Last week, as Monday night drifted into the early hours of Tuesday morning, the latest version of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill was approved by MPs. This means the fraught and contested passage of this controversial Bill will continue, as it returns to the House of Lords. The …
Politics and Elections
Response to COP26
Statement from the Baptist Union of Great Britain, The Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church on the conclusion of the Glasgow COP26 summit – 14 November 2021 Significant new statements have been made at the summit in Glasgow. Most government delegations accept that the sense of urgency is …
What can we expect from COP26 in Glasgow?
Make no mistake - COP26 matters a lot. As the UN Secretary General has said “The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk. Global heating …
Power and protest
Church leaders have joined representatives of hundreds of civil society organisations to express concern about government proposals to restrict protest and increase police powers. As consideration of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill begins in the House of Lords, they have written …
Reset The Debt in Parliament
This blog is written by Paul Morrison of the Joint Public Issues Team. Well over a thousand supporters of the Reset the Debt campaign wrote to their MPs to ask them to attend the debate on household debt in Parliament on 8 May. Thank you! The debate attracted a range of MPs from …
Reset the Debt in Parliament
Well over a thousand supporters of the Reset the Debt campaign wrote to their MPs to ask them to attend the debate on household debt in Parliament on 8 July. Thank you! The debate attracted a range of MPs from across the political spectrum, and while a wide range of views and issues were …
Make COP Count: Invite MPs and Peers
Mon, June 14, 20214:00 PM – 5:00 PM BST We’re partnering with other faith groups to host a briefing for MPs and Peers, to share faith groups’ priorities for climate action in the run-up to the UN climate talks (COP26) and discuss how we can work together for positive change. We need …
Reflections on the Scottish Parliament elections
Do you ever get that feeling as you approach 6 January? The one which is part relief that ‘Christmas’ (which started in October with the shops putting up decorations) is finally over? But which is also part sadness that, with the decorations being put away, the reality of normal life and routine is …
Why host a hustings?
“The Church has developed its online presence wonderfully well during the past year. We are probably very well placed to host virtual hustings of all the groups in our communities.” The Right Rev Dr Martin Fair, Moderator of the Church of Scotland, speaking recently on Premier Radio. The …
Reaction to the Budget
In this Budget, the Chancellor faced the difficult task of setting financial and economic priorities at a time when unprecedented support has been needed, and continues to be needed, to help the country get through the pandemic. As well as setting out plans for the extension of that support, he had …