In terms of quality, humour and inventiveness, the British animation industry is second to none. Past success in this field has been such that characters like Aardman’s Wallace and Gromit have become part of our national heritage. They are also adored worldwide, acting as ambassadors that embody the spirit of our nation.

But many of our family favourites have moved abroad to be animated by foreign production companies.

Now nearly every nation in the world with an animation industry is offering government-backed incentives to attract animation work.

Put simply, there is no level playing field. Price and product have become secondary to cashflow. The corollary is that animators can waste years putting together funding packages in the UK before often having to resort to co-production with a business operating outside the country, losing a significant proportion of IP rights in the process.

Our animators have never wanted handouts. They are confident that they have the skill, flair and ideas to attract work. Nor do they argue against the free market. The problem lies in the fact that at the moment the market is far from free.

The government has been consistent in espousing its support for the creative industries. Here is an opportunity to turn a sympathetic ear into a lasting difference for British animators. Please write to Chancellor George Osborne and Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, to ask them to introduce a targeted tax credit for animation as a palpable demonstration of the government’s support for the creative industries and commitment to economic growth.

Standard Life are putting part of their extensive property portfolio on Cork Street up for sale. This would destroy 7 art galleries including The Mayor Gallery which was the first gallery on Cork Street in 1925. Selling this huge development would destroy almost 90 years of history. Cork Street is renowned throughout the world as an art collectors paradise and clients come from around the world to come and see, and buy art there. Students come from around the UK to study there and its location to the Royal Academy make it a convenient and very central place for them to do so.

Destroying over half the street to make room for Bond Street fashion retailers and hedgefunding businesses would destroy what has become one of London's cultural heritages. Bond Street fashion can stay on Bond Street. Like Savile Row is famous for tailors, Cork Street is famous for Art. It has become a London landmark and we should leave it this way.

Please sign up and help petition against yet more corporate greed that will turn this cultural hub into yet another faceless and bland part of the city and help Cork Street maintain its position on the Art world map. Threatening to raise rents will also drive the galleries out. We ask for a substantial lease on these properties so that we can stay here for years to come.

Follow us on Twitter #saveCorkStreet

Premiership football is one of the most popular television attractions in the United Kingdom and yet, for far too long, predominantly available to watch only on Sky. This in itself should have been investigated by the Office of Fair Trading. However, in the light of the appalling actions of News International in relation to the phone hacking scandal, this has now taken on an ethical dimension. As commentators have already noted, Rupert Murdoch has closed the News of the World in a cynical attempt to divest himself of a toxic asset in order to control 100% BSkyB. However, he already owns 39% of the company. Every home that has Sky is giving money to News Corp, the company behind the News of the World phone hacking. Key players Rebekah Brooks and James Murdoch are still in place and, even if the deal doesn’t go through, their media empire, which will just rebrand the News of the World as The Sun on Sunday, will continue to be supported by the money of sports fans who still want to watch their favourite events.

This situation is intolerable. We demand an urgent review of sports rights in the UK by the OFT and any other relevant body, with the aim of opening up sports rights to the BBC and non-Murdoch terrestrial channels in time for the 2011/12 Premiership. Football fans should not have to choose between taking an ethical stance and watching the nation's favourite sport.

Newspapers play a huge role in influencing public attitudes and government policy. A significant number of major titles are owned and/or controlled by individuals and companies that are either foreign nationals or are resident for tax purposes outside the UK. The vital role that newspapers have can be undermined by the business interests of these owners, while they enjoy the benefits of be domicied elswhere. As an example, we can look at the the press attention given to members of the House of Lords who were non-doms. These same papers carry significantly more influence than individual members of parliament, yet they operate under a totally different set of rules

Government are preparing new legislation that will instruct internet companies to install hardware enabling GCHQ - the Government's electronic "listening" agency - to examine any phone call made, text message and email sent. It will them to view any website accessed by a person or group. Although GCHQ would not be able to access the content of such communications without a warrant, the legislation would enable it to trace people individuals or groups are in contact with, and how often and for how long they are in communication. The Home Office has confirmed that ministers were intending to legislate as soon as possible.

