Finsbury Park attack
23 Jun 2017Right-wing extremists have defended the attack in London on 19 June, in which a man deliberately drove a van into a group of Muslim worshippers after late-night Ramadan prayers, by claiming: ‘This is war: we have the right to fight back’. There are concerns that British authorities are ‘way behind’ the increasingly sophisticated tactics used by such extremists to radicalise followers online. They now cover their tracks by using untraceable mobile phones and services that conceal their computer’s location - leaving the police unable to find them. They have also used less regulated social networks like the Russian-based VKontakte (VK) service to build up ‘spider’s web’ groups of like-minded individuals who then support and radicalise each other. Meanwhile, many Muslims have expressed fears that they are not safe, and the Muslim Council of Great Britain has called for extra security around mosques, describing the attack as ‘the most violent manifestation’ of Islamophobia.
Lord Adonis urges support for ‘soft Brexit’
23 Jun 2017Former Labour Cabinet minister Lord Adonis has called on his party to give its 'full support' to Philip Hammond's vision of a 'soft Brexit' instead of the 'ideologically crazed' alternative. He described himself as a 'progressive Christian' as opposed to the 'bigotry' of some conservative strands of the faith. Speaking on the same day as the Queen's Speech, he said, 'The overwhelming issue of importance is Brexit. There is clearly a battle going on between hard and soft Brexit, and it is entirely unclear at the moment where this might end up. But it seems to me vital that Britain doesn't leave the customs union or the single market.' On his faith, Lord Adonis said: 'I'm what I like to term a progressive Christian: I see no incompatibility at all between a strong Christian faith and being entirely liberal on social issues.' He also disapproved of Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron’s decision to resign last week, adding that it is perfectly possible to be a Christian and the leader of a progressive party.
Doctors and abortion
23 Jun 2017Doctors in the British Medical Association (BMA) will vote on decriminalisation of abortion at its annual conference (24 to 29 June). The British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) are campaigning hard for a change in the law, and senior figures in the BMA are reported to favour this. However, there is concern that pro-life arguments have not been fairly represented in the lead-up to the vote. Delegates have been given a ‘neutral’ 52-page discussion paper, written by several pro-abortion doctors, which neglects to mention the increasing survival rate of premature babies. The latest official figures show that 190,406 women had abortions in 2016: alarmingly, these included more than 1,500 girls under the age of consent. Also, more babies with Down’s syndrome were aborted than in 2015 (such abortions have increased by 46 per cent since 2010). This debate comes as research shows that many are uneasy about the current law and favour reducing the period during which abortion is legal. See
Day of Rage and reactions
23 Jun 2017Activists descended on Westminster for a ‘Day of Rage’ protest on 21 June, as Theresa May set out her legislative programme for the next two years in the Queen’s Speech. The demonstration, organised by Movement for Justice by Any Means Necessary (MFJ), saw protesters marching to Downing Street, with the aim of ‘bringing down the Government’. Mrs May became the first prime minister in decades to lay out a legislative programme without a guaranteed House of Commons majority, as the Conservatives have yet to reach a deal with Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party. The MFJ said the protest was in reaction to ‘brutal austerity, cuts and anti-immigrant attacks’, and last week’s Grenfell Tower tragedy in which at least 79 died. Some condemned the protest for politicising the anger, or thought it was inappropriate. A different approach was taken by London City Mission and the Message Trust, who organised a day of prayer and fasting in Kensington.
Queen’s Speech: education
23 Jun 2017The Government, setting out its plans in the Queen’s Speech on Wednesday, has not announced any legislation for education. This means dropping their most high-profile proposed reform - the expansion of selective education in England. The controversial plan to stop free lunches for all infants is also absent. This takes away the biggest source of extra funding promised for schools in the Conservative manifesto. The re-written plans now call for ‘every child to go to a good or outstanding school’ - but with the recognition that any changes will depend upon being able to command a majority. Four teachers’ unions expressed disappointment about the lack of new funding, saying that schools were ‘sending out begging letters to parents’. One head teacher said, ‘The government said that it had heard the message from the electorate. It's high time they acted to put things right and fund schools in a way that every child deserves.’
Queen’s Speech: anti-extremist measures
23 Jun 2017Plans for a counter-extremism commission were announced in the Queen’s Speech, but campaigners urged the Government to pause its plans and consult widely. The speech did not mention any plans for an equality oath, or Ofsted entering Sunday schools and youth clubs, but the Government continues to advocate both these strands of its counter-extremism strategy. Defend Free Speech, which includes the Christian Institute, the National Secular Society, and Index on Censorship, cautioned that the new commission will simply be a scapegoat for ‘when things go wrong’. Its statement said, ‘The Government has yet again said it will bring forward unnecessary and intrusive legislation to counter so-called non-violent extremism. Not only will civil liberties be damaged, but we will all be less safe. For years, government lawyers have tried to come up with a watertight legal definition of who is and is not an extremist. The chances of finding one that does not criminalise those with traditional or challenging views such as people of faith, outspoken academics or anti-fracking campaigners seems highly remote.’
Forest fires raging in Portugal since 17 June and which have killed more than sixty people have been brought under control, the civil protection agency says. The largest fire, in Pedrógão Grande, which ravaged 30,000 hectares (74,000 acres) of forests, was doused late on 21 June, and the second biggest blaze, in Góis, was contained the next day. Water-bombing planes and nearly 2,400 firefighters were involved in tackling the fires. Antonio Ribeiro, who led the Pedrógão operations, said that higher humidity levels and lower temperatures had allowed the firefighters to contain the fire and extinguish the remaining hotspots. The president of the League of Firefighters said he believed arson had caused the fire, contradicting an earlier police account.
Romanian PM ousted by his own party
23 Jun 2017After only six months, Romanian prime minister Sorin Grindeanu has been forced from power, losing a no-confidence vote in parliament by 10 votes to 241. His left-wing Social Democrat party (PSD) had accused him of failing to carry out necessary economic reforms. He had also been involved in a power struggle with party leader Liviu Dragnea, who was barred from office after a conviction for voter fraud. The decision by his own party and its allies to oust him was seen as a first, even for Romania's turbulent politics. The PSD won elections in December, but within weeks protests erupted across the country over a decree seen as weakening anti-corruption measures in one of the European Union's most corrupt member states. Although Mr Grindeanu withdrew the decree, the crisis weakened his government and soured relations between himself and Mr Dragnea. In its most recent report, the EU's executive praised Romania's anti-corruption agency (DNA), but warned that the fight against corruption was under serious threat from political and media attack.