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The Green Party have launched their full manifesto ahead of the General Election on 12th December, detailing their plans to tackle ‘the Climate Emergency and deliver social justice’.

The party’s manifesto focuses on their Green New Deal, which outlines the ways that they will fulfil their pledge to reach net zero carbon emissions in the UK by 2030. This includes plans to ban the production of single-use plastics, extend the tax on plastic bags to cover plastic bottles, single-use plastics and microplastics, and extend plastic bottle deposit schemes.

The Prime Minister has announced that business owners significantly affected by the recent flooding will have immediate relief on their business rates.

Businesses that have been affected will be eligible for 100% relief on their business rates for ‘at least’ the next three months, according to a Government release published this morning.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) has welcomed calls from consumer group Which? urging commitment from the next Government to guarantee access to cash after new analysis revealed that hundreds of communities do not have access to a single ATM.

Today (14th November) Which? revealed that there are over 250 communities across the UK that have poor ATM provision or no ATMs at all. A further 129 communities have access to only one ATM and 65% of these are charged cash machines.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is supporting USDAW’s Respect for Shopworkers Week, highlighting the need for urgent action to tackle violence and abuse towards shopworkers.

Taking place between 11^th-17^th November, this year’s theme is ‘Keep Your Cool’, reminding the public that there is never an excuse for violent or abusive behaviour.

The Home Office call for evidence on violence and abuse toward shop staff closed in June and received over 800 responses from individual shopworkers, small shopkeepers, unions and business organisations.

ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) is supporting the launch of a Charter to help make workplaces safer for employers and employees.

Launched on National Personal Safety Day (7^th November) ‘Suzy’s Charter for Workplace Safety’ was developed to help identify and mitigate personal safety risks in the workplace.

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust has worked with ACS and a wide variety of organisations, over the last year including unions, large and small businesses as well as the police and employees themselves to develop the details of the Charter.