The BOLLOCKS TO BREXIT BUS will be in Brighton this Friday, December 14, 2018 from 2.50pm – 4.30pm, parked by the Sealife Centre on Madeira Drive, near the Palace Pier.
ORGANISED by EU Flag Mafia and supported by local Greens and Liberal Democrats, together with Brighton & Hove for EU and other pro-EU groups, the bus will be touring 50 destinations around the UK, Belgium and Ireland, engaging everyone in the conversation about Brexit and the benefits of remaining in the EU.
Many people feel disillusioned by Brexit and polls indicate up to 3 million Leavers have changed their mind since June 2016, which is their right in a democracy. The Bollocks to Brexit campaign asks everyone to write to their MPs, demanding a vote on the deal agreed between the Government and the EU, with an option to remain in the European Union.
The bus will visit towns and cities across the UK staging rallies for the local pro-EU groups. An MC and speakers will be on board to make a facts-based case for holding a People’s Vote, alongside musical performances from @MadeleinaKay the #EUsupergirl and Drew Galdon (a singing Boris Johnson impersonator known as @FauxBoJo).
Organisers maintain that Brexit is NOT the democratic “will of the People”, say public opinion has shifted and most British people now want to reject Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement, and stay in the European Union.
Greens call for cuts to vital public services to be reversed.
Cllr Leo Littman
GREEN councillors on Brighton & Hove City Council challenge the Conservative Government to reinstate funding to police, fire and council services crippled by years of savage cuts
The Green Group of Councillors will this week challenge the Government to reverse cuts made to public services following the Prime Minister’s announcement that “austerity is over.”
In a set of proposals being put to a vote tomorrow, Thursday, December 13, Green councillors will request that the Council lobbies the Conservative Government for an end to punitive welfare policies and reinstates funding for the police, emergency and council services to 2009/10 levels in order to address the damage caused by years of austerity cuts.
Analysis shows that the introduction of public spending cuts under the Conservative Government has “inflicted misery” on UK citizens. A report by a special envoy for the United Nations (UN) found that austerity policies were driven by political aims rather than economic necessity, placing the UK in breach of four UN human rights agreements relating to women, children, disabled people and economic and social rights.
The UN also condemned cuts to local councils, describing them as “damaging the fabric” of society. According to the National Audit Office, council grants from central government for services such as adult social care, children’s services, waste collection and health promotion have reduced by almost 50% since 2010, with many such as Northamptonshire County Council now forced into declaring bankruptcy.
It is estimated that in Brighton and Hove alone the city council has faced a £140 million reduction in government grants.
Greens have mounted repeated opposition to the Conservative Government’s austerity policies, calling both locally and nationally for an end to Universal Credit, mitigation to assist those affected and making changes to local budgets to reverse cuts, lobbying the Treasury in London in 2016 for proper service funding
Greens took their lobby for proper public service funding to the Treasury in London in 2016.
At a meeting of Full Council this week, Greens will ask Geoff Raw, the Chief Executive to contact the Government, requesting information on when punitive welfare policies such as Universal Credit and others that have adversely affected women, children and disabled people will be reviewed, as well as asking how soon Government funding for public services will be reinstated if the claim that “austerity is over” is truly to be believed.
Cllr Leo Littman, who is proposing the notice of motion on austerity, said: “Under cover of so-called austerity, the Tory Government has overseen the largest transfer of wealth from the poorest to the richest in Britain in living memory. While the use of foodbanks since 2010 has increased thirty-fold, the wealth of the richest 1,000 families in the country has trebled. Since the Government tells us that austerity is now at an end, we expect them to reintroduce survivable levels of welfare payments, and proper levels of funding for public services, so that those who have borne the brunt of Government’s cuts, and indeed anyone not among the super-rich, can once again receive the support and services we need.”
Cllr Alex Phillips
Cllr Alex Phillips added: “The impact of 10 years of austerity on our communities is now plainly visible. Alongside the slashing and trashing of public services, accompanying welfare benefit changes such as Universal Credit have hit hard. In Brighton and Hove 68% of people on Universal Credit are now in rent arrears. Children’s groups have started to describe young people born in the last ten years as ‘the austerity generation,’ with research showing that an extra 1.5 million children will be in poverty by 2021. Families with a disabled adult or child have lost more than £5,500 a year under punitive benefit caps and sanctions. Women have borne 86% of cuts and watched as services like legal aid and domestic violence support have shrunk to almost nothing. Poverty gaps for BME communities have also widened.
“Greens will continue to lobby the Conservative Government to bring these brutal policies to an end. If austerity is truly ‘over’, then the Government must bring in funding urgently to reverse the unacceptable impact it has caused.”
Since the discovery of the fatberg under the streets of Whitechapel in September 2017, the monster fatberg has managed to hit the headlines all over the world.
CONSISTING of wet wipes, nappies, fat and oil this huge deposit of fat was one of the largest ever found at 250 metres long and weighing 130 tonnes, the same as 11 double-decker buses. It was blocking a stretch of Victorian sewer that was twice the length of two Wembley football pitches.
The fatberg marked a particular moment in London’s history, created by people and businesses who discarded rubbish and fat which London’s Victorian sewer system was never designed to cope with.
The last remaining piece of the monster Whitechapel fatberg went on display at the Museum of London in February 2018. The display followed the fatberg from sewer to showcase and highlighted the ground-breaking conservation processes that occurred behind the scenes in order to be able to display this gruesome object. Whilst on display it ‘sweated’, hatched flies and grew mould.
Since then the fatberg has been of global interest hitting the headlines in places such as China, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Australia, the USA and all over Europe. The museum welcomed over 70,000 visitors in February, the best month that financial year.
The fatberg has continued to capture everyone’s imagination with poems, plays and even cakes being inspired by it. The museum has now been able to acquire this iconic piece of fat into their permanent collection and can now be viewed 24/7 on their livestream, dubbed FatCam.
Since the launch in August they have had over 90,000 views worldwide on the livestream.
The 12 Days of Fatberg is a festive reminder to all that we shouldn’t flush oil down our sinks or wet wipes down our toilets, we should always bin it – don’t block it!
Over the last few weeks there have been several reported incidents of young people riding on the outside of Brighton and Hove buses by hanging onto the back.
INCIDENTS have been reported at Brighton Marina, Mile Oak, Western Rd, North St and from Rock Gardens to Whitehawk.
Brighton & Hove Buses’ Police Liaison Officer PC Jay Jackson says bus drivers often don’t know this is happening because they can’t see while their driving.
Although there is CCTV on the back of all of the buses, drivers can only see this view if the bus is in reverse, however, footage can be downloaded later and people identified.
PC Jackson said:“If a driver is aware that this is happening they will stop the bus immediately and call our response team and the police. The trouble is, by the time we get there the perpetrators have usually gone. Young people are risking life and limb by doing this and I’m asking them to think about how serious this could be: for themselves and for their families.”
PC Jackson said that where youths were identified wearing particular school uniforms, and he would be visiting these schools to speak to children and teachers. Bus drivers have also been warned about what has been happening.
Martin Harris
Brighton & Hove Buses’ Managing Director Martin Harris said:“There appears to have been a spate of this behaviour, recently. It’s an incredibly dangerous thing to do and I’m imploring people not to try it under any circumstances. Don’t put your life at risk for the sake of a stupid dare and wreck Christmas for yourself, or your family.
“If you do see this happening, please report it immediately to the police on 999. The police will also ensure that our Police Liaison Officer and our control room know about any incident, if they aren’t already aware of it.”
Tomorrow Thursday, December 13, stores throughout Brilliant Brighton will stay open for a very special late night shopping event, so that local residents can enjoy picking up the last few (or very first!) gifts, in a relaxed and festive atmosphere.
AS well as exclusive in-store offers, many businesses will be offering glasses of fizz and tempting treats to ensure shoppers get into the celebratory spirit, between 5-8pm.
Carols will be performed throughout the Brilliant Brighton area; on Gardner Street (St Luke’s Church Choir), Kensington Gardens (Singing’s Cool), Western Road (Brighton Vox), in Meeting House Lane and Market Street (The Theatre Workshop), to add further ambience to the evening, while Silver Sounds Samba Band, and traditional games, such as reindeer hoopla and a festive coconut shy (free for all to play with) will be bringing a party vibe to East Street.
No Christmas event would be complete without a visit from Father Christmas, so he – along with his two trusty elves – will be visiting streets and stores, for selfies with shoppers and also to take those important Christmas wish-lists back to the North Pole.
Speaking of dreamy must-haves, shoppers can be inspired by party-perfect outfits and cosy Christmas wear by the festive flash mobs taking place across the city centre. These are organised by Brilliant Brighton’s personal shopper Jane Busby, hosted by BBC Sussex’s Allison Ferns, and will include most-coveted items from stores such as Joy The Store, Rieker, The Cambridge Satchel Company, Phase Eight and Collectif.
The evening is a must for LEGO fans, as it’ll be one of the last opportunities to take part in the Brighton Bricks LEGO Trail.
Collect a trail form from any of the 29 participating stores and then record every LEGO Minifigure spotted in each shop window. To enter the competition to win a fantastic prize, return the completed form to either Daisy Daisy (Gardner Street) or Sugardough (Market Street) by Sunday, December 16.
There’s £1000 worth of prizes (donated by the Brilliant Brighton Ambassadors) up for grabs.
These are:
First prize: Hogwarts™ Great Hall LEGO set worth £89.99 PLUS £400 cash prize.
Second prize: Pirate Roller Coaster LEGO set worth £69.99 PLUS £200 cash prize.
Third prize: LEGO Large Creative Brick Box worth £39.99 PLUS £200 cash prize.
Gavin Stewart
Gavin Stewart, CEO of Brilliant Brighton says: “We’ve pulled out all the stops to create a fabulous festive evening that the whole family will enjoy.
“So come down and make a night of getting that Christmas to-do list all ticked off, while listening to angelic choirs, getting involved in traditional games, meeting Father Christmas, being inspired by the flash mob fashion shows and of course, taking advantage of the fantastic discounts offered by our businesses during the event. It’s an evening not to be missed.”
“Thank you to Legal & General for sponsoring this event, as well as the Brilliant Brighton Christmas lights, and helping to make the city – its businesses, residents and shoppers, get into the Christmas spirit!”
The Brilliant Brighton Christmas late night shopping event will take place on Thursday, December 13, between 5-8pm, and includes businesses on Bond Street, Gardner Street, Kensington Gardens, East Street, Meeting House Lane, Market Street, Brighton Place, North Street, Western Road and Preston Street.
Shoppers can save 20% off parking at Brighton Metropolitan College when booking via justpark.com and using code: BRIGHTONMET20. This is valid from 4pm on December 13.
To see the full list of stores involved in the late night shopping event and the Brighton Bricks LEGO Minifigure Trail click here:
Brilliant Brighton is formed of 517 businesses across the Business Improvement District, who want to make the city as brilliant as it can be. As well as creating this Christmas late night shopping event, Brilliant Brighton provides the city’s Christmas lights (at a cost of approximately £75,000 per annum), as well as on-street Ambassadors, and dressing the city with bunting, hanging baskets and banners during the summer.
Tomorrow Thursday, December 13, stores throughout Brilliant Brighton will stay open for a very special late night shopping event, so that local residents can enjoy picking up the last few (or very first!) gifts, in a relaxed and festive atmosphere.
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