Children as young as four could have the chance to join savings clubs in an attempt to prevent them getting into debt later in life. The Church of England is proposing a network of clubs in primary schools, run by run by credit unions, to help raise children's financial awareness. Under the plans, they would be able to save small, regular amounts of money. They would also take part in running the groups, such as working as junior cashiers or bank managers. Parents and school staff could also sign up to the clubs, with mothers and fathers able to set up accounts to save for particular expenses, such as trips and school uniform. The Church says practical learning would be reinforced by classroom teaching materials. The proposed teaching resources would cover areas such as understanding the role money plays in our lives, how to manage money and managing risks and emotions associated with money.

The Church of England (C of E) is the latest institution to brand new standards requiring schools to actively promote ‘British values’ as dangerous and divisive. The Department for Education has been accused of rushing through a consultation on the school standards, which was published in July. The standards came into force in late September. The C of E’s submission to the consultation speaks of the ‘danger’ of regulating under such loose terms, describing the standards as a ‘negative and divisive approach’. Nigel Genders, Chief Education Officer for the C of E, cautioned that: ‘British values’ cannot be allowed to become a test or an assessment of whether somebody is ‘safe’ or ‘loyal’. Genders went on to argue that ‘extremism thrives when religion is banished to dark corners’. He added, ‘more importantly, if we reject all forms of religion from our schools, we are failing to prepare young people for the realities of life’.

A Christian pressure group is campaigning to oust a high-profile university professor who boasted about his 1,000 sexual conquests. Eric Anderson, 46, a Winchester University professor of sports studies, told a gathering of gay and lesbian students at Oxford that he liked sex with ‘16, 17, 18-year-old boys’. He dismissed Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, as a ‘total bigot’ and ‘liar’ and said ‘the damage that’s caused by child molestation is socially constructed by the western world’. The pressure group Because Children Matter wrote to Joy Carter, Winchester Universities vice-chancellor, urging her to dismiss the professor. It warned that the gay/lesbian group will distribute thousands of leaflets with the professors comments to members of the university’s board, head teachers of secondary schools in its area, students and members of the public. The university says it has reprimanded the professor for his remarks, but defended him as an ‘internationally renowned sociologist.’(Ps.5:4)

Legislation aimed at boosting equality is actually victimising traditional marriage supporters, a gay journalist has warned. Andrew Pierce, who has repeatedly spoken out against redefining marriage, accused the Government of making ‘empty promises’ to protect freedom of conscience. The public was given repeated assurances that freedom of conscience would be respected if the law on marriage was changed. Maria Miller – the Tory Cabinet minister responsible for the Bill – ‘insisted’ that those opposing the plans would not be subjected to any discrimination. Mr Pierce quotes many examples of people being prosecuted for holding to their traditional views of marriage including that of the McArthur family who are being taken to court by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland over their refusal to make a pro-gay marriage campaign cake. Same-sex marriage has not been introduced in Northern Ireland, with MLAs voting three times in two years against changing the law.