Displaying items by tag: United Kingdom

Gatwick Airport reopened on 21 December, after drones caused it to shut down for 40 hours. Thousands of passengers remain stranded, while police have not yet found the operator, who could be an environmental activist. The airport could not operate while the drones were in flight in case they hit and damaged a plane. There is no evidence at present that the disruption was terror-related. Transport secretary Chris Grayling said the situation was unprecedented, and ‘lessons need to be learned’. In 2013 there were no incidents involving drones, whereas in 2018 there have been well over 100. In June a drone came within ten feet of a Virgin Airways plane carrying 260 people. Mr Grayling said the Government was looking to go further with drone control, including considering age-limits for users.

Unfortunately cybercrime is increasing. We are twenty times more likely to be robbed while at our computer by overseas criminals than in the street. On 18 December a new security operations centre for Belfast was announced. Businesses with highly connected personal devices, cloud use and rapidly advancing technology are increasingly at risk: see https://www.businesscloud.co.uk/news/capita-unveils-major-cyber-security-investment The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is a government organisation providing advice and support for the public and private sector about how to avoid computer security threats. NCSC works closely with educators and researchers to build a cyber-savvy workforce of the future and enhance the UK's knowledge. Pray for NCSC in 2019 as it implements innovative cyber security and support teaching initiatives after Brexit.

On 12 December, a majority of Conservative MPs declared their confidence in Theresa May as party leader. The next day she went to Brussels to talk to EU leaders, who have told her that there could be clarifications but no major renegotiation. The crucial vote in Parliament on the Brexit deal has now been postponed until January 2019. What might happen if it is rejected? Some believe a no-deal Brexit would be an act of national self-harm: others think a Norway-style deal would make the UK a rule-taker, not a rule-maker. Some believe a general election would risk another hung parliament and continued paralysis: others that a second referendum would intensify social divisions and further undermine parliamentary sovereignty. Britain might have to choose one of these courses of action. See

The Government website states, ‘The Nolan principles are the basis of the ethical standards expected of public office holders’. Let’s pray for our leaders to conform to these seven principles as they walk the Brexit tightrope. 1) Selflessness: acting solely in terms of the public interest, not in order to gain financial or other benefits for themselves, family or friends.2) Integrity: must not place themselves under any obligation to outside individuals or organisations seeking to influence them in their official duties. 3) Objectivity: in public business, appointments, awarding contracts, and recommendations should be made on merit. 4) Accountability: be accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and submit to scrutiny appropriate to their office. 5) Openness: be as open as possible about all decisions and actions they take, giving reasons for their decisions, and restrict information only when the wider public interest demands. 6) Honesty: must declare any private interests relating to their duties and resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest. 7) Leadership: must promote and support these principles by leadership and example. See

Recently, questions were raised around UK complacency regarding cyber-security. Australia and New Zealand have refused to allow the Chinese firm Huawei to supply mobile networks with 5G equipment, saying it posed ‘significant security risks’ - a polite way of saying that Beijing might use 5G to disrupt communications in a future dispute. Canada recently arrested the Huawei founder’s daughter. America wants her extradited, stating that China is aggressively engaged in undermining US national security interests. The UK could be the only country allowing Huawei to play a key role in delivering the data on which everything from self-driving cars to smart city sensors will rely. Many believe that if Huawei is banned, China might refuse to do business with us in other fields post-Brexit. See also world article 2, and

Solicitors working on legal aid housing contracts have to turn people away every day, but there is nowhere to send them, so many become homeless (see). In Scotland on 8 December, Sleep in the Park saw 12,000 people sleeping rough, to raise money for the homeless. Although homelessness legislation in Britain means children should never have to sleep rough, it happens. A video of a child sobbing after being told she must spend her third Christmas in a hostel (watch) has highlighted the plight of young victims of Ireland's housing crisis. Please pray for the work of Crisis, the Salvation Army, Shelter, the Big Issue Foundation, Centrepoint, St Mungo’s, Emmaus UK, Homeless Link, and all churches and agencies who work tirelessly to help the homeless.

Assisted dying is once again being discussed in the media and could be discussed again in Parliament, after terminally-ill Shropshire man Noel Conway told his local paper that the UK courts have a medieval mindset over assisted dying. Mr Conway, 68, who has motor neurone disease, lost a Court of Appeal challenge in June against an earlier High Court rejection of his case that the ban on assisted dying was an unjustified interference with his human rights. He sought to challenge that at a Supreme Court hearing, but Lady Hale, Lord Reed and Lord Kerr declined permission for an appeal. Now he wants MPs to step in to overturn that decision. He wants a legal assisted death even though he has less than six months to live.

MP Emma Dent Coad’s seat includes Grenfell Tower. She has urged the government to delay the launch of Universal Credit in the area, as it could leave many of her constituents without money over Christmas. The scheme should come to North Kensington thirteen days before Christmas. A constituent assessed monthly and paid £60 for each Friday in that month would receive £300 in November, a month with five Fridays, but receive £240 in December which has four Fridays. Also they may have to wait the estimated five weeks for benefits to come through. A DWP spokesperson said there were special measures in place in preparation for Universal Credit roll-out in North Kensington. Last Christmas extra money promised to Grenfell Tower survivors and evacuees to help cover the cost of Christmas did not arrive in time for 18 households. Pray this will not be repeated in 2018.

An artwork was unveiled in London on 11 December, to coincide with the climate change conference taking place in Poland. Centuries-old Greenland icebergs weighing between 1.5 and 6 tonnes keep melting. This installation seeks to bring the effects of climate change closer to home, putting people in direct contact with its effects. The icebergs remind us we have only twelve years to limit the worst effects of climate change, and they also represent another 10,000 blocks of ice which are falling from the same ice sheet in Greenland every single second. ‘People need to face the tangible consequences of their actions’, states the artist on his website. Meanwhile NASA has detected new signs of large glaciers in East Antarctica losing ice. This area has long been considered more stable than West Antarctica.

Shelter, a Christian charity ministering to vulnerable young people, says it is ‘scandalous’ that over 130,000 youngsters across Britain are expected to be homeless this Christmas season. Alastair Welford, the founder of Nicodemus, a Christian charity in Warwickshire with similar aims, said the figure could be an underestimate. He added, ‘When you think of the number of churches in this country, if 20% of them started little homeless projects - little marginalised youth projects with some support from us - it would be incredible’. 9,500 children will spend their Christmas in a hostel or bed and breakfast; others will be in local authority emergency accommodation. London is worst affected by child homelessness.