Displaying items by tag: United Kingdom

Children are taught about crossing the road safely. Talking to them about staying safe from sexual abuse is just as easy with the NSPCC’s new PANTS rules. With the help of a friendly dinosaur called Pantosaurus, talking PANTS is a simple way to teach a young child how to stay safe from abuse. The singing dinosaur video and fun activity pack can help parents teach the key messages without using any scary words. There are also PANTS teaching resources for schools and teachers that include lesson plans, class activities, and a catchy song ‘Not in My Pants’. It is not known exactly how many UK children experience abuse, because it is hidden from view. Adults may not recognise the signs, or the child may be too young, too scared or too ashamed to say what is happening. See

The Government estimates that tens of thousands of people are slaves in the UK. Most are trafficked from Albania, Vietnam, Nigeria, Romania and Poland. There are also significant numbers of British national slaves. Forced labour is in agriculture, construction, hospitality, manufacturing, and car washes. Women and girls are trafficked for sexual exploitation or domestic slavery. Children are forced into cannabis production, petty theft and begging. In 2009 the Government set up a mechanism to which potential cases were referred to access relevant support. It wasn’t fit for purpose. Slavery victims were not supported, and traffickers got away with their crimes. A new Modern Slavery Act was introduced in 2015. Research has found that the number of potential victims of trafficking and modern slavery reported to the authorities has risen by over 80% in two years, and the number of modern slavery cases involving UK children is alarming. See

The arrest and subsequent release of street preacher Oluwole Ilesanmi in Enfield on 23 February (see) prompted outrage on social media, and prompted questions in parliament. Theresa Villiers MP asked the Home Office what guidance is provided to the police on street preachers, what lessons have been learned from this incident, and what steps are being taken to ensure that church groups can preach on the street. The Government replied that freedom of expression is a vital part of a democratic society, and it is a long-standing tradition that people are free to share their views with others. On 21 March Christian Concern reported that London mayor Sadiq Khan is to face questions over the incident, especially since the the police have changed their story on Olu's 'de-arrest'. See

On 21 March, five mosques in Birmingham were targeted in a string of violent attacks overnight and into the morning. Reports of a man smashing windows with a sledgehammer were received at 2:30 am. Officers were then alerted to four similar attacks nearby. West Midlands police said it has yet to establish a motive, and officers from its counter-terrorism unit are investigating. Since the tragic events in New Zealand, police officers and staff have been working closely with their faith partners across the region to offer reassurance and support at churches, mosques and places of prayer.

On 14 March MPs voted to delay Brexit by a period of at least three months. Theresa May will now need to go back to the EU to request an extension to the 29 March deadline, even if (as seems unlikely) her Brexit deal is approved by parliament in a third ‘meaningful vote’ before 20 March. It is unclear what might happen if the EU refuses. The following is part of a declaration posted online by Passion for the Nation: ‘Lord, we thank You for every miracle You have worked in our nation in past seasons; for the turnarounds, revivals and personal miracles of provision and healing which have transformed lives, families and communities. At this strategic time within Parliament, we declare that a new desire for solutions will be released, uniting men and women across all parties, so that Kingdom purpose will overwhelm and overcome every personal, political and ideological preference and every strategy of the enemy to bring division.’

The ASCL, the second-largest head teachers’ union, has 18,500+ members, most of whom are in favour of relationship and sex education (RSE). Education secretary Damian Hinds will speak at their annual conference in Birmingham (15 to 16 March). In February he published new guidelines which state that parents will have no right to take their children out of RSE lessons. LGBT activist Andrew Moffat has been developing gay programmes while working as a teacher in Birmingham schools. Most recently he has piloted a programme called ‘No Outsiders’ at Parkfield School. Parents are currently protesting at Parkfield and calling for Moffat to go (see). Ofsted chief inspector Amanda Spielman will also address the conference. She has condemned the parental protests and called for ‘sane, rational discussion’. Concerned Christians will be demonstrating outside the venue on both days, and ask for our prayers.

The internet can deliver inappropriate and illegal online bullying, self-harm advice, fake news, and data misuse to anyone, of any age. A Christian perspective upholds ‘human flourishing on strong foundations within agreed ethical frameworks’. These are lacking online, but things could change. The House of Lords has produced an agreed set of ten principles that shape and frame internet regulations, and a new ‘Digital Authority’ to oversee rules, with access to the highest level of Government to facilitate any changes needed. These principles are: - the same level of protection online as offline - accountability for actions and policies - transparency and openness to scrutiny - openness to innovation and competition - protecting the privacy of individuals - ethical design - ensuring that services act in the interests of users and society - childhood recognition to protect the vulnerable - respect for human rights - and education to enable people to navigate the internet safely. See also World article 6, on technology.

A legal challenge has been submitted regarding a Royal College of Physicians (RCP) poll on assisted suicide. The poll asked members where they stand on this issue, but the RCP said it would adopt a neutral stance unless there was a 60% majority either way. Until now it has been officially opposed to assisted dying. Four doctors have launched a crowdfunding page to fund a legal challenge to the poll, saying that a small minority who support assisted dying want to change the RCP's default position in an unfair way. Even if 59% of members vote to maintain opposition to a change in the law, the College will change to a neutral position anyway. The doctors argue that using a supra-majority to change a policy is, as far as they are aware, entirely without precedent. It is believed that Dignity in Dying, the campaign group for assisted dying, influenced the move.

Ahed Tamimi is a Palestinian provocateur who slapped Israeli soldiers while her mother filmed the incident and then sent film to the media. She later said, ‘The world should not panic or be appalled by a Palestinian slapping an IDF soldier. Everyone should do it, not just me.’ With such comments, she and her family incite suicide bombings and stabbings. She is to come to Britain for a three-month crash course in the English language. Tamimi says she is on ‘the path of the martyrs’ who are not aiming for a two-state solution, but for ‘the liberation of Palestine’, and for ‘Jerusalem to be the eternal capital of Palestine’. Jeremy Corbyn supports her, and Labour MPs have been lectured by her father inside the UK parliament. In an interview with Jordanian media she said that after her crash course in English she will visit her brother in Palestine when he is freed from prison, then return to the UK to study international law. See

The Trussell Trust has said that Philip Hammond has missed a chance to do the right thing by giving people on the lowest income financial support and certainty before Brexit. Our benefits system should ensure proper support is in place when help is most needed. But more people are struggling to make ends meet and face hunger. The trust said a record demand in foodbank use has resulted from benefits not covering the cost of essentials. ‘By failing to end the benefits freeze and the five-week wait for Universal Credit, thousands more people will become trapped in poverty and may be forced to a foodbank as a result.’ Financial experts said that Britain needs urgent spending reviews to address issues around benefits squeezes, education funding, and social care. The Chancellor promised to free up more money to help end austerity if there’s a smooth Brexit, and that a disorderly Brexit would deal a ‘significant’ blow to economic activity in the short term. See