Leveson, the press, and un-free corporate interests
The Leveson report has been a long time coming. Since 1949 there have been five inquiries into the operation of the press in Britain. On each occasion, we have heard the same kind of outcry against independent scrutiny from media barons, a narrow band of newspaper pundits and politicians who serve the rich and powerful.
Anabaptist Theology Forum - 5/6 December 2012
The Anabaptist Theology Forum will meet again near Leamington Spa from 5th-6th December, and there are a few spare spaces for those with a serious interest in both modern and historic Anabaptism.
Thanksgiving... or mourning?
Being married into an American family for the past 17 years, Thanksgiving has come onto my agenda in a way that I would never have considered before.
An anti-women 'church within a church' is unacceptable
The Christian message is at heart about reconciliation. But the church which is supposed to proclaim and live that message has often failed to do so in its own life and example, sometimes spectacularly.
Urban Expression celebrates with Diverse:City weekend
Urban Expression, a church-planting initiative strongly influenced by Anabaptism and radical Christianity, is celebrating its fifteenth anniversary this weekend (17 and 18 November 2012).
Behind the latest assault on Gaza
The latest Israeli Defence Force assault on Gaza, in addition to its targeted assassinations against political as well as military opponents, is horrifying and disturbing. It threatens to escalate into yet another cycle of violence and war-making that does nothing for the security of Jews or Arabs, Israelis or Palestinians. It merely reaps death, destruction, hatred and mistrust.
Discrimination on religious grounds in education is spiritually and socially harmful
As we report here, a November 2012 ComRes opinion survey commissioned by the Accord Coalition on inclusive education indicates that the British public is overwhelmingly opposed to selection or discrimination on grounds of religion in the matter of admissions to state funded schools.
Official policy on disability work tests is to deny reality
The former UK minister for employment Chris Grayling was adamant that he was "unreservedly and implacably opposed to a real world test" when it comes to assessing people with disabilities and serious illnesses in terms of their fitness for work and eligibility for benefits. That position remains unchanged.
Abu Qatada, torture, law and media solipsism
Yesterday (13 November 2012), risking the considerable wrath of his readership, the conservative commentator Peter Oborne made a brief but principled comment on his Daily Telegraph blog.
People's Review of the Work Capability Assessment (#realWCA) published
As we report elsewhere today (12 November 2012), the WeAreSpartacus network of disabled people have today published a detailed and compelling 70-page People's Review of the Work Capability Assessment, which has taken some months of hard work under difficult circumstances to research and compile.
