The Christian Institute

Cameron ‘sacrificed RC adoption for gay vote’

Jen Davis — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:50:23 +0000

Conservative leader David Cameron has been accused of contributing to the closure of Roman Catholic adoption agencies in order to win homosexual voters. In 2007 Mr Cameron voted for new ‘gay rights’ laws forcing adoption groups to consider gay couples as potential adopters without any protection for religious agencies. Newspaper columnist Gerald Warner says the Conservative [...]

Wasteful equality industry needs trimming, says MP

Jen Davis — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:48:31 +0000

Northern Ireland’s ‘equality industry’ is spending millions providing only “limited” help for minorities and needs trimming down, an MP has said. “Over the last ten years or so we have seen the emergence of various quangos, all of which are connected in one way or another with promoting equality,” said DUP MP Sammy Wilson according [...]

Lords back free speech shield in ‘gay hate’ law

Jen Davis — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:23:17 +0000

The Government has been defeated in the House of Lords over its attempt to repeal a free speech protection from a sexual orientation ‘hatred’ law. Peers voted by 186 to 133 to keep the protection in place. The matter will be passed back to the House of Commons where MPs voted for repeal. Should the free speech [...]

Drop ‘catastrophic’ sex ed strategy, Government told

Jen Davis — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:17:43 +0000

Handing out condoms and ever-increasing levels of sex education is like repeatedly giving someone a headache pill that doesn’t work, writes a national columnist today. “Still the pain continues, so you give them two more and then a specially strong one, refusing to accept the evidence in front of your eyes that the treatment is [...]

24-hr drinking blamed as alcohol deaths soar

Ben Mitchell — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:02:29 +0000

Alcohol related deaths have increased dramatically under Labour, it has emerged. Among men, alcohol related death rates have shot up by 43 per cent and female rates have risen by a third since 1999. Overall alcohol related deaths rose by almost 40 per cent in ten years from 5,287 in 1999 to 7,341 in 2008. Critics say [...]

Free speech vote in the House of Lords

Jen Davis — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:47:40 +0000

The House of Lords will vote today on whether a free speech protection should be removed from a controversial law on inciting homophobic hatred. Should the free speech protection be removed? Listen to the issue being debated on BBC Radio 5 Live. The protection makes it clear that criticising homosexual practice or urging people to refrain from such [...]

Failed £6m project sees teen pregnancy increase

Jane Leung — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:28:11 +0000

A Government-backed project designed to curb teenage pregnancies has seen them more than double, it emerged today. The Young People’s Development Programme (YPDP) tried to reduce conceptions, drug abuse and truancy among vulnerable young people, at a cost of £2,500 each. But at the end of the scheme there were more teenage pregnancies among the [...]

Human sperm produced from embryo stem cells

Jen Davis — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:14:22 +0000

Scientists in Newcastle claim to have created artificial sperm in a laboratory for the first time, sparking major ethical concerns. The research, carried out at the North East England Stem Cell Institute, involved the destruction of human embryos. Although producing babies using artificial sperm or eggs is illegal, critics have warned the process could be “used [...]

RC adoption group given survival bid to High Court

Jane Leung — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:14:39 +0000

A Roman Catholic adoption agency has been given the chance to appeal after losing a bid to protect its pro-marriage ethos last month. The Leeds-based charity, Catholic Care, was told by the Charity Tribunal last month that under the new Sexual Orientation Regulations (SORs) it would have to consider gay couples as potential adopters, despite [...]

Vulnerable protected as assisted suicide bid fails

Jane Leung — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 11:11:55 +0000

A bid to weaken the law on assisted suicide was voted down in the House of Lords last night. Peers voted 194 to 141 against the plan to make it legal to help someone travel overseas to commit suicide. A disabled Peer, Baroness Campbell of Surbiton, made a moving speech appealing to peers to reject the [...]

‘Do not say God bless’ council sacks Christian

Mike Judge — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:36:24 +0000

A London council that bans staff from saying “God bless” at work has sacked a Christian employee for discussing his faith. Duke Amachree, a homelessness prevention officer, was initially suspended for suggesting that a terminally ill woman look to God for help. After investigating the incident his employer, Wandsworth Council in London, has decided to dismiss him [...]

Lords to debate assisted suicide

Mike Judge — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 13:56:15 +0000

Vulnerable patients will be at risk if the House of Lords votes to weaken the law on assisted suicide when it debates the matter later today, critics say. Euthanasia groups are backing amendments to the Coroners and Justice Bill which will allow assisted suicide in some circumstances. But opponents say the proposed changes are ill thought out, [...]

