Petition to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

In the UK any citizen has the right to create an online petition to the Prime Minister on a subject of importance to the petition creator and anyone else who may feel moved to support the aims and objectives of the said petition. A deadline for signatories is set and upon reaching that deadline the Prime Minister has undertaken to reply by e-mail to everyone who signed the petition. The one that has prompted me to post these details on my blog has been submitted by Nick Aldworth and concerns the interference by this Government in the provision of police pay, conditions of service and pensions. Whilst this primarily affects new recruits it can, and should be, perceived as the thin end of the wedge. How long will it be before our pensions are modified or diminished?

This is the actual wording of the petition;

Since 1979, the police have had an effective and fair means of negotiating their pay through the Edmund-Davies formula. This recognised the unique status of police officers and their inability to take industrial action to secure fair pay deals. The Home Office are now seeking to undermine this agreement and create disturbance and unrest in the police service.

The petition calls upon the Prime Minister to stop the Home Office from interfering in the negotiation of police pay. As of today there are 26,798 signatories and it is growing rapidly. The deadline for signatures is 3rd February 2008. I believe, most sincerely, that we retired officers owe it to our serving brothers and sisters to support them in their campaign to stop any further erosion of their pay and conditions of service. If you share my views I invite you to add your name to the list of signatories by clicking on the link below or copying and pasting this link into your browser. It requires a UK postcode, however if you're an expatriate, you're in an overseas territory, a Crown dependency or in the Armed Forces without a postcode, you can still vote by selecting from a list of appropriate options;

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Fair-Police-Pay

The Word For Today. God's still in charge!

'Are you not Ruler over all...of the Nations.' 2 Chronicles 20:6 NAS

This country we call 'home,' exists only by God's permission and power. 'He made from one man every nation...having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation' (Acts 17:26 NAS). In the final analysis summit conferences don't shape the geography of countries, God does. Leaders don't determine the future of countries, God determines the hearts of leaders. 'The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes' (Proverbs 21:1 NKJ). The stubborn will of the most powerful politician can be directed by God as easily as a farmer reroutes a shallow canal on his farm.

Remember the account of Cyrus, King of Persia? When God wanted the Jews to return to Jerusalem He simply prodded him to make an 'official announcement' (Ezra 1:1 TM). God not only set the Israelites free from 400 years of slavery in Egypt, He caused their captors to equip them with supplies.'[They will] load you down with gifts...so...you will [not leave] empty-handed' (Exodus 3:21 TLB). That would be like post-civil war plantation owners signing their cotton fields over to the slaves.

If we enjoy a great economy, personal freedom and a high tide of justice, we don't limit our thanks to politicians. No, we thank God: 'He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them' (Job 12:23 NIV). Tally this up. God sets national boundaries. He determines leaders. He dispenses blessings. And we are the privileged recipients of each and every one of His blessings. Can we afford to forget this? Only at a terrible risk!

http://www.ucb.co.uk/word_for_today