A multi-denominational group of Christians from Merseyside have issued a joint statement encouraging Christians to vote in the European Elections on May 22. The statement has been signed by regional leaders of the Church of England, Methodist Church, the Baptist Union of Great Britain, Catholic Church, the United Reformed Church, and The Salvation Army. They all shared their concern that low turnout will mean success for extremist parties such as the British National Party. In the statement quoted in the Church Times, they wrote: ‘Some of our media are dismissive about what happens in Europe but it is important in a democratic state that we make the effort to vote. It is ironic to watch people in countries like Afghanistan voting in huge numbers when people here in the United Kingdom cannot be bothered to spare a small amount of time to go to the polling station.’
Migrants to Britain should be able to speak English and ‘respect its laws and culture’, the UK’s most senior Asian politician has said. Culture Secretary Sajid Javid insisted it was not good enough for migrants to live in the UK for up to 50 years without being able to speak English. The British-born Tory, whose parents came from Pakistan, also said there was no place for Sharia law in the UK legal system. Mr Javid, a rising star at Westminster who has also taken on the role of Equalities Minister, suggested voters had legitimate concerns over immigration. He said: ‘People want Britain to have more control over its borders and I think they are right. ‘People also say, when immigrants do come to Britain, that they should come to work, and make a contribution and that they should also respect our way of life and I agree with all of that.'
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Cocaine, heroin and knives rife in prisons
09 Jun 2014Figures released earlier this week in Parliament revealed 80 seizures of cocaine, 210 of heroin and at least 62 knives in prisons in England and Wales. Figures for knives could be higher as data was not available for a number of prisons. Under current law, Class A drugs are treated the most seriously. Possession can result in a seven-year prison sentence while supplying them is punishable with life imprisonment. And both can also carry an unlimited fine. ‘The amount of drugs and knives getting into our prison revealed by this data is alarming’, said Labour’s shadow justice secretary. ‘How can we possibly punish and reform criminals if contraband and weapons are circulating so freely in our jails? This needs a concerted effort by ministers to put a stop to this, but with all their cuts to prison staff and the increased overcrowding and violence on their watch in our prisons, I’ve not got much confidence they’re up to it.’
Far-right activists have targeted mosques in Bradford attempting to hand out Bibles and also to distribute leaflets accusing community elders of failing to stop grooming gangs. Members of Britain First, some wearing uniforms, staged protests at 10 places of worship in the city centre. They posted images of themselves on Facebook confronting members of the Asian community. They also visited the office of Labour councillor Nazam Azam. Mr Azam said, ‘They have come to Bradford to cause residents to fear for their safety. As far as I understand they have tried to access mosques and hand out leaflets but I don’t know anyone who took anything.' According to the anti-fascist organisation Hope Not Hate, Britain First is a Protestant far right group with its roots in Northern Ireland and Scotland. A Facebook site statement said, ‘This is the first of many such operations to be launched across Yorkshire against Islam.'
Legalising assisted suicide would open a ‘Pandora’s box’ and lead to ‘horrible consequences’, a senior Roman Catholic Archbishop has said. Archbishop Antonio Mennini explained that the ‘reality’ of assisted suicide should be revealed, as he warned that the change could lead to further attempts to weaken the law. The House of Lords is set to discuss the issue when it debates Lord Falconer’s Assisted Dying Bill. Archbishop Mennini, who has represented the Pope in Great Britain since 2011, said the ‘nice’, ‘politically correct’ term ‘assisted dying’ should be exposed. ‘But once we open this ‘Pandora’s box’ we know as well the horrible consequences that follow.’ He then gave the example of Belgium, which after introducing euthanasia in 2002 brought in child euthanasia earlier this year.
The Rev John Chalmers, Moderator Designate of the Church of Scotland, is to conduct a reconciliation service three days after the referendum on Scottish independence. The Church says that the service, to which leading figures from the Yes and Better Together campaigns will be invited, is to be held at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh on 21 September and will focus on healing divisions and building the future together. It said the service would highlight the need to put differences aside and begin working with each other, whatever the outcome of the referendum on 18 September. Speaking to BBC Scotland, the Rev Chalmers said: ‘Reconciliation is the business of the church. So it seems fitting, at a time when people are taking sides and passions are running high, that we should prepare for the day after this is all over.’
The organisers of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow have closed the ticket website and phone line until ongoing problems with sales can be resolved. Glasgow 2014 said the measure was necessary to address technical issues which had hampered the sales of 100,000 extra tickets since Monday. So far, about 55,000 of the extra tickets have been bought with diving, swimming, mountain biking, track cycling and the triathlon all sold out. Glasgow 2014 chief executive David Grevemberg said that the website and phone line would be unavailable until the technical issues had been resolved. At the time of printing this article they had still not been resolved. The ticket system has not met capacity and has not coped with demand. Extra tickets for all 17 sports and the opening and closing ceremonies went on sale on a first-come, first-served basis at 10:00 BST on Monday.