Queen’s best wishes to Christians “insult gays”

Matt Jess — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:03:43 +0000

Gay activist Peter Tatchell has accused the Queen of ‘colluding with prejudice’ by offering her good wishes to a new grouping of Anglicans who uphold the Bible’s teaching on marriage. Mr Tatchell said Her Majesty had insulted lesbian and gay people by sending a “letter of support” to the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA). Buckingham Palace [...]

Assisted suicide bid ‘not safe’ say Lords

Jen Davis — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 07:24:51 +0000

Lord Falconer of Thoroton’s amendment to alter the law on assisted suicide is “foolhardy” and “ill-thought-out”, a group of Peers has warned. Lord Falconer wants the law to change so those helping relatives travel to overseas suicide facilities to die escape prosecution. But three of his fellow Peers, Lord Brennan, Baroness Butler-Sloss and Lord Mackay of [...]

Council backs down over gay foster row

Jen Davis — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:38:19 +0000

A Roman Catholic mother whose son was to be placed with gay foster parents in Brighton has been told the local council has halted the plans. The ten-year-old, who is also a devout Roman Catholic, was due to be placed with the couple last month despite his mother’s objections. But Brighton and Hove Council says it [...]

Scots gay minister takes up first post

Sam Wylie — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:59:03 +0000

Scott Rennie, the first openly gay minister in the Church of Scotland’s history was introduced to his new congregation in Aberdeen on Friday. The appointment of Revd Rennie, who lives with his gay partner, went ahead despite objections from evangelicals in the Kirk. Earlier in the year a petition opposing Revd Rennie’s appointment attracted 12,000 signatures from [...]

Tories’ new plan to shore up marriage

Jen Davis — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:44:34 +0000

A new Conservative strategy to reverse family breakdown is expected to involve tax breaks for married couples and make divorce harder. The measures are recommended in a report by think-tank the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) which rejects the idea that marriage is just another ‘lifestyle choice’. Instead, the authors say, it is of “paramount [...]

Bishop urges gays: ‘repent and change’

Jen Davis — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:00:28 +0000

Christians welcome homosexuals but want them to “repent and be changed”, the Bishop of Rochester has said. “We don’t want to be rolled over by culture and trends in the Church,” Dr Michael Nazir-Ali told The Sunday Telegraph in an interview this weekend. He said the call to repent applied to anyone who had departed from the [...]

Labour and Tories tussle over who’s most pro-gay

Jen Davis — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:31:56 +0000

The Prime Minister has been quick to point out Labour’s record on ‘gay rights’ laws in response to Tory attempts to woo homosexual voters. Gordon Brown told the organisers of a gay pride march taking place in London tomorrow they had “changed the world”. Offering the example of civil partnerships, Mr Brown said Labour had made “massive [...]

Churches should do ‘gay weddings’ says minister

Jen Davis — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:39:10 +0000

A homosexual Government minister has called on the Church of England to allow same-sex civil partnerships to be celebrated in churches. Both the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church allow only marriages to be conducted by clergy. But junior Foreign Office minister Chris Bryant said they should be “much more open” to treating civil [...]

Eight Scots deaths a day linked to booze

Sam Wylie — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:26:55 +0000

Alcohol is linked to one in every 20 deaths in Scotland, and every three hours someone dies from an alcohol-related condition, new figures show. Dr Peter Terry, chairman of the British Medical Association in Scotland, said: “Scotland is awash with alcohol and the consequences are crippling the health service. “The scale of the problem needs radical [...]

Pro-marriage Earl sells heirloom to meet costs

Sam Wylie — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:11:46 +0000

The Earl of Devon, who lost thousands of pounds because of his Christian beliefs on marriage, is selling a Civil War diary to pay for building work on his estate. Last year he lost his licence to hold marriages at his castle because he wouldn’t allow homosexual civil partnerships to take place there. He said the matter [...]

Unwed dads are twice as likely to leave home

Jen Davis — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:07:40 +0000

Choosing to cohabit rather than marry can more than double a woman’s risk of becoming a single mother by the time her child is five, according to new research. The increased risk is consistent regardless of education or income, a study of 15,000 mothers found. Academics put the pattern down to an inherent difference in [...]

Prostitution plan passes latest stage in the Lords

Jen Davis — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:32:05 +0000

A Government plan to tackle sex trafficking has made progress in the House of Lords, but attempts to weaken the proposals are expected soon. The Government wants to criminalise anyone paying for sex with a prostitute who is being exploited by someone else, whether or not he knows about her situation. But Conservative frontbencher Baroness [...]

