Displaying items by tag: United Kingdom

A 19th-century prayer from Rev H Stobart: ‘O God, our refuge and strength, who orders all things in heaven and earth, look down with your mercy upon us as a nation. Remember not our iniquities, nor the iniquities of our forefathers, neither take vengeance on our sins. Pour out upon us, and on all the people of this land, the spirit of grace and supplication, and join us together in piety, loyalty, and brotherly love. Direct the counsels and strengthen the hands of all in authority for the repression of crime and outrage, the maintenance of order and law, and of public peace and safety; so that, leading quiet lives in all godliness and honesty, we may be your people and You may be our God; and that we may bless and glorify You, our Defender and Deliverer; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.’

President Trump’s ‘working’ visit to the UK has attracted large-scale protests, as activists have had plans for major demonstrations laid out for months. The police response is the biggest since the riots in London after Mark Duggan’s death. Amnesty International said thousands will be making their voices heard: ‘In the 15 months of his presidency, we've seen a deeply disturbing human rights roll-back - including the discriminatory travel bans, a reckless announcement on Jerusalem, harmful policies on refugees, women's rights and climate change. He has shown an impatience bordering on intolerance towards peaceful protests, the media, and even the democratic process itself. So his visit to Britain is an important opportunity to underline the importance of free speech and the right to protest.’ A spokesman said police forces had worked together on a significant, multi-faceted security operation supporting the presidential visit. See

As the Government revealed details of its EU withdrawal plans, Brussels has warned Theresa May that the proposals must be workable in order to avoid a no-deal scenario. UK’s new Brexit secretary, Dominic Raab, is insisting the Government white paper sets out exit aims while being practical, respecting the referendum result, and backing business. However, chief Brussels negotiator Michel Barnier said the proposals must conform to EU rules and not create extra costs, and he told business leaders to prepare for a no-deal scenario.

Vehicles were stolen and torched during disorder linked to loyalist bonfires. A pipe bomb exploded close to a police operation in Belfast. Police were warned that loyalist paramilitaries were planning to ‘orchestrate and participate in serious disorder’. There were nights of disorder in Londonderry. Petrol bombs and missiles were thrown. Hundreds of fires were lit at midnight to usher in the 12 July Orange parades. Masked men used burning cars to block roads close to the Ulster Hospital. A bus with passengers was hijacked before being set alight. Security alerts resulted in main roads being closed, while one incident prevented passengers from leaving Belfast City Airport. Fire and Rescue Service had received 327 emergency calls by 01:00 on 12 July. Dissident republicans were blamed for firing six shots at police with an automatic weapon. The police are treating the incident as attempted murder.

Four people were arrested when an estimated 4,500 people marched through the streets of Glasgow on on 7 July as part of the annual Orange Walk. A priest was attacked outside St Alphonsus’ church on Stevenson Street as the congregation gathered for afternoon mass while the marchers passed by. A worshipper who saw the incident said, ‘The priest was spat at, verbally abused, and also assaulted by a baton. I was disgusted. I eventually got hold of an officer after screaming at her to get resources to protect him.’ It is not known if the priest reported the incident to the police, or if it was another member of the public. A police spokesperson said, ‘We can confirm we are investigating reports of an assault on a man outside a church in Glasgow at around 4.20 pm on Saturday’.

Rod Liddle, of the Spectator, spoke about gay conversion therapy and the Government proposals making it illegal saying, ‘This is all at the behest of campaigning bodies like Stonewall, and their insistence that an alternative opinion to theirs should be made illegal’. He added, ‘Gay conversion therapy has made the lives of thousands of people happier. I spoke to one chap who had considered himself gay for much of his twenties and thirties, was uncomfortable about it, and is now straight and happy. Nobody is suggesting that all gay people might benefit from it. Nobody is questioning the right of gay people to live happily, free from discrimination. Yet because some gay people are so intolerant of any views which differ from their own, they wish to make these views illegal.’

Adverts on buses promoting a church-run event in Blackpool featuring Franklin Graham are being removed after a number of complaints were made. Blackpool Transport, which oversees the buses, claimed the ads ‘resulted in heightened tension’. A number of people had taken to social media to claim that he would be preaching hate and homophobia at the event, due to take place at the city's Winter Gardens in September. Jane Cole of Blackpool Transport said, ‘The removal of these adverts is as a result of us listening to and acting on customer and public feedback, which we aim to do at all times. Blackpool Transport is a proud ongoing supporter of the Pride and LGBT+ communities, and in no way did we intend to cause any distress or upset.’ Graham said, ‘I'm not coming to preach hate, I'm here to preach about a Saviour - Jesus Christ.’

Police have launched a murder inquiry after Dawn Sturgess died following exposure to the nerve agent Novichok in Wiltshire. Her relatives are receiving support from specially-trained family liaison officers. Professor Paul Cosford said, ‘As a precaution we still advise the public not to pick up any strange items such as needles, syringes or unusual containers.’ The death of Dawn Sturgess, a British citizen on British soil, now changes the investigation to a murder inquiry, with all the diplomatic and security implications that carries as Britain blames Moscow for the original attack in March.

The NHS is preparing to stockpile medicines and equipment to ensure hospitals can function after a no-deal Brexit. Simon Stevens, the health service CE, said there was 'immediate planning' around the Department for Health and in hospitals about 'securing medical supply' under different scenarios to ensure there was enough medicine. It is 'top of the list' of contingency planning that would be implemented once the state of the deal 'crystallised' in the autumn. Whitehall realises that with no replacement for EU medical agencies, hospitals could run out of drugs and other supplies within weeks. Mr Stevens told the BBC's Andrew Marr that hospitals would be ‘ready for whatever situation emerges’. Pray for patients, the NHS and the UK’s life science industry to have workable regulatory arrangements in place and be fit for purpose for a smooth transition. Pray also for cross-border communications in medical research and development.

On 3 and 4 July, the BBC aired ten news topics promoting LGBTQ+ on their website. Twice last month BBC Radio Four Sunday programme interviewed a woman who had been an evangelical and then changed her beliefs to become a homosexual. LGBTQ+ people now make up a weighty percentage of BBC staff and their influence is seen more and more in programmes and reporting. Quiz shows, soaps, documentaries and entertainment programmes usually have a LGBTQ+ representative. A Christian lady who struggled with her sexuality told her story of how she was counselled by a liberal theologian who helped her to ‘read the Bible in a different way’ so she could become LGBTQ+. She said she had since talked with Archbishop Justin Welby who encouraged her to apply for ordination, saying she would be just the kind of clergy he wants to see in the Church of England. So the state broadcasting service and the state Church promote LGBTQ+ agendas. see