Displaying items by tag: British Isles

From Hope for the Countryside: ‘The Lord is the source of our provision, and His kindness and faithfulness are honoured by all those who look to him. Many Christians are involved in running foodbanks and pantries, offering some hope, helping to meet the very real material needs of people and showing the love of Christ in action. However, as important as this is, there is a deeper and more urgent need, to address the spiritual poverty in this land. God is not lacking nor unwilling to extend an invitation to his table and share his bounty. Pray for many to recognise their spiritual poverty and to hunger after the Lord.  Pray that we can work together to bring spiritual food to those in need, to tell them of the hope that lasts for ever and of the food and drink freely offered that will satisfy for a lifetime and into eternity. Give thanks for the many outreach and discipleship materials already available.’ For the full article, see

In a major reshuffle by Rishi Sunak, James Cleverly has been appointed as the new Home Secretary (after Suella Braverman’s dismissal), and former prime minister David Cameron as Foreign Secretary. Braverman accepted her dismissal, which came after a series of controversies, as mentioned last week. However, her sacking by Sunak has not been universally welcomed within the Conservative Party. MP Andrea Jenkyns, a right-wing party member, criticised the decision, suggesting that she had been dismissed for 'speaking the truth' and accusing Sunak of yielding to left-wing pressure.

In a significant upheaval within the Labour Party, high-profile MP Jess Phillips and nine other frontbenchers either resigned or were sacked following party leader Keir Starmer's refusal to support a ceasefire in Gaza. This was in response to a parliamentary vote on an SNP amendment to the King’s Speech, which proposed an immediate ceasefire in Gaza but was rejected by a majority of 168 votes. A total of 56 Labour MPs voted in favour of the amendment, marking the largest rebellion against Starmer's leadership so far. Shadow defence secretary John Healey commented on the situation within the Labour Party, expressing regret over the loss of frontbenchers and reaffirming their support for Starmer's prime ministerial bid. He emphasised the importance of collective responsibility and discipline in parliamentary decisions, defending Starmer's stance on the Gaza conflict.

The BBC's decision to replace the traditional terms BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini) with BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) in some of its programmes has sparked controversy. Gavin Ashenden, former chaplain to the Queen and now associate editor of the Catholic Herald, criticised the move as part of a broader attempt to 'airbrush Jesus out of the language.' He called on Christians to actively defend the traditional terms and use these changes as opportunities for evangelism, and dismissed the notion that Christians were being over-sensitive about the issue. The BBC, defending its decision, stated that both date systems are widely accepted, and the choice of terms is left to individual production and editorial teams. The debate highlights a cultural and religious tension over the representation of Christianity in public broadcasting.

The CofE's General Synod has voted to offer blessings to same-sex couples in civil partnerships and marriages, marking a significant shift in its approach to LGBTQI+ issues. After a marathon debate, the Synod overwhelmingly approved the motion, which includes an acknowledgement and repentance for the Church's failure to adequately welcome LGBTQI+ people. This decision, however, does not alter the CofE's stance on gay marriage, as same-sex couples still cannot marry in church. Anglican churches will now be allowed to provide prayers of dedication or thanksgiving and blessings for same-sex couples after their legal marriage ceremonies. The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, described the vote as a hopeful moment for the Church, but Archbishop Stephen Cottrell recognised the persistent divisions, emphasising the goal of walking together despite deep disagreements.

In October, UK inflation significantly decreased to 4.6% from 6.7%, marking the lowest rate in two years and a major easing of price pressures. This represents the most substantial monthly drop in the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate since April 1992. The Bank of England (BoE) has kept interest rates unchanged at 5.25% and expects a challenging journey to bring inflation down to its 2% target by late 2025. Rishi Sunak acknowledged this as progress towards his goal of halving inflation within the year, bearing in mind the anticipated election in 2024. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt views this as a step toward long-term economic growth. Despite this positive trend, Britain still maintains the highest consumer price growth among G7 nations and has seen a 21% increase in consumer prices since late 2020. The BoE and economists anticipate further interest rate cuts by December 2024.

The vision for Shine Your Light is that the whole church across the family of nations stands united to share the Gospel with the whole of society this Christmas. Every local church and believer who signs up becomes a light that shines to brighten up the whole land like a Christmas tree. The nationwide campaign will run on 16 and 17 December. Shine Your Light events of all kinds will occur at town halls, in high streets and shopping centres, and in other public places. Encourage everyone you know to register and share their plans. Whether you are an individual joining with a group of friends and neighbours, a small church, or larger gathering, we’d love to hear what you are doing. Register as an individual or as a church - see the ‘more’ link.

The NHS backlog in England has reached a record high, with 7.77 million people waiting for non-emergency care by the end of September. What is more concerning is that about one million people are on multiple waiting lists for treatment, with some on up to five lists. The waiting list is now nearly 3.5 million higher than pre-pandemic levels. The Royal College of Nursing's chief nurse, Prof Nicola Ranger, attributes this to a shortage of nurses, and suggests the Government has lost control of waiting times. Although progress has been made in reducing waits of more than 18 months, ongoing strikes by healthcare workers have disrupted efforts. The strikes have cost the NHS an estimated £1 billion in premium rates and preparations. The Government's rejection of extra funding for strike-related costs has forced the NHS to use existing budgets, including those for IT and maintenance, to address the backlog. This has led to a relaxation of treatment targets, acknowledging the prolonged effort needed to address the backlog.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has called on global faith leaders to take action against the effects of climate change. Speaking at the Global Leaders Faith Summit in Abu Dhabi, Justin Welby emphasised the challenges millions of Christians worldwide face due to the climate crisis. He stressed the importance of caring for the climate and neighbours, especially the poor and vulnerable, and urged faith leaders to lead by example in protecting the planet. The Archbishop's audience included UN secretary-general António Guterres and a Vatican representative. He highlighted that faith leaders represent the majority of people globally and can demonstrate the desire for change and support bold decisions at COP28. The Church of England has committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030, divesting from fossil fuels. Archbishop Welby's message precedes COP28  in Dubai, which Pope Francis plans to attend - the first time a pope will participate in the UN environmental meeting since its inception in 1995.

The UK's Online Safety Act, signed into law last week, introduces new rules aimed at protecting children online. Ofcom has unveiled its first draft codes of practice under the act, focusing on illegal material such as grooming content, fraud, and child sexual abuse. The rules include limiting direct messages and removing them from suggested friend lists to protect children. Tech platforms will be legally required to keep children's location data private and restrict who can send direct messages to them. Ofcom will publish more rules in the coming months, with each new code requiring parliamentary approval. The goal is to enforce the codes by the end of next year. The act also encourages the use of technology to identify illegal images of abuse and prevent their dissemination.