Dramatic rise in Scots teenage terminations

Sam Wylie — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 09:41:17 +0000

Teenage abortions in Scotland have risen by over a quarter in the last ten years, new figures show. The teenage abortion total rose from 2,884 in 1997 to 3,725 in 2007 according to NHS statistics. The number of abortions among under-16s rose by a third over the same period, with the 2007 total standing at [...]

‘Designer baby’ fears over new embryo test

Ben Mitchell — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:53:52 +0000

The ‘designer baby’ debate has reignited as a new embryo test for thousands of different conditions could be piloted within months. Scientists claim the test can detect 15,000 genetic conditions in embryos, including cystic fibrosis, autism and some types of cancer. Using the controversial technique- called Karyomapping – parents could theoretically filter out IVF embryos on the [...]

Teachers code altered to meet faith concerns

Jen Davis — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:33:15 +0000

A new code of conduct for teachers has been redrafted in an attempt to calm fears that religious staff could be disciplined at work because of their faith. The General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) had originally proposed ‘diversity’ wording which was based on a controversial nurses code of conduct. That nurses code came under fire earlier [...]

Equality Bill may be a vote loser, says Labour minister

Jen Davis — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:15:05 +0000

A Cabinet Minister has suggested that the unpopular Equality Bill could damage Labour’s election chances. The Party must consider what will be “popular and successful” in taking the Bill forward, Communities Minister John Denham had planned to warn last night. In the event he dropped the reference from his speech, but still said that new [...]

Assisted suicide voted down by doctors group

Ben Mitchell — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:51:42 +0000

Most doctors do not want to play a role in assisting a suicide, it emerged at a British Medical Association (BMA) debate yesterday. In a blow to the euthanasia lobby, the majority of doctors voted against several motions seeking to liberalise the law. The motions were introduced by Dr Kailash Chand, a GP and journalist. He argued that [...]

Cameron ’sorry’ over Section 28

Jen Davis — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:25:36 +0000

Conservative leader David Cameron says his party was wrong to support Section 28 – a law banning local authorities from promoting homosexuality in schools. Section 28 was introduced in the 1980s to protect children from inappropriate resources being pushed by councils controlled by what was dubbed at the time ‘the loony left’. It has since [...]

Christian MP cleared over gay comments

Jen Davis — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:12:26 +0000

Ulster MP Iris Robinson has been cleared of any wrongdoing after homosexual groups complained about comments she made on a radio show last year. During the radio interview Mrs Robinson quoted the biblical word “abomination” and suggested counselling could help those struggling with same-sex attraction. Following what has been described as a “politically-motivated” complaint to the [...]

Bishop urges Brits to recall Christian values

Jen Davis — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:06:53 +0000

At a time of recession and damaged trust in MPs Britain needs reminding of its Christian foundations, warns the Bishop of Rochester. Bishop Michael Nazir Ali says the turmoil created by the MPs’ expenses scandal has come about because of the loss of a moral “touchstone”. “No wonder everyone has been doing what is right in his [...]

Lords to debate prostitution law

Sam Wylie — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:42:36 +0000

Tough new laws aimed at combating sex trafficking will be debated by the House of Lords today as Peers consider the Policing and Crime Bill. The Government wants to criminalise men who pay for sex with women being exploited by someone else, whether they know about her situation or not. But a Tory front bench amendment proposes [...]

Gay lobby’s media ‘crusade’ revealed

Jen Davis — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:56:03 +0000

A gay journalist has upset a homosexual lobbyist by revealing how the two conspired with Peter Mandelson and Sir Ian McKellen in the 80s to change public opinion on ‘gay rights’. Matthew Parris has been slammed by activist Nicholas De Jongh who has accused him of ‘blowing’ confidentiality that had been maintained for years. In an [...]

Public are divided over gay adoption

Jen Davis — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 13:22:36 +0000

Half the population is opposed to placing children for adoption with same-sex couples, according to a new poll. The Populus survey found that 47 per cent of the population are against gay adoption and 49 per cent are in favour. The poll was commissioned by The Times newspaper. Despite the widespread public unease over gay adoption, recent [...]

Sarah Brown will attend gay march

Sam Wylie — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:39:06 +0000

Sarah Brown will become the first Prime Minister’s wife to attend a gay pride march on Saturday. Mrs Brown, who recently hosted a lunch for the prominent American gay rights activist David Mixner at Downing Street, will march at the start of the two week festival. The Prime Minister will not attend the gay [...]

Judge gives go-ahead for NI abortion law challenge

Jen Davis — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:40:53 +0000

Belfast High Court has given a pro-life group permission to challenge Northern Ireland’s health chiefs over abortion guidelines it says are “misleading”. Abortion is illegal in Northern Ireland unless the mother’s life is at risk, but the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) believes the guidance for health workers fails to reflect this. [...]

