Displaying items by tag: Boris Johnson

The Information Commissioner's Office is questioning the Government about whether the collection of personal data on its Gov.uk platform complies with data protection laws. This follows a report that Boris Johnson had ordered the website to be used as a platform for ‘targeted and personalised information’ which would feed into Brexit preparations. The privacy rights campaign group Big Brother Watch claims that the report raises questions about ‘the legitimacy, urgency and purpose of such personal tracking’. The Gov.uk website brings together all the government's services, allowing people (for example) to file tax returns, pay for passports, or book driving tests.This development comes a day after the Advertising Standards Authority said that it was following up complaints about a Brexit-related government advertisement.

In 2016, while a majority of the nation voted to leave the EU, a much larger majority of our MPs voted to remain. Boris Johnson prorogued Parliament, bringing a bitter period of debate and huge rage across the benches and in the media. On 4 September MPs passed a bill which aims to prevent a no-deal Brexit, and Mr Johnson failed to obtain the necessary majority to call an October election. At the time of writing, there is considerable confusion about what will happen next - so all the more reason to pray.

Boris Johnson describes himself as a ‘passionate Zionist’ and recently said that wild horses wouldn’t keep him away from visiting Israel as Britain’s prime minister. His own Jewish ancestry reflects a legacy that he is immensely proud of. His great-grandfather was the Moscow-born son of a schmutter merchant (clothes trader). From refusing to boycott Israeli goods as Mayor of London through to his role as foreign secretary in the Balfour Declaration celebrations, Boris is a friend of Israel. But with new challenges ahead and Britain’s longstanding foreign policy not always in its favour, the Jewish state needs not only friends but courageous advocates, prepared to stand with Israel in a world that is increasingly volatile towards it. The Iran deal, the protection of Jews in Britain, Palestinian terrorism, and strengthening bilateral ties with Israel are all matters of importance in Mr Johnson’s inherited in-tray.

In Israel, August is the beginning of the season of pomegranates. One of the ‘seven species’ (Deuteronomy 8:8), pomegranates are symbolic of blessing and fruitfulness (Numbers 13:23),  providing much needed refreshment when summer is at its hottest and driest. Full of seeds, they remind us that fruitfulness is also about securing future generations. Give thanks that it is the Lord who blesses and makes us fruitful, who sustains us through dry and difficult times, and whose plans for us are always for a ‘future and a hope’ (Jeremiah 29:11). Boris Johnson has pledged more funds to address ‘imbalances that affect rural communities’, with funding for rural schools, supporting rural post offices, and fibre broadband by 2025. He said rural communities will be central to kick-starting the British economy after Brexit. Pray that he and his cabinet will govern so that rural and urban communities lead a quiet and peaceable life.

Lord, you moved the heart of Cyrus, even though he did not know you, to do your will for the sake of the nation (2 Chron. 36:22). You changed Saul’s heart and used him to fulfil your purposes (Acts 9:4). The UK has a new prime minister. We pray that you will enable Boris Johnson to stride into your Kingdom purposes with every decision he makes. We ask You, Father, to use his strong intellect to take us on the Brexit journey and also to inject your purposes into education, the NHS, social services, police, military, commerce and industry; bringing them back onto the paths of mercy and moral laws. Father please open his mind to Your strategies for the coming months. May he lead this nation into restoration and renewal. Surround him with wise advisers who have Your vision and anointing to meet the needs of society through Brexit transitions to achieve a ‘breakthrough’ in the Irish border blockage.

Boris Johnson is leading a ‘Brexit’ cabinet, so called because key roles were given to leading Brexiteers. Our reputation in the world will change as new faces represent the UK, possibly with new policies. Let us pray into these changes. May God's hand and mercy direct Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary; may he see the work centred on the persecuted church through to completion. May Priti Patel, the home secretary, use her innovativeness to address terrorism, drugs, and knife crime, keeping our streets safe. May Chancellor Sajid Javid keep our economy safe during and after Brexit. Apart from high-profile ministers, Boris will also rely on key advisers behind the scenes, such as his senior adviser Dominic Cummings; may God use his outspokenness to establish reforms aligned to Kingdom purposes. For a ‘who’s who’ of the new cabinet, click the ‘More’ button.

The European Commission has said that free ports, the Singapore-style tax-free zones favoured by Boris Johnson, are ‘potentially vulnerable to money-laundering and financing terrorism’ in the European single market. Free ports are ‘the new emerging threat’, said the European justice commissioner, Věra Jourová. ‘This is something we want to focus on more.’ Prime Minister Johnson says he wants ‘about six’ tax-free zones in ports as part of his vision for the UK after Brexit. He has yet to give details on their size and location. EU countries and their dependencies already shelter 80+ free ports, including one on the Isle of Man, a British crown dependency which is neither in the EU nor the UK. The commission’s report warned that the EU has ‘a structural problem’ in preventing the financial system from being used by criminals.

Parliamentary papers revealed that Boris Johnson had a £14,000 all-expenses-paid trip to Saudi Arabia, two weeks before the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in its Istanbul consulate. Mr Johnson flew to Jeddah for a three-day visit, where reportedly all expenses were paid by the ministry of foreign affairs. His goal was to meet regional figures to promote education for women and girls. When he was foreign secretary, he refused to back halting arms sales to Saudi Arabia, and was accused by human rights groups of blocking a UN investigation into Saudi war crimes committed in Yemen. The UK government’s support of the country has not wavered. Although the USA calls for a Yemen ceasefire (see the World article ‘Yemen: vision of ceasefire), Theresa May does not support this move, telling MPs that it would only work if there is a political deal between parties. See

23 March is day 720 of Nazanin Zaghari-Radcliffe’s confinement in Evin prison, nicknamed ‘The Iranian torture factory’. In September she was approved for early release, but Boris Johnson’s comments caused Iranian authorities to believe she was a spy and new charges were made. Her situation became political news, generating a petition of 1.5+ million signatures for her release. Mr Johnson visited Iran ‘to leave no stone unturned’, but an Ayatollah’s fiery Friday sermon described him as a ‘liar and clown’, leading to demonstrations across Iran and the UK. Inside the prison phone calls to and from Nazanin by family were banned and medical visits were cancelled. Just before Christmas, she was told she was ‘eligible for parole.’, but this came to nothing. Nazanin is a Christian suffering post-traumatic stress, being cruelly treated physically and emotionally; pray for her spirit to be strong. See also the article ‘Under Islamism’ in the World section.

Foreign secretary Boris Johnson delivered the first of a series of planned speeches by cabinet ministers on Brexit. He called upon pro-Leave figures to understand the concerns of those who wanted to remain in the EU. Johnson said he wanted to ‘reach out to those who still have anxieties’, and urges Remainers to recognise the benefits of leaving EU. Many believe that his call for unity in Westminster largely fell on deaf ears as Remain supporters accused Johnson of hypocrisy, labelling him one of the most divisive figures of the Brexit campaign. Business leaders and trade unionists also reacted coolly to Johnson’s speech. Pray for the media as they digest and comment on this and the coming wave of Brexit speeches by ministers. Pray for honest and wise communicating and reporting of their views. Pray for logical comments based on facts, and for any temptation to exaggerate to be moderated by integrity.