I am concerned about Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp buying the remaining 61% shares in BSkyB. Not only will this deal increase his already considerable stranglehold on the UK news media, but also, in light of the phone hacking revelations, sends out a clear message: if you are rich and powerful and an ally of the Conservative Party then the law is there to protect your interests, not hold you to account. News International, a subsidiary of News Corp, have admitted liability for phone hacking that extends far beyond their initial cover story and are currently being investigated by Scotland Yard for hacking into the phones of serving government ministers and the families of victims of crime. The information they obtained illegally not only provided them with stories, but also information to use against their opponents. Jeremy Hunt says he cannot block the takeover on the grounds that Murdoch is not a fit person to be awarded such a huge slice of the UK media as this needed to be raised at the start of the process. However, the Met sat on important information and, when Gordon Brown attempted to launch an enquiry into phone hacking before the 2010 General Election (not that New Labour did anything to curtail Murdoch’s power whilst he supported them), he was blocked by the Cabinet Secretary on the grounds that it was inappropriate:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/apr/10/gordon-brown-hacking-inquiry-civil-service

Inappropriate for whom? Rupert Murdoch and his puppet, David Cameron. Vince Cable should have been able to oppose the bid on the fit person criteria but was unable to because News International lied about the crimes being restricted to one rogue reporter and because Brown could not expose this in time. The buyout of BSkyB has thus been aided and abetted by Conservative politicians, the police and members of the Civil Service. Aside from The Guardian and, occasionally, The Independent, the UK Press has been largely silent over this issue. Why? Perhaps because many of the other titles have deployed similarly unethical and illegal tactics?

I think that it is now time to face the facts: David Cameron, close friends with senior figures in News Corp, offered Murdoch’s support in closed meetings with the media mogul (in exchange for...), employer of Andy Coulson the editor at the heart of The News of the World’s phone hacking scandal, who stripped Vince Cable of responsibility for the takeover because he was caught in an illegal sting operation and handed it over to the openly pro-Murdoch Jeremy Hunt, is a PM who governs on behalf of News Corp, not the people of the UK. In the past, we have relied on the fourth estate to expose corruption, but now they too are guilty of exploiting their power for commercial and political ends. Politicians from all parties have proven to be utterly spineless over this issue; the only way to stop this is to build a grassroots movement that holds them to account and cleans up the UK’s toxic news media. To begin with, I suggest that we do the following:

1. Firmly link David Cameron's Conservatives, the BSkyB deal and phone hacking in a single campaign against corruption in the British mass news media.
2. Having done this, then organize a petition against this corruption by asking people to cancel their Sky subscriptions and to stop buying News International papers (The Sun, The News of the World, The Times, and The Sunday Times).
3. Create a poster campaign presenting Rupert Murdoch as the puppet master behind the Conservatives.
4. If and when it becomes clear that Murdoch is funding the Conservatives, once again highlight how the deal involved the Conservatives putting their own party's interests above those of a free and healthy news media.

The ultimate aim should be the complete separation of politicians and media moguls: it should be illegal for politicians to rule on media ownership- this should be the province of a highly regulated body with very sharp teeth. Furthermore, the public should be protected from hate and smear campaigns driven by the mass news media, designed to discredit their opponents and this same body should be in a position to discipline them.

Following Vince Cable’s ill advised comments to undercover reporters, the final decision regarding News Corp’s proposed takeover of BSkyB now lies in the hands of Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt. The reason Cable lost this power was due to the impartiality of his comments, describing his ‘war on Murdock’. However, his replacement Hunt, has views on the opposite end of the spectrum: “we should recognise is that he has probably done more to create variety and choice in British TV than any other single person” (http://bit.ly/3bdXa7). This places the 38 Degrees campaign in a worse situation than previously, and is something that must be fought against.

The Morning Star is the only national socialist daily newspaper worldwide, and reflects the views of many thousands of citizens in the UK and overseas.

The BBC, has a duty to reflect the diversity of the British political spectrum, at present by shunning the Morning Star it clearly does not.

Can I urge all 38 degree members, in the name of democracy and free speech to either write to their MP asking them to back EDM 1334 or to contact the BBC, asking them to give fair attention to the Morning Star newspaper in its news reviews.

The balance needs to be redressed.

Orange have alerted it's customers today that it plans to increase the monthly plan charge by 4.34% on the 8th Jan 2012. The message they sent is as follows: "Hi from Orange. We’re increasing the price of your monthly plan by 4.34% from 8 January 2012″.

Orange’s T's&C’s allow them to adjust prices by up to the national inflation rate, which currently sits at 5.4% per 12 months).

The customer is locked into contract with no legal rights to cancel it. It seems ridiculous that companys like Orange can write up contracts which are clearly unfair. Most people don't possess the legal know how to understand many of the contracts they sign with large coporations and instead do so on trust; assumption being that if that company were to do something unfair / unjust then the weight of public opinion will win through.

think this warrants a parliamentary discussion. While this might only result in a £1 rise per monthI rise for most people it still comes at a time when people are struggling. Orange are not a company who are struggling to make a profit, and I think their actions are hightly irresponsible.

I would be surprised if this doesn't snowball with other companys seeing this as an opportunity to apply unfair conditions they have put in place in their T&C's. If this remains unchecked then the public might find their finances are pinched further in the New Year.