BBC kids’ TV hides stay-at-home mums

Matt Jess — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:00:46 +0000

A journalist and stay-at-home mum says the BBC’s pre-school channel CBeebies is “the Government’s ventriloquist’s dummy”, “brainwashing” viewers with Labour party family policy. Writing in the Daily Mail, Laura Kemp says that when she first began watching CBeebies with her 21-month old son, she was pleased at how the programmes helped his vocabulary and numeracy. But now [...]

Multiple abortions may risk future kids’ health

Sam Wylie — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:26:05 +0000

Women having abortions could be seriously affecting the health of children they may have in the future, research has found. Having one abortion may increase the risk of a later premature birth by 20 per cent. Two or more abortions may increase the chances by 90 per cent. Mothers who have had more than one abortion [...]

Premature ‘little fighter’ challenges abortion limit

Matt Jess — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:58:11 +0000

Six months on, a baby girl born younger than the legal time limit for abortions has amazed her parents and hospital staff with her progress. Mum Sam Hawkins said: “It’s spooky to think that Jessica was born at a week before the legal limit and she was a baby and fed and pooed.” When Jessica Hawkins [...]

Faith leaders join forces against assisted suicide

Mike Judge — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:12:53 +0000

Three of Britain’s most senior religious leaders have come together to express their concern about ‘back door’ attempts to legalise euthanasia. Rowan Williams, The Archbishop of Canterbury; Vincent Nichols, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster; and Sir Jonathan Sacks, the Chief Rabbi, have signed a joint letter to The Daily Telegraph. The letter comes as the [...]

True number of Sharia law courts ‘at least 85′

Jen Davis — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:58:53 +0000

There are more than 85 unofficial Sharia ‘courts’ operating in the UK, many times more than is commonly estimated, a new report reveals. The courts, which usually apply Sharia law in family or financial disputes, can have their rulings upheld by civil courts in England and Wales under the 1996 Arbitration Act. Decisions from the [...]

Doctors say let us pray with patients

Sam Wylie — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:21:52 +0000

NHS staff shouldn’t be punished for sharing their faith at work, doctors have said. The matter will be raised at the British Medical Association’s conference later this week. It follows high-profile cases of medical staff being disciplined for talking about their religious beliefs. In December Christian nurse, Caroline Petrie, was suspended after she offered to pray for a [...]

‘Equality camp’ for kids seeks recruits

Jen Davis — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:38:41 +0000

The Government’s ‘equality’ watchdog is recruiting 14 and 15-year-olds for its second annual summer camp. The camp, called Our Space, will consist of a few days in the Lake District with outdoor activities and “modules to discuss diversity, equality and rights”. The camp is being organised by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), the body [...]

Split parents harm kids into adult life

Jen Davis — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:08:53 +0000

Children whose parents separate are likely to suffer “enduring” problems with their education, mental health and future relationships, a Government-commissioned report reveals. Children whose parents divorce are twice as likely to become divorced themselves as adults, the report says. Girls are often hit by the consequences of their parents’ separation later in life, experiencing [...]

CofE slams ’round-the clock’ condom adverts

Jane Leung — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:54:33 +0000

The Church of England has criticised proposals for ‘round-the-clock’ condom ads on tv saying “educational and commercial objectives should not be muddled”. In March the advertising watchdog, BCAP, announced plans to allow abortion ads on television and radio for the first time, and to remove the 9pm watershed for condom ads. The Church said they remained [...]

Parents can hold scale model of unborn baby

Mike Judge — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:45:49 +0000

As these stunning pictures show, a new technology allows mums and dads to hold a life size model of their unborn child. “It’s amazing to see the faces of the mothers,” said inventor Dr Jorge Lopes who developed the technology for his PhD at the Royal College of Art. It works by taking data from ultrasound and [...]

Swiss Govt to consider ban on assisted suicide

Jane Leung — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:52:58 +0000

The Swiss Government is considering a new proposal to ban assisted suicide facilities in Switzerland. The new proposal would tighten restrictions on who could access assisted suicide, potentially limiting it to those who are close to death. If passed it could spell the end for so-called ‘suicide tourism’ to Swiss facilities such as Dignitas, which [...]

BBC told to ban bad language before 10

Jane Leung — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 13:35:11 +0000

The BBC is considering banning swearing before 10pm on its flagship channel, after viewers complained they were fed up with bad language. The BBC Trust has proposed a new plan that would mean offensive words would be cut out or bleeped out of programmes for another hour after the 9pm watershed. The suggestion comes after a [...]

