Displaying items by tag: Politics

On 7 February President Macron travelled to Moscow and then to Kyiv, to meet the presidents of Russia and Ukraine and seek a diplomatic solution to the crisis. At the same time, German chancellor Olaf Scholz was in Washington aiming to convince Joe Biden to trust him despite being wishy-washy on Russia. On 10 February Boris Johnson went to Brussels. In the week beginning 14 February, Scholz will meet Vladimir Putin himself. Despite Scholz’s doveish approach to Russia threatening European unity, France, Germany, and the US are still allies. Many believe the scenario of Macron keeping Scholz and Biden out of the loop on his talks with Putin and Zelensky is as unlikely as the German chancellor cutting a deal with Biden behind Macron’s back.

A movement which started in January as a loosely organised convoy of truckers has now raised millions of dollars and is causing chaos.Trucker convoy demonstrations are spreading across Canada by protesters opposed to vaccine mandates and other pandemic restrictions. After days of chaotic disruption by trucks blocking streets and blowing their horns day and night, Ottawa’s mayor declared a state of emergency because the situation is out of control. Increasing resident frustration has brought confrontations, some physical. Some protesters drive vehicles on pavements and stunt drive and there are allegations of mischief, theft, property damage and hate crimes in many provinces. The protesters said they don’t want physical confrontation with the authorities, but are willing to be arrested for their beliefs. Supporters have donated portable toilets, tents, fully equipped kitchens, tables with toiletries, and portable generators. Truckers slept in their cabs while others used home rentals. On 9 February four provinces reduced coronavirus restrictions to bring the protests to heel. Protesters’ demands now include removing the PM.

Despite 2018’s change in leadership, Cuban churches face unrelenting pressure from a government that views churches as a threat to the revolution that began in the 1950s. Cubans are poor, and the government seeks to control every aspect of their lives. In April 2021, Miguel Diaz-Canel was announced as first secretary of the Communist Party, the first leader since the revolution who is not a Castro. Three months later Cubans protested over deteriorating living conditions and called for an end to dictatorship. Most Cubans are atheists and many engage in superstitious and spiritist practices, including Afro-Cuban Santeria. 11% are evangelical Christians. The government persecutes them and seizes churches. Believers meet in illegal house churches which are growing through active evangelism. Many Cubans have never owned a Bible. Many are closely watched and effectively under house arrest. Many are denied jobs. Pray for those distributing Bibles and supporting discipleship and evangelism.

The Government wants to ban what it calls 'conversion therapy', putting it on a collision course with the freedom to give and access appropriate support for unwanted same-sex feelings and gender confusion. The official consultation ended on 4 February, but the battle does not end. Civil servants will summarise the responses to the consultation and start drafting legislation. Unless the Government drops its plans, MPs and then the Lords will examine the proposed laws - some opposing them, but others might make the ban even more overbearing. At every stage, we need strong, principled Christian leadership working with parliamentarians and in the media to stop this ban - or to make sure it strictly applies only to genuinely harmful practices (these are already illegal and/or not happening in the UK anyway). 30 MPs are concerned about the proposals, and even the Equality and Human Rights Commission has criticised the plans.

The government's 332-page Levelling Up White Paper,published on 2 February, aims to ‘change the economic model of the UK’. The areas for improvement are as follows: pay, employment and productivity to rise; more investment in research and development; public transport connectivity everywhere to be closer to the standards of London; nationwide 4G broadband coverage, with the majority having 5G coverage;more primary school children achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and maths; more people completing high-quality skills training; the gap in life expectancy between highest and lowest narrowed; well-being improved everywhere; people engaging more in local culture and community; secure paths to ownership for renters; first-time buyers increasing; homicide, serious violence, and neighbourhood crime to fall in the worst-affected areas. Boris Johnson said levelling up would involve investing in towns, cities, rural and coastal areas. He has created a brand-new government department dedicated to these proposals. However, the Institute of Economic Affairs described them as dubious in quality.

The Metropolitan Police is investigating a number of events at Downing Street and Whitehall for potential breaches of Covid restrictions after receiving information from the Cabinet Office inquiry team and Commissioner Cressida Dick. Boris Johnson says he welcomes this investigation, saying it will bring clarity on the issue. A No 10 spokesman says the PM does not believe he has broken any laws. The Met will also investigate alleged threats that would ‘seem to constitute blackmail’. MP Christian Wakeford said ministers had previously threatened to withdraw funding for a new secondary school in his constituency if he voted against the Government. Twelve Tory MPs have similar allegations of whips threatening to withdraw funding for infrastructure or schools. This has happened much more over the past ten years, and it was suggested there had been ‘a steady erosion of standards in the way funding is allocated’. See

As Boris Johnson battled through question time over parties at Downing Street, at home his baby daughter Romy was battling Covid. Pray for her full recovery and for Boris’s peace of mind. Also pray that Sue Gray will be able to understand about these parties and whether disciplinary action is needed. May her enquiry be led by God’s Spirit as she probes the morals and motives of our politicians. Pray for God’s truth and light to expose hidden deception, spoken or performed, that has invaded Whitehall. Pray for God to clean the corridors of Government from the works of the flesh, greed, folly and personal agendas. May His Spirit flow through every department releasing Kingdom plans. May mercy triumph over judgement as His purposes for this nation are released through the current shaking. On 25 January MPs can attend a lunchtime church service, giving them an opportunity for reflection in the midst of parliamentary life. May they engage with God in worship and hear Him speak.

About thirty people including Boris Johnson attended a ‘bring-your-own-drink’ party in Downing Street’s garden during the first lockdown. The gathering - and others that had happened under Covid restrictions - are now subject to an independent enquiry by Sue Grey. Because of the way he handled recent events and evaded probing questions before admitting attending the drinks party, the PM has damaged public confidence in him. He now faces calls to resign from Labour and some senior Tories. Conservative MP William Wragg said there is a carelessness among people in government over standards and possibly more than that. The inquiry could make or break Johnson’s premiership as his government descends into open warfare as he defied Scottish and English Tory politicians. He survived probably the worst day in his political career without Cabinet resignations, a leadership challenge, or a confidence vote among MPs.

Kazakhstan’s ongoing civil unrest shows the need for meaningful progress against corruption. Last week there were countrywide protests over inequality, poverty and corruption, also calling for meaningful reforms. The wealth the country’s political elite have amassed through corruption has been a particular concern throughout the protests. Kazakhstan has made some progress in fighting corruption in recent years - in a 2019 study people and small businesses saw things improving on the ground - but serious concerns remain, such as the flawed anti-corruption framework, lack of responsiveness in policy-making, and state control of the media. Pray for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and other independent voices who are urging the government to resolve the ongoing unrest peacefully. Unless the violence stops immediately, the way out of the crisis is uncertain for the already struggling Kazakh society.

Bosnia has three presidents. Each one represents a particular ethnic group, and the fragile multiethnic government faces its greatest crisis since the Balkan wars. Serb nationalist leader Milorad Dodik is threatening to tear Bosnia apart by withdrawing the Serb territory he leads from Bosnia. He has stopped meeting the other regional presidents and vowed to withdraw from the armed forces and tax agency in favor of his own agencies. Political rivals and foreign diplomats say recent scandals suggest his rhetoric is to deflect corruption allegations. But in a region where the war shadow is everywhere, Bosnians fear their country’s peace is threatened. ‘It will not be peaceful,’ warned Sefik Dzaferovic, one of the three presidents. An opposition party leader said, ‘He hates stability because he then has to explain why we are living like we do. He plays on people's emotions regardless of the consequences.’ The UN called it ‘the greatest threat’ to Bosnia’s survival since 1990.