The weekly WHIP: 22 March 2012

Photo Credit: M.Holland
Budget
Most of the week has been dominated by the staggered publication, sorry that should have been “shameless spinning”, of the 2012 budget. George Osborne shunned the whiskey or G&T of his predecessors, opting instead for a diet of tax thresholds and structural investment programmes.
The blue team may lose the blue rinse brigade if they push ahead with their plans to cut the tax free allowance those retiring in the next few years receive. But with it funnelling £3.3billion to the treasury coffers you can understand why the chancellor might risk their wrath.
Churches may be interested to know that from next year people can pop up to £20 in the offering bucket and it’s eligible for Gift Aid even if they don’t fill in a form.
NHS: Dead or Alive?
The Health and Social Care Bill became an Act this week as the last minute attempts to alter or delay the legislation failed. The Daily Mirror greeted the news with characteristic understatement. Only time will tell if their front page is prophetic or not.
The Daily Telegraph said that now was the time to make the NHS work.
And something is working, whether on heaven or earth, as Fabrice Muamba stuns doctors with