Displaying items by tag: politicians

Following Spain’s deadliest natural disaster in recent memory, a visit by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia to Valencia became the target of public outrage, with protesters hurling mud at them. The recent devastating floods claimed at least 217 lives, with the toll expected to rise. When the royal couple appeared, alongside Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and other leaders, many locals expressed their fury at what they saw as inadequate warnings and slow government response. Protesters shouted ‘Murderers!’ and ‘Get out!’ at officials, blaming them for the disaster’s aftermath, and there were several clashes with police. Queen Letizia burst into tears after speaking to several grieving people. One commentator noted that the crowd's anger was directed at the politicians, not the royal family. Public resentment over the government's handling of the floods has intensified. One week after the floods struck, many people still did not have drinking water.

Tory MP David Warburton was suspended from the parliamentary party pending an investigation into three allegations of sexual harassment. A few days earlier it was revealed that Labour staffers, Laura Murray and Georgie Robertson, were asked to sign confidentiality agreements when they complained of sexual harassment about a senior official. They refused to sign the legal agreements and chose to resign without payouts. Documents show the women had reported the party official for ‘inappropriate’ and ‘possessive’ behaviour. The claims about Mr Warburton are being examined by Parliament's Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS). Also, the Sunday Times reported allegations of Mr Warburton taking cocaine, and failing to declare a £100,000 loan in 2017, since repaid, from a Russian businessman. 

Twenty fines will be issued as part of the police inquiry into Downing Street parties which breached Covid rules. The police will not be saying who is fined or confirming which events the fixed penalty notices relate to. However, Downing Street will say if the prime minister is among the recipients. Twelve parties were investigated and over a hundred people questioned under caution, resulting in officials being found guilty of breaking the law at No.10. Fixed penalty notices will need to be paid within 28 days, or contested. If someone chooses to contest the fine, the police will review the case and decide whether to withdraw the fine or take the case to court. The police say there is still a significant amount of material to be assessed, and more fines could come in the future.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, wants politicians to look to the Church to learn lessons in kindness. He expressed disappointment in some of the dialogue coming from Parliament in recent weeks. ‘One thing which inspires me about our churches is a simple word - kindness. The Church does kindness so well - treating each other with civility and respect - and I wish we politicians learnt from that. We don't even have the patience to hear someone else's argument, giving people the benefit of doubt.’ Mr Khan was speaking to approximately 10,000 from the London Carols event at Wembley Arena. He thanked the Christian community for the ‘huge contribution’ they make to London.

Many believe this election is a key step in God’s plans for our nations, and are expecting a great move of God with a time of harvest. The election comes four days after Pentecost - the celebration of God’s Spirit breaking out. God is placing an opportunity in our hands to bless the UK. Please encourage your friends and church to pray. Just as the political parties stir people up to canvass and promote their issues, we should be encouraging people to pray. Every election is contested spiritually, and this is no exception, Satan will be resolute in resisting God’s sovereign purpose. God calls us to partner with Him to bless where we live locally and bless our nations. We need to pray for God’s sovereign will and purpose. Pray also for the Christians standing for election to know His peace, and walk close with Him in this busy and demanding time.

At a G20 meeting this week, financial leaders from the world's biggest economies failed to agree on trade, highlighting a global shift towards protectionism (for ten years, the finance ministers and central bankers of the world's top twenty economies have rejected protectionism and endorsed free trade). Failure to agree on a commitment to keep global trade free and open will have negative consequences. Watered-down free trade commitments reflect the mood of anti-globalisation that Donald Trump endorses. Another Trump ‘win’ is that the G20 dropped a reference, used last year, to its readiness to finance climate change, as agreed in Paris in 2015, because of opposition from the United States and Saudi Arabia. Trump has called global warming a ‘hoax’ concocted by China to hurt US industry, and has vowed to scrap the Paris climate accord aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Pray for his administration to reconsider its proposed 31% cut to the Environmental Protection Agency's budget. See also