Reactions to PM’s Brexit speech
In a confident and hard-hitting speech on Tuesday, Theresa May spoke of a ‘bold’ approach to the UK’s Brexit negotiations. She said that the UK will leave the European single market, retake control of immigration, strike its own trade deals, and refuse to be bound by rulings from the European Court of Justice. She also confirmed that MPs will put the final deal to a vote in both Houses of Parliament. In reaction to her speech, which one commentator described as ‘some of the most important words she will ever utter’, the value of the pound jumped sharply as traders were reassured that a firm strategy is now in place. However, others were much more critical, with a number of European leaders accusing the PM of attempting to ‘blackmail’ the EU. Also, Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon has said that a second Scottish referendum on independence is now ‘all but inevitable’; her government has repeatedly stressed its desire to stay in the EU single market. See
Two vital court cases
Two different clients appeared in court on Wednesday, both supported by the Christian Legal Centre in seeking justice for the most vulnerable people in the UK. Nikki and Merv Kenward are challenging the recent decision of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to change the policy on the prosecution of medical staff who assist others in committing suicide. The Suicide Act 1961 makes it a criminal offence to assist or encourage the suicide of another person, but in 2014 the DPP amended the policy, making the prosecution of healthcare professionals in assisted suicide cases less likely. Nikki, who was once so paralysed she could only wink her right eye, and her husband campaign against euthanasia and assisted abortion. Also, pray for Aisling Hubert, who brought a private prosecution against two doctors who were filmed offering abortion on the basis of the baby's gender. But the Crown Prosecution Service took over the case and Aisling was told to pay legal costs of £47,000. For more details, see
Monitoring Sunday schools?
An outcry by Christians over plans to register and inspect Sunday schools is forcing the Government to ‘tread carefully’ over the matter. A recent consultation of this matter received 18,000 responses. The Christian Institute, CARE, Christian Concern, Evangelical Alliance and Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship have been raising awareness about the proposals, and urged supporters to respond to the consultation when it was announced. The Government’s controversial plans were engineered by former education secretary Nicky Morgan in the wake of the Trojan Horse affair, and are part of a wider counter-extremism strategy. They propose giving Ofsted the legal power to investigate any setting in England that provides instruction to children for more than 6 to 8 hours in any week. This could include Sunday schools, youth groups, or one-off events such as holiday Bible clubs. They would also apply to a whole host of secular settings such as music lessons and drama groups.
Eire faces bus dispute
The country is facing the possibility of a major industrial dispute across bus and rail services in the state-owned transport sector over a radical survival plan for Bus Éireann. Unions last night claimed that cuts to premium payments, overtime rates and other allowances proposed as part of the new management plan could lead to a 25 per cent reduction in earnings for staff. However, the firm argued that its financial position was unsustainable and that, without decisive action to tackle its cost base and inefficiencies, it would go out of business. The company has signalled that its plan could involve redundancies or layoffs, and also proposed that in future casual drivers and contractors could be used as cover for existing staff. The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) described the proposals as ‘stomach-churning’. It said the proposed pay rises were insulting, given the level of overall cuts involved in the package.
