Margaret Thatcher

How does facilitating people-traffickers reflect the nature of God?

The Home Secretary's announcement that the thousands of asylum seekers (or economic migrants) crossing the Channel in an endless stream of dinghies (246,190 last year) are to be sent to Rwanda for processing has been a cause of consternation. The…

Westminster Abbey Thatcher memorial Margaret Thatcher bust

Westminster Abbey to install memorial bust of Margaret Thatcher — at last!

April 1, 2022
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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,…

What’s wrong with appointing a Bishop for Brexit?

February 7, 2022
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There's a move afoot to create a Cabinet of Bishops to shadow government departments, with the Archbishop of Canterbury presiding like a Prime Minister Spiritual, and those around him holding…

Environmental apocalypse: the religious drama of COP26

November 2, 2021
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"Since it is difficult to distinguish true prophets from false, it is as well to regard all prophets with suspicion," warned Primo Levi in his 1947 work If This Is…

Bishop of St David's Bishop of St Davids Joanna Penberthy

Bishop of St Davids says all Tories are duplicitous liars

June 3, 2021
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The Bishop of St Davids, the Rt Rev'd Joanna Penberthy, was the first woman to be elected a bishop in the Church in Wales, and into an archbishopric which can…

clergy voted conservative Anglican political affiliation

Just 6% of Anglican clergy voted Conservative in 2019

February 10, 2021
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A Savanta ComRes poll was published just over a week ago on the political affiliation of Church leaders, and it hasn't had much coverage. In fact, it doesn't appear to…

UK Internal Market Bill archbishops welby lords

UK Internal Market Bill: the Archbishops are confused, poorly advised, and wrong

October 20, 2020
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The Archbishops of the United Kingdom have written a joint letter fairly and equally to all tabloids and broadsheets decrying the moral state of the nation and calling for repentance…

Queen Victoria statue defaced: #VictoriaMustFall

June 10, 2020
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The mob has now risen against a Queen Victoria statue in Leeds, which is perfectly reasonable considering she once ruled the Empire under whose aegis all those slave-traders flourished and…

Boris Johnson and the Episcopal Land of Zoom

May 29, 2020
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This is the 18th contribution to His Grace’s emergency team ministry during the coronavirus pestilence. The author is an Incumbent in the Church of England, who wishes to remain anonymous.…

Vicar on Tory victory: “..the world just got harder & colder”

December 16, 2019
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The Rev'd Caroline Beckett is the vicar at All Saints Church & St James Church in Brightlingsea, Essex. She serves her flock diligently and is clearly dedicated to mission. "Everyone…

Boris Johnson theses backstop letter tusk

Boris Johnson nails his Brexit Theses to the door of Brussels Cathedral

August 20, 2019
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As we countdown to 31st October, the date upon which the UK is set to leave the European Union; the day which happens to be by happy coincidence (if not…

Brexit backstop and beef: if the EU wasn’t faithful over BSE, how can we trust them with our liberty?

January 15, 2019
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'He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much' (Lk 16:10). If…

sentamu brexit withdrawal agreement deal

Sentamu: ‘pure’ (‘real’/ ‘hard’) Brexit is “a childish dream”

December 3, 2018
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On the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, the Archbishop of Canterbury was asked about the disparity (/gulf) between the laity and clergy in the Church of England regarding the…

Michael Gove delivers Theos Annual Lecture: “I speak as a Christian”

November 23, 2018
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Michael Gove delivered this year's Theos annual lecture last night, and his subject was environmental justice, stewardship and the moral purpose of government. The whole lecture is well worth reading,…

Blake God Blessing Seventh Day four-day week

Four-day week: mandatory indolence or an interfaith ‘sacred weekend’?

October 23, 2018
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When Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell mooted imposing a four-day week on the British economy (that is, a four-day working week; Labour has no plans to re-calibrate or 'modernise' the solar…

Curate’s egg or Archbishop’s omelette? Welby tells TUC: gig economy is “reincarnation of an ancient evil”

September 13, 2018
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Justin Welby delivered a speech to the TUC, which went down well in one quarter, and not so well in five eighths, most of whom were irked that he delivered…

The People’s Vote strategy is to goad Brexiteers with being frit

July 27, 2018
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"The right hon. Gentleman is afraid of an election, is he?" goaded Margaret Thatcher. "Afraid? Frightened? Frit?" she persisted, with perfectly alliterative thrashings of her serrated tongue. "Could not take…

Jonathan Aitken with Thatcher Bishop of London

The Rev’d Jonathan Aitken – being ordained is like ‘a new life’

July 1, 2018
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Former Tory Cabinet minister, convicted perjurer and bankrupt the Rt Hon Jonathan Aitken MP is now the Rev'd Jonathan Aitken, deacon at St Matthews, Westminster, and chaplain to the Prison…

Jumping, skipping, dabbing and bouncing clergy – are we ordaining Tigger?

June 25, 2018
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'Likewise must the deacons be grave', writes St Paul in his first pastoral letter to Timothy (3:8), expounding the necessary character and qualifications for Church leadership. The adjective is associated…

Tony Blair and John Major threaten resurgent IRA terrorism if Brexit is fulfilled

March 1, 2018
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"I find it not just disappointing but sickening that people should really be prepared to sacrifice peace in Northern Ireland on the altar of Brexit," said Tony Blair, perhaps mindful…