been updated sooner – to stop inducements like free bets, to curb relentless advertising and ensure people don’t bet more than they can afford – hundreds of lives could’ve been saved.
Public Health England estimates there are more than 400 gambling-related suicides every year. [7] Every day another life is lost, another family is torn apart – and still the Government is delaying action to stop gambling suicides.
38 Degrees supporters – that’s people like you, reading this email – have forced the Government to clamp down on gambling giantsbefore. In 2018, we convinced the Government to reduce the maximum stake on betting machines in bookmakers from £100 to £2. [8] Together we can make them take action again.
So, will you sign Annie’s petition today and support her as she travels to Downing Street to deliver it in just a few days time?
P.S.: If you or anyone you know are struggling with gambling, you can get support at Gamcare or by calling 0808 8020 133.
P.P.S: Annie originally started her petition on the Government website but after 6 months all petitions there are shut down, unlike 38 Degrees. 38 Degrees petitions will remain active for as long as you need them. If you wish to start a petition today, please click here.
A few days ago I signed a 38 Degrees petition, as this says, sending a message to Sunak about the number of people on NHS waiting lists. They sent me this follow up message asking me to get on various other social media platforms, which I’m not on. However, I’m putting this up for anyone who is on them to send their personal message to our farcical Prime Minister.
‘David, you’re one of more than 33,000 of us who said you’re up for holding Rishi Sunak to account for delivering on his pledge to bring down NHS waiting times. [1] Thank you!
The latest figures – released this morning – revealed that 7.2 million patients are stuck on waiting lists in England alone. [2] It’s a notable INCREASE since the Prime Minister made his pledge a few weeks ago. [3] What’s worse, experts are warning that waiting times are unlikely to fall in 2023. [4]
It’s a step in the wrong direction and now it’s up to us to raise the alarm!
Together, we can make sure he knows we’re watching and demanding urgent action. Getting this message all over social media is a crucial step in piling on the pressure needed to force him into action.
So, David, will you share a message with your friends and family to demand the Prime Minister delivers on his pledge to bring down waiting times? Use the buttons below to spread the word:
I’ve just got this email from 38 Degrees requesting people to writer to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt asking him to abandon his opposition to the NHS workers’ demands for a pay rise. I’ve written an email as they’ve requested. If you also feel that our great medical professionals and the other staff deserve their rise, please feel free to do so as well.
David, today and tomorrow, nurses in England will be striking. [1] We know they don’t want to do this – but government inaction, pushing our NHS to breaking point, has left them with little choice.
The good news? Things might be swinging our way! Reports are emerging that the Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, is working with NHS unions to try and get more money for NHS staff. [2] But it’s also claimed Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt are refusing to budge. [3]
The Chancellor holds a HUGE amount of power over the purse strings. If we want him to stop dragging his heels, thousands of us need to speak up now.
David, you are one of 75,000 of us who signed the open letter in support of striking NHS workers. [4] If all of us bombard the Chancellor with messages telling him to listen to his colleagues, and invest in our nurses and NHS staff, we’ll be impossible to ignore. David, will you email the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, today to demand he ends his holdout and offers NHS workers a proper pay rise? It only takes a couple of minutes and there are some pointers to help you write your message.
Thanks to pressure from hundreds of thousands of 38 Degrees supporters, in 2021 we helped force the Government to triple its pay offer to NHS staff. [5] We can do it again, but only if thousands of us speak up together in support of striking NHS workers.
If you’ve never sent an email to an MP before, don’t worry, it’s easy and even a short message could make all the difference. Here are some tips for what you could say:
Share your story if you are an NHS patient: if you’re waiting for treatment and are happy to talk about this, it will be even more powerful.
If you work in the NHS, you could mention it – personalised stories will go a long away
Talk about why you back our NHS heroes: even if it’s a line or two, the Chancellor needs to know why the public are backing NHS staff
Remember to be polite: There’s a real person at the other end reading your email!
So, David, will you join in and send one of the thousands of emails landing in Jeremy Hunt’s inbox on the day NHS nurses go on strike? It only takes a couple of minutes and there are some pointers one the page to help you write your message
Okay, I caught just a few minutes of Keir Starmer’s speech on the lunchtime news, and for once he said something I agreed with. He announced that Labour would repeal the repressive anti-union legislation put in place by the Tories. The excellent Irish left-wing YouTuber, Maximilien Robespierre, however, has put up a short video warning and commenting on what Sunak intends to do about trade union militancy. Yup, as a Tory, he has no response except more draconian legislation and repression. Sunak has announced that he intends to pass legislation demanding that unions provide a minimum service during the strikes. If they don’t, then the employers can fire workers and sue the unions. He also wants to raise the minimum proportion of votes necessary to call a strike from 40 to 50 per cent and possibly to the increase the period in which the unions must notify their employers that they’re about to call one from 14 to 28 days. Robespierre has said that the stipulation for minimum services fails, because this is precisely what the ambulance drivers have been providing. He considers that Sunak has taken to make these threats because he expected that the public would turn against the strikers, and they haven’t. He also makes the point that the Brexiteers are now making it very clear that they want to tear up the legal protections for workers under the mantra that this will make the country more competitive. Oh yes, and repealing all that pesky human rights legislation will protect us from the channel migrants. Or something.
I’m right with Starmer on this issue, if he can be believed. And that’s the problem, because Starmer is untrustworthy. He said he would retain Corbyn’s policies when campaigning for the Labour leadership. He didn’t. He promised to unify the party, but carried on the vindictive campaign against Corbyn and his supporters. He was going to improve the welfare state, but once head of Labour a little while later he either watered them down or forgot them. And some of the anti-union legislation was introduced by his hero, Tony Blair. Right at the start of Blair’s leadership campaign he told the trade unions that if they didn’t accept his further restrictions on them, then the party would cut ties with them. I’d like Starmer to keep this promise, but am afraid that, once he gets in No. 10, he won’t.
Beastrabban\'s Weblog 