Government consultation - DIY abortions
Christian Concern write, ‘The Government has announced a consultation to decide whether to extend its temporary decision to allow DIY abortions. Brandished as “women's healthcare”, abortions that take place entirely at home are dangerous, providing no opportunity to safeguard women against coercive partners or go through proper safety checks - ultrasound scans and blood tests. Tragically, we know that many illegal and dangerous abortions have taken place since the government introduced the policy in March 2020. We need to do everything we can to protect women and babies by stopping this policy from becoming permanent. A number of pro-life groups are participating in “Care for Women”, a parliamentary briefing for MPs to advise them on all of the research showing that this policy is dangerous and offers no care for women. Please ask your MP to attend the briefing on Thursday 10 December at 2pm, via Zoom.’ Find your MP:
Church leaders and 57,000 others urge PM to cut emissions
Because of Brexit, the UK must submit its own national climate plan to the UN climate body. Nineteen church leaders have written to Boris Johnson asking him to set ambitious goals when he submits the country’s first climate plan under the Paris Agreement. This agreement commits countries to keeping temperature rises ‘well below’ 2C above pre-industrial levels, and pursuing efforts to limit them to 1.5C, which is seen as the threshold beyond which the worst impacts of climate change will be felt. The letter to the Prime Minister was signed by the CofE's bishop for the environment, Rt Rev Nicholas Holtam, the Bishop of Salisbury; the Archbishop of Wales; and leaders from the Church of Scotland, the Baptist Union, Methodist Church, URC, and Quakers, as well as 57,000 others who believe the UK could be a true global leader.
Barnier warns Boris over fishing and finance
Michel Barnier has warned Brexit trade talks could be plunged into ‘crisis’ if Boris Johnson puts forward more legislation that calls into question last year's divorce deal. The Brussels diplomat is worried that the Finance Bill will contain clauses that breach the terms of the Northern Ireland protocol. He was infuriated when No 10 tabled legislation that handed ministers the powers to rip up sections of the Withdrawal Agreement relating to Northern Ireland. Mr Barnier made the warning during a video call with EU27 ambassadors. At the time of writing the future UK-EU relationship is still deadlocked because of disagreements over post-Brexit fishing rights and common standards, and Downing Street has yet to decide on a timetable for publishing the Finance Bill. Talks went on late into the evening on 2 December at the business department in central London. See
Germany: car drives into pedestrians, killing five
Five people have been killed and thirteen seriously injured after a car zig zagged towards pedestrians in the city of Trier. Among those killed was a nine-month-old baby. A 51-year-old man with no fixed address is in custody being questioned about the crash. He had been living in recent days in the Land Rover that was used in the attack. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesperson said the scene was ‘shocking’. Police said the driver appeared to have hit pedestrians indiscriminately as he drove through the city centre at speed. They urged members of the public to avoid spreading misinformation about the incident.
