Bishop of Leeds

General Synod lament Russia invasion ukraine bishop leeds nick baines putin zelensky

Synod to lament Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: where’s the condemnation?

There is a motion before the General Synod of the Church of England, proposed by the Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Rev'd Nick Baines, calling on Synod to "lament Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine": This isn't quite sufficiently robust for…

Boris Johnson’s ‘disgraceful slur’ against the Archbishop of Canterbury

April 20, 2022
0 Comments

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…

Nick Baines Downing Street party clergy pastoral care boris johnson

The Prime Minister partied while clergy lamented

January 13, 2022
0 Comments

"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…

Church of England conclave nominations committee

Anglican Conclave to ‘sift’ all candidates for vacancies to see if they are ‘appropriate’

September 15, 2021
0 Comments

There is no doubt that the governance structure of the Church of England is labyrinthine, convoluted, inefficient and opaque. It's what comes of half a millennium of Catholic and Reformed…

Church hymn-singing choirs restrictions covid

Why does the Government still not allow hymn-singing in Church?

June 18, 2021
0 Comments

"My Lords, regardless of matters of hindsight, does the Minister agree that prolonging the restrictions might be justified for certain reasons?" asked the Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Rev'd Nick…

Fratelli Tutti Pope Francis European Union Brexit

Pope Francis damns Brexit

October 5, 2020
0 Comments

Pope Francis has written another encyclical, Fratelli Tutti. It isn't a great theological tome; indeed, it could easily be a series of religio-political blogposts on current events. Much of the…

Archbishop cheers Labour MP for breaking lockdown law

June 4, 2020
0 Comments

We are in the midst of a global pandemic, and the law of the land is clear: "no person may participate in a gathering which takes place in a public…

Bishops urge Boris to get on and deliver Brexit

September 27, 2019
0 Comments

It has been a while in coming: the Bishops and Archbishops of the Church of England have to-and-froed on the Referendum result, and blown hot-and-cold on Brexit, and wax-and-waned on…

Brexit: open letter reveals Bishops split 60:40 on Government’s approach

August 29, 2019
0 Comments

The open letter on Brexit published yesterday by a group of Diocesan Bishops is interesting on a number of levels, not least of which is the fact that it is…

Bishop denounces Boris Johnson as an “amoral liar”

January 9, 2019
0 Comments

It was a good lecture by the Bishop of Leeds, if a little long. Delivered to mark the centennial celebrations of Bradford Cathedral, he expounded some of the root causes…

Happy Brexit Year: control the language, control the argument

December 31, 2018
0 Comments

"An ennui hangs over British politics and the prime minister is depending on it", wrote Matthew Parris in the Times a few days ago. "Like a thin, wearisome fog it…

While bishops bicker over Brexit, there is one who shows a better way

November 22, 2018
0 Comments

Should there be a second referendum (aka a 'People's Vote') on Brexit, the Bishop of Oxford was asked. "My own view is that it would make things worse and it…

Pete Broadbent - Cranmer campaign against bishops

‘Cranmer’s continual campaign against the bishops…’

October 9, 2018
0 Comments

The Bishop of Willesden is of the view that the Archbishop Cranmer blog is waging a "continual campaign against the bishops". Apparently, this isn't acceptable because it confuses the political…

Diocese of Leeds is not in ‘financial crisis’: Bishop Nick Baines is balancing the budget

August 1, 2018
0 Comments

Apparently the Diocese of Leeds is in a state of "serious financial crisis". Bishop Nick Baines is pacing the cloisters with furrowed brow, anguished about having to sell off one…

nick baines bishop eu speech british hopelessness

Bishop Nick Baines derides Brexit British hopelessness

July 25, 2018
0 Comments

There's a lot of anxiety about. The torch which once lit our path is being extinguished. Our institutions and communities are beset with moral problems, dilemmas and quandaries. Our politics…

eu withdrawal bishops house of lords nick baines brexit

EU Withdrawal: Bishops seek the ‘best shape’ Brexit (as opposed to dreamy Brexiteer ‘wishful thinking’)

May 9, 2018
0 Comments

In the ongoing saga of EU withdrawal, the House of Lords voted yesterday by 245 votes to 218, a majority of 27, to remain in the Single Market; that is,…

Brexit: the Bishop of Leeds asks “What’s it all for?” as he condemns the corruption of public discourse

January 31, 2018
139 Comments

The Bishop of Leeds the Rt Rev'd Nick Baines delivered a measured and thoughtful speech in the House of Lords on the EU (Withdrawal) Bill. His theme was basically the…

Brexit and Gibraltar: Bishop bashes Government for issuing “bland statements of optimism”

April 3, 2017
280 Comments

The Bishop of Leeds isn't happy. In a speech to the House of Lords on Brexit and Gibraltar, the Rt Rev'd Nick Baines censures the Government for being optimistic. It…

Bishops divided on Brexit Bill: moral obligation and ethical liberation

March 2, 2017
191 Comments

'Will the Bishops vote for Brexit?' was the question posed a few weeks ago. Yesterday the House of Lords voted on an amendment to the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal)…

Bradford ex-Muslim Christian converts "have given up on the Church of England"

October 3, 2015
0 Comments

"Muslim family are driven from their home... after they converted to Christianity." "Neighbours vandalise car and call them 'blasphemers'"; "windows are constantly smashed"; "family attacked in the street"; "Bradford…