Officials tell activist group Canterbury is ‘gay enough’

Jen Davis — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:48:50 +0000

Claims by a ‘gay rights’ group that Canterbury City Council was failing to support the area’s gay community have been exposed as groundless. The Pride in Canterbury group made the accusations after Canterbury City Council decided not to back a plan to promote gay plays in the local theatre. The group claimed at the time: “We do [...]

Scots gambling group sees helpline calls surge

Jen Davis — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:20:30 +0000

A Scottish charity offering one-to-one counselling for problem gamblers says its caseload has doubled in the last year since the law was softened. Researchers say the problem could become worse when the economy improves, making the situation “like a timebomb ticking away”. The latest annual figures from Renfrewshire Council for Alcohol Trust (RCAT), which also [...]

UN warns Britain over 400,000 drug abusers

Ben Mitchell — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:30:09 +0000

Illegal drug use in Britain has continued to soar despite worldwide decline, according to a new United Nations report. According to the report Britain has 400,000 ‘problem drug users’ who are permanently intoxicated or regularly bingeing on illegal substances. It shows that Britain has the highest number of amphetamine, cocaine and heroin users in Europe. Britain has [...]

Bishops may be ejected as part of Lords reform

Jane Leung — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:09:58 +0000

The House of Lords could lose its bishops under plans being considered by the Prime Minister. Gordon Brown is looking at proposals for a radical reworking of the upper chamber of Parliament as part of wider plans for constitutional change. Justice Secretary Jack Straw is expected to publish details of the proposals before the House of [...]

Draft code of conduct may make teachers ‘hide faith’

Mike Judge — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 10:58:54 +0000

A planned code of conduct for teachers risks imposing a “test of professional commitment to secularism”, a leading employment lawyer says. John Bowers QC, editor of a top employment law textbook, says the draft code does not do enough to safeguard the religious liberty of Christian teachers. It could “lead to a ‘chilling effect’, creating [...]

Government failing to support faith groups

Matt Jess — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:55:55 +0000

Despite ministerial pledges of support for religious charities, there has been little evidence of this so far, says the Evangelical Alliance (EA). Measures such as the new Equality Bill threaten to strip these groups of their identities, EA’s Head of Public Affairs Don Horrocks told Third Sector magazine. “The Government indicates that it is considering [...]

Police fail on booze violence, say public

Jen Davis — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:21:28 +0000

Three quarters of the population say the police are not dealing with crime and anti-social behaviour in their communities. Almost one in three people said drug dealing was a big problem in their area and nearly as many felt the same about drunkenness. But only 26 per cent felt that the police and other local [...]

Failure over ‘gay rights’ may harm police career

Jen Davis — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:36:46 +0000

Scottish police officers could miss out on career advancement if they fail to meet new ‘gay and transsexual rights’ standards. But critics say the priority for police forces should be tackling crime not “busying themselves with social engineering”. This week the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland launched its ‘equality and diversity’ strategy for the country’s [...]

Bus ads prompt public to request a free Bible

Jane Leung — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:33:16 +0000

A Christian group has received hundreds of requests for Bibles following a campaign to rival atheist bus ads which claimed: “There’s probably no God”. Christian and Atheist debate bus posters Comedy writer and Atheist, Ariane Sherine, debates with David Larlham of the Trinitarian Bible Society over bus ads which say “There’s probably no God” (source: BBC). The [...]

‘Gay rights’ laws shut RC adoption society

Jen Davis — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:48:41 +0000

A Roman Catholic adoption agency says it can’t go on finding homes for children because of new ‘gay rights’ laws forcing it to act against its religious ethos. The London-based Catholic Children’s Society (Westminster), which was founded in 1859, said the Sexual Orientation Regulations (SORs) were to blame for the move. “We do this with [...]

Christians give despite recession, poll reveals

Jane Leung — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 12:19:28 +0000

Christians are still giving generously to charity despite the economic downturn, a new poll shows. Amid rising unemployment and financial uncertainty 16 per cent of Christians actually increased their charitable donations. Over two thirds (69 per cent) said their charitable giving had remained steady and just one per cent said they had stopped giving since [...]

New Commons Speaker is religious liberty critic

Mike Judge — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:52:40 +0000

John Bercow MP – a critic of past religious liberty campaigns – has been chosen by his colleagues to be the new Speaker of the House of Commons. He will have power to choose which MPs are called to speak in the chamber and whether or not particular amendments to Bills are debated. When campaigning for the [...]

Good Samaritan church has windows smashed

Matt Jess — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:11:49 +0000

The Belfast church which offered sanctuary to Romanian immigrants hounded out of their homes by racist thugs was itself attacked last night. Pastor Malcolm Morgan arrived at the church this morning to find several windows and the main glass doorway smashed. Pastor Morgan said the church had never been attacked in such a way before. He said: “It [...]

