The Fresh Start group of Conservative MPs has dismissed David Cameron's EU renegotiation as a failure across a series of policy areas, saying many goals had not been attempted or only partially achieved. They said, 'The Prime Minister has now come to the end of a hard-won renegotiation. It has taken place during a period of great change within Europe, and his own negotiating position was backed up by the certainty of a UK referendum. This gave the best possible chance for change in Europe we are likely to see for a generation. So was the EU able to rise to the occasion and show that it is capable of fundamental reform?’ Over 140 Conservative MPs (out of 329) are expected to vote to leave the EU, with dozens still undecided. Attitudes are changing: last week six cabinet members said they would campaign for withdrawal, as did Boris Johnson, mayor of London.

A play called ‘The Gospel according to Jesus, Queen of Heaven’, performed in a Manchester C of E church and portraying Jesus as a transgender woman who refers to God as ‘mum’, has been called a sacrilegious effort to promote homosexuality. The play is a one-woman show performed by Jo Clifford, an acclaimed Scottish playwright and professor who has changed gender from male to female. Dr David Walker, Bishop of Manchester, said that an artistic performance offensive to Christians does not of itself amount to grounds for seeking to prevent it taking place. Former Bishop of Rochester, Rt Revd. Michael Nazir-Ali, said, ‘It is clear from the Gospels that the identity of Jesus is male, his ‘mum’ is Mary, and he always refers to God as 'Father', so to suggest otherwise is contrary to Christian teaching.’ See also:

The Government's second attempt to liberalise Sunday trading laws could be defeated before reaching the House of Commons, Christian Today understands. Despite accusations of a ‘lack of transparency’ and a ‘gross abuse of power’, business secretary Sajid Javid re-introduced the proposals as a last-minute amendment to the Enterprise Bill after strong opposition had forced the Government to withdraw its first attempt in November. Now a senior source close to the campaign against these proposals has told Christian Today the government is facing defeat again. A number of Conservative MPs on the committee currently scrutinising the bill could well rebel against the Government's amendment, the source said. The proposals would permit local authorities to relax Sunday trading regulations, allowing stores to treat Sunday like any other day. The Church of England has said there is no convincing evidence that the change would bring economic benefits.

A prison's problems with new psychoactive substances (NPS) have led to high levels of violence, according to a HM Inspectorate of Prisons report which said that the availability of ‘legal highs’ could also overwhelm health services at HMP Ranby, in Nottinghamshire. The report highlighted six suicides in seventeen months. NPS chemically mimic drugs that are already banned. The jail holds 1,000 men. Too many are held in large house blocks, with staff saying they felt unsafe. The number of violent incidents, including assaults on staff, was higher than in other similar establishments. The National Offender Management Service said that since an inspection in September the number of inmates had been reduced by 120 and staffing numbers increased. However, NPS remain a real concern, and the Prison Service is introducing a new testing regime across the country in April. Pray for the the police as they attempt to disrupt supply chains and take robust action against anyone found supplying or using NPS in prisons.