Liz Truss: “I share the values of the Christian faith”
In a few weeks the United Kingdom will have a new Prime Minister. On current polling, it looks as though Liz Truss will be invited to kiss hands with the…
Politicians
Liz Truss needs to listen to her uncle, the Rev’d Canon Richard Truss
Boris Johnson has gone. His farewell speech on the steps of Downing Street was a classic of the 'boosterism' genre, but quite unmemorable (apart from a reference to his feeling like Cincinnatus leaving to plough his farm [who subsequently returned…
Sunak vs Truss: where is the moral vision of leadership?
Rishi Sunak may become the first Asian Prime Minister of the UK. A practising Hindu, his faith is manifestly important to him. He swore his parliamentary oath on the Bhagavad…
How ‘Christian’ is the excommunication of Nancy Pelosi?
Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, has been banned from receiving Holy Communion by Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco. The excommunication has been decreed in his…
Mercy, forgiveness and judgment: Boris Johnson did not lie to Parliament
If you detest Boris Johnson or blame him for the great evil of Brexit and for ruining the country and just want him gone, there's no need to read on.…
Boris Johnson’s ‘disgraceful slur’ against the Archbishop of Canterbury
The Prime Minister sat rather dejected in the House of Commons yesterday, and spent two hours iterating (and reiterating) how sorry he was for sharing the Cabinet Room of No.10…
Westminster Abbey to install memorial bust of Margaret Thatcher — at last!
Westminster Abbey includes the graves of many notable politicians and memorials to former prime ministers, and from the 1970s the previous Dean of Westminster, the Very Rev'd Dr John Hall,…
John Bercow had ‘unholy row’ with the Church over Speaker’s Chaplain
Former Speaker John Bercow has been found to be a "serial bully" and a "serial liar". This is the judgment of an Independent Expert Panel appointed to investigate his behaviour…
The Prime Minister partied while clergy lamented
"Could the Minister advise those of us on these benches," ventured Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds, "how we should respond to clergy who took an enormous personal toll in having…
The Downing Street party and the spirit of the law
Perhaps a gathering of a dozen or so people with cheese and wine doesn't constitute a party. Perhaps a gathering of a couple of dozen people at a place of…
Death is the price we pay for freedom
"We cannot have the death of an MP being a price worth paying for our democracy," said Labour's Harriet Harman on the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme. "It can't be…
Welby adds his voice in support of terrorised MP Rosie Duffield
Labour MP Rosie Duffield cannot attend her party's conference this year, principally owing to the abuse and threats she is receiving from transgender rights activists for stating (quite simply) that…
Lord Pearson condemned as Islamophobic – for discussing the fear of Islam
"New: The @MuslimCouncil have criticised Lord Pearson's remarks during the debate on Afghanistan in the House of Lords yesterday, saying he has consistently used his privileged position to 'promote divisive…
Boris Johnson is not a professing Roman Catholic: he will still advise the Queen on the selection of Bishops
Is Boris Johnson a Roman Catholic? Yes and no. During an ITV interview with Robert Peston, the Prime Minister was asked if he is now "a practising Roman Catholic", following…
Veneration, adoration and devotion in the Cult of Trump
"Much of the world and half the country will breathe a sigh of relief that the four years of psychodrama have ended," intoned the sober and disinterested Matt Frei of…
“Impeach Trump,” they cried. “Impeach him!” “Why, what evil has he done?”
Donald Trump has become the first President in US history to be impeached twice. He exhorted his supporters to "march on the Capitol" and to "fight like hell", and this…
LibDems observe Ramadan, and Ed Davey lies about Lent
Ed Davey, acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, is observing Ramadan. Apparently other LibDems are too, and it might even be the whole party, but let's focus on Ed Davey…
A nation unites to pray for Boris Johnson (well, almost)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been stricken with coronavirus and now lies in intensive care in St Thomas' Hospital, London. He is manifestly quite frail and on oxygen support. Ostensibly,…
And some have greatness thrust upon them.
A major advantage of First-Past-The-Post over any form of Proportional Representation is that it can deliver a strong, visionary, transformational government when one is needed. One was needed in 1979…
Waiting expectantly for the wrong messiah
We must never again have a general election during Advent: everyone is waiting expectantly for the wrong messiah. By the end of this week either Boris Johnson or Jeremy Corbyn…