BBC is anti-Christian and pro-Muslim says ex host

Mike Judge — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:37:48 +0000

The BBC is keen on programmes which attack churches and there is a wider secularist campaign “to get rid of Christianity”, an ex-presenter says. Don Maclean, the former Radio 2 religious programme host, also says the broadcaster is “keen on Islam”. He said: “you don’t see any programmes on Anglicanism that don’t talk about homosexual clergy and [...]

Children of divorce seek solace in drink and drugs

Matt Jess — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:58:39 +0000

A third of children whose parents divorce seek solace from the trauma in drugs or alcohol, a survey has revealed. The poll of 2,000 individuals who had experienced divorce as a child in the last 20 years also discovered that one in ten turned to crime and eight per cent considered suicide. The study also highlighted [...]

Doctors: stop ‘quick fix’ abortion adverts

Jen Davis — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 09:02:20 +0000

Television already sends out the message that casual sex is fine and allowing abortion ads would simply offer a ‘quick fix’ for the consequences, warn doctors. The warning comes as the advertising watchdog considers whether to change the rules to allow abortion services to advertise on TV for the first time. A consultation on the [...]

Get another career, MP tells faith dilemma staff

Mike Judge — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:58:46 +0000

Public sector workers who face a conflict between their job and their faith should get another career, an MP scrutinising the Equality Bill says. Lynne Featherstone MP said the world is not big enough to allow people to abide by their religious beliefs and conscience in the public sector workplace. Know your rights: Religious liberty in the [...]

Fears over Brit deaths at Swiss suicide centre

Jen Davis — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:53:41 +0000

Several of the 115 Brits who have so far committed suicide at the Dignitas facility in Switzerland were suffering from “treatable” conditions, it has been revealed. A leading doctor has said he is “horrified” at the newly-released details of the British deaths which have taken place at the clinic since it was founded. Many of the [...]

Bishops say BBC treats faith like a ‘freak show’

Jen Davis — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:54:31 +0000

The Church of England will challenge the BBC this week over claims that the corporation is treating Christianity like a ‘freak show’. Concerns have been raised about the appointment of Aaqil Ahmed, a Muslim, as the BBC’s new Head of Religious Programming. Mr Ahmed has been accused of producing programmes “that have tended to [...]

Christian demoted over civil partnership beliefs

Jen Davis — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:45:39 +0000

A second Christian registrar has been disciplined and threatened with dismissal by Islington Council over the issue of civil partnerships, it has emerged. LBC radio report The Christian Institute’s Mike Judge discusses the issue with LBC’s Nick Ferrari. In a letter to members of the House of Lords, Theresa Davies tells of a “militant political-sexual libertarian lobby” [...]

Charity warns over sex education plans

Jen Davis — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 08:29:55 +0000

A family charity has published a new report urging parents to be “vigilant” about new plans to introduce compulsory sex education lessons beginning at primary school. The Family Education Trust has produced a new 52-page guide for parents, entitled Too Much Too Soon: The government’s plans for your child’s sex education. According to the report, one [...]

Abortion ad backers had vested interest, MPs say

Jane Leung — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:36:48 +0000

The groups behind plans to allow TV ads for condoms and abortion services make their money from promoting these things, a cross-party group of MPs has pointed out. The UK’s broadcasting watchdog recently drafted plans to change the advertising rules after the Government’s sexual health advisory group said it would help lower teenage pregnancy rates. [...]

Equality Bill to ‘end council efficiencies’

Jane Leung — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:51:54 +0000

Money-saving efficiencies of local councils can be ‘discriminatory’ and will be challenged when the Equality Bill comes into force, trade union activists have said. Speaking at Unison’s national conference, activists say they will use equality legislation to combat local council savings. They claim that outsourcing and shared-services deals are seen as areas of particular concern to [...]

BBC: ‘family breakdown too dark for prime time’

Jane Leung — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 10:06:29 +0000

A family judge has blasted the BBC for moving documentaries on family breakdown out of a prime time slot because it thought they were “too dark”. Mr Justice Coleridge said “Those in charge considered them to be ‘too dark’” but he suggested, “That, however, may be a symptom of a wider problem”. “Yes, what [...]

‘How to deal with religious employees’, by gay lobby

Jen Davis — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:03:45 +0000

The Government’s equality watchdog has funded a top gay lobby group to advise employers on dealing with the ‘clash’ between sexual orientation and religious liberty rights. Stonewall’s 38-page guide, Sexual Orientation and Religion: How to manage relations in the workplace, was produced with funding from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The lobby group’s Chief [...]

