Representatives from the Roman Catholics, Methodists, Presbyterians, and the Church of Ireland met in Belfast on 22 November to discuss the Brexit challenges and pray. In a joint statement, they said that relations between people in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, and between the Republic and the UK, had 'improved and deepened over the past thirty years’, and that the message of Jesus to 'love your neighbour' was guiding their response to Brexit. They added. 'We pray at this time that the tensions which the Brexit negotiations entail will not be allowed to undermine the good relationships and mutual understanding which are so important for us to work together for the common good.' They pleaded with people in positions of leadership to ‘keep the debate around Brexit civil, to speak with grace, and to weigh their words carefully’.

Many Iranian families settled in London after fleeing the former Shah and later fleeing his overthrower, Ayatollah Khomeini. 2001 brought fresh asylum movements of Farsi-speaking refugees, from Western Europe and Eurasia. Now there is a new wave of asylum seekers. In November, 78 of the 100+ refugees rescued in the English Channel were Iranian families. They were rescued by UK and French border force vessels from unsafe dinghies, or when entering the port of Dover on stolen French fishing boats. Some have been apprehended clambering up Folkestone’s rocks. The Home Office said, ‘We have stepped up deployments of our coastal patrol vessels along the south-east coast. However, this is not an issue that can be resolved by maritime resources alone.’ Iranian migrants in northern France said that they are determined to take whatever risks necessary to enter Britain. See 

The Archbishop of Canterbury has set out his vision for the next once-in-a-decade meeting of the bishops of the Anglican Communion, in 2020. He said, ‘The world needs the good news of Jesus Christ; it needs to see it in our actions, envy it in our love together, and hear it in confident proclamation of the good news of Jesus.’ He acknowledged the ongoing disagreements over sexuality and the interpretation of Scripture. ‘We have very important differences, but we must show that we respect each other as sisters and brothers in Christ, and that we learn to disagree in a way that demonstrates that we love and value each other. Whatever views we come with, we come to be under the authority of Scripture, and inspired by the Spirit.’ He is currently sending invitations to every active bishop (and spouse) in the Anglican Communion.

Rev David Robertson, former Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland, said new guidance on transgenderism sent to Scottish schools is 'harmful and totalitarian'. The document, 'Supporting Transgender Young People', was partly funded by the Scottish government and created in partnership with LGBT Youth Scotland and the Scottish Trans Alliance. It says that teachers should not inform parents of a child's desire to change gender unless the child agrees, and allow children to use whichever toilet and changing room facilities they prefer, adding, ‘If parents voice concerns about their child sharing toilets and/or changing rooms with a trans learner, they should be reminded of the school's ethos of inclusion, equality and respect'. The guidance also recommends gender-neutral dress code options and allowing students to compete in sports according to their gender identity.

The Government proposes to entirely remove fault from divorce law and replace it with a notification system. This would mean one spouse could end their marriage, whenever they wanted, by notifying the court and after a short period of time receive the final divorce decree, amounting to ‘no reason’ divorce. Fault sets out the high aspiration for marriage as a lifelong union. Many believe removing it would increase divorce rates, fundamentally change what marriage means, and increase the number of children living in broken families. Care (Christian Action Research and Education) is concerned that these proposals could fundamentally change what marriage means, leading to unstable situations where individual autonomy is prioritised in the law above children or the marriage. With this in mind Care has produced a short briefing paper with suggested points to make in responding to the consultation using an online form: see ‘More’ for further details. Submissions must be made before 10 December.

Church treasurer Chris Harvey was shocked when quoted over £4,000 for her mother’s funeral, even though people could walk to the church. The £2bn funeral services sector now faces a major investigation. The Competition and Markets Authority said it has ‘serious concerns’ about above-inflation price rises. Cremation fees have risen by 84% since 2008. Chris had considered using the same funeral director they used when her father died years earlier, but the business had now become part of the Dignity chain, and she was shocked at their quotation. A church treasurer herself, she knew that relatively little of that money went to the church. She found another funeral director, saved £1,400, and donated the savings to the hospice where her mother died. People arranging a funeral could save £1,000+ by shopping around, but distressed families usually don’t do so.

Nikola Gruevski, former prime minister of Macedonia, has reportedly been granted asylum by the Hungary, after fleeing his home country in what seems to be an attempt to avoid a two-year prison sentence. He has been convicted for unduly influencing public officials in the purchase of a luxury car during his tenure as prime minister. In 2016, he stepped down from his post following his implication in a wiretapping scandal that led to one of three pending trials against him. Gruevski's supporters claim that he is the victim of a political ‘witch-hunt’. By granting him asylum, the Hungarian government is ignoring international judiciary standards and agreements such as the European Convention on Extradition, which applies to both countries. See also

Last year an investigation revealed that the ruling elite of Azerbaijan operated a €2.5 billion slush fund and international money-laundering scheme, known as the Azerbaijani Laundromat. Three Spanish politicians (Pedro Agramunt, Agustín Conde Bajén and Jordi Xuclá), delegates to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), are suspected of benefiting from the Laundromat in return for watering down human rights criticism of the country’s repressive authoritarian regime - including vote-rigging in the 2015 election. Later an independent investigation found that Azerbaijan had played a role in Agramunt’s appointment as political party leader and PACE president. He had rigged votes at PACE in favour of Azerbaijan, and removed criticism of its authorities in draft reports on Azerbaijan human rights. These Spanish politicians have faced no criminal penalties, and the Council of Europe admits that not enough has been done.