Pride London to lobby against gay blood ban

Jane Leung — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:56:29 +0000

Gay campaigners are set to use this year’s Pride London event to press the National Blood Service to accept blood from men who have engaged in medically risky sex. Under current rules a man who has had anal intercourse with another man is not allowed to donate blood because such sexual behaviour is medically dangerous. Weakening [...]

Church provides shelter for hounded Romanians

Jane Leung — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:42:47 +0000

A Belfast church has opened its doors to a number of terrified Romanians who were forced to flee their homes after being targeted by a race hate gang. BBC News report Many of the migrant families had to seek refuge after their homes were violently attacked by youths reportedly linked to a militant neo-Nazi organisation. After [...]

Witches angry at ban on church club hire

Jen Davis — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:23:02 +0000

A group of witches is claiming religious discrimination because they could not use buildings belonging to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury. Sandra Davis, High Priestess at the Crystal Cauldron, said she was “appalled” that the Diocese would not let her Pagan group hold their Annual Witches’ Ball in its social club. “My congregation is shocked that [...]

Council faces legal action over prayers

Jen Davis — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:34:06 +0000

Kendal Town Council could face legal action from one of its councillors over its traditional prayers before meetings. Green Party councillor Enda Farrell wants the prayers scrapped or held in a different room as a matter of ‘equality’. “This council has to be seen to be acceptant of all people regardless of creed, colour or [...]

Tory conference adds new ‘gay pride’ event

Jen Davis — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:15:20 +0000

The Conservative Party has included a ‘gay pride’ social event for the first time in this year’s conference schedule. Conservative Pride is listed as one of just four social events announced so far for the conference in October. Last year’s Conservative conference prompted a storm when delegates were given vouchers to visit a lap-dancing club as [...]

Top judge: end ‘pass the partner’ culture

Jen Davis — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:15:03 +0000

A culture of broken relationships is scarring children and damaging society, a leading family judge warned last night. Mr Justice Coleridge said the breakdown of families had become an “epidemic” and “a matter of concern for us all, especially where so many children are infected by it”. To stem the tide, marriage should be affirmed as [...]

Insurance brokers join in Equality Bill concern

Jen Davis — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 09:07:33 +0000

Insurance brokers are asking for exemptions in the Equality Bill so firms can maintain customer age-restrictions. The Bill will make new age-specific insurance policies unlawful but existing policies will be unaffected. However, insurers say their businesses will be adversely affected and argue that fairness can be achieved in other ways. They are the latest businessmen to [...]

Tories try to weaken prostitution law plan

Jen Davis — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:55:35 +0000

Planned laws to tackle prostitution could be considerably weakened by amendments tabled by Conservative frontbenchers in the House of Lords. The Government proposes to criminalise men who pay for sex with women being exploited by someone else, whether they know about her situation or not. This is known as a ’strict liability’ offence. The Government hopes [...]

Girls match boys for booze binge shame

Jen Davis — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:10:18 +0000

Girls aged eleven to 15 have caught up with their male peers’ heavy drinking habits, new research shows. A study for the London Assembly shows that the capital’s youngsters in this age group consume the equivalent of 180,000 bottles of lager every week. While girls now drink as much as boys, they are almost [...]

New Miss California supports marriage

Jen Davis — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:01:27 +0000

The new Miss California, who stepped in after the sacking of Carrie Prejean, has revealed that she too believes marriage should be between a man and a woman. Tami Farrell, who was runner-up in the competition held earlier this year, affirmed her opinion during an interview with Fox News. She was reminded of Miss Prejean’s view [...]

Sextuplets mum ignored doctors’ abortion advice

Jen Davis — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:40:02 +0000

A mother of sextuplets has told how she and her husband rejected doctors’ advice that several of the babies should be terminated. All six children were born 14 weeks early by caesarean, and are now in intensive care where they are stable. Their parents, Austin and Nuala Conway, had been given the option of aborting some [...]

Ex-schools chief: children need to be taught morals

Jen Davis — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:32:14 +0000

The Government’s former Director General of schools says state schools are failing to teach children right and wrong. Ralph Tabberer said that in the pursuit of “fairness” the state system had neglected the “development of character”. Mr Tabberer, who left the Department for Children, Schools and Families last year and now holds a senior position at [...]

Secularists told: stop fearing faith schools

Jen Davis — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:03:30 +0000

If secularist opponents of faith schools think religion is “a busted flush” they should stop being afraid of its influence, writes the editor of the Times Educational Supplement (TES). Instead of fearing faith schools, secular liberals who believe in diversity should support parents’ “right to educate their children in an ethos of their choosing”, says Gerard [...]

Charity in gay adoption battle hit with legal bills

Jen Davis — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:56:55 +0000

A Roman Catholic adoption agency which lost a battle to defend its pro-marriage ethos from new ‘equality’ regulations says it has been left with “a big dent” in its reserves. The Leeds-based charity, Catholic Care, was recently told it must consider gay couples as potential adopters under the Sexual Orientation Regulations (SORs), despite its belief [...]

Push for same-sex church ‘weddings’

Jane Leung — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:40:19 +0000

An online petition has been launched calling for a change in the law so gay couples will be allowed civil partnership ceremonies in churches. In a petition on the Downing Street website homosexual campaigners have called for the Civil Partnerships Act 2004 to be amended to allow ceremonies to take place in religious buildings. Liberal Democrat [...]

Ditch ‘offensive’ Red Cross sign, says Labour minister

Jane Leung — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:05:30 +0000

The well-known symbol of the Red Cross is an insulting reminder of the Crusades and should be replaced with a crystal, claims a Foreign Office minister. Chris Bryant MP argued that the religious connotations of the symbol could undermine the work of the Red Cross. But the organisation’s founders never intended the emblem to have any [...]

Equality Bill burden worries small shops

Jen Davis — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:46:24 +0000

The Equality Bill will heap more costs and bureaucracy on small stores, the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) has warned MPs. It said new measures in the Bill could see small shops facing the “distressing prospect” of multiple employment tribunals under new rules for dealing with employee grievances. Carrying out the proposed gender pay audits would [...]

Pro-lifers challenge NI health dept on abortion

Jen Davis — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:54:12 +0000

Health officials in Northern Ireland are to appear in court over new abortion guidelines which a pro-life group says distort the current law. The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) is seeking a judicial review after the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety rejected its calls for the abortion guidance [...]

Harman ‘exaggerated’ Equality Bill statistics

Jen Davis — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:21:36 +0000

Equalities Minister Harriet Harman has been accused of exaggerating the pay gap between men and women. Miss Harman has used the figure to justify unpopular measures contained in her Equality Bill. But according to Sir Michael Scholar, the head of the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA), Miss Harman has put the size of the divide at almost double [...]

Loss of morals blights Britain, survey shows

Jane Leung — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:58:00 +0000

Moral decline is damaging British society and even some atheists think a loss of Christian values is to blame, according to a new survey. Moral decline is one of seven social evils identified by a survey of 3,500 people in Britain by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF). The report also identified greed, family breakdown and poverty [...]

Government seeks views on latest ‘equality’ plans

Jen Davis — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:25:21 +0000

The Government is beginning a consultation on proposals in the Equality Bill which could force public bodies to promote ‘gay rights’. It wants to bring in a new Equality Duty requiring bodies like schools, local councils and hospitals to ‘promote equality’ on grounds including sexual orientation and transsexualism. As part of the requirement to “drive [...]

Police say raids hit just a ‘minority’ of skunk farms

Ben Mitchell — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:56:41 +0000

More than 3,000 cannabis farms were raided last year, but detectives fear they are nowhere near shutting down the majority of them, a charity has warned. The Crimestoppers charity issued the warning as part of its National Tackling Drugs Week. There are concerns that a more potent form of cannabis called skunk is becoming more widely [...]

Government to clamp down on home schooling families

Jen Davis — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:31:08 +0000

Home schooling families are to face visits from their local authority to ensure they are providing what the Government defines as a “suitable” and “efficient” education. Under recommended changes to the law accepted by Children’s Secretary Ed Balls this week, home schooled children will have to be registered with the local authority every year. Parents will [...]

Pro-marriage beauty queen given the sack

Ben Mitchell — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:26:10 +0000

Carrie Prejean, the beauty queen who lost out on the Miss USA title because she disagrees with gay marriage, has been stripped of her Miss California crown. Miss California pageant officials say she was released from her contract yesterday for not fulfilling her obligations. However Carrie Prejean insists that her removal was political and predictable given [...]

Poles ask Brit ambassador to cool off ‘gay rights’ push

Jen Davis — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:53:20 +0000

Polish officials say the British ambassador has over-stepped his authority by throwing his weight behind a march planned by ‘gay rights’ groups due to take place this weekend. Ahead of the march, Mr Todd gave the leaders of Polish gay lobby groups a translated copy of a UK ‘gay rights’ guide produced by the Foreign Office. [...]

Attorney General: ‘Faith is not just for Sundays’

Jane Leung — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:04:21 +0000

“Faith isn’t an optional extra or something like you put on, like a hat on Sundays, and take off for the rest of the week”, says Baroness Scotland, the Attorney General. “It goes through you like writing on a stick of rock. It is reflected in what you are and what you do. Religion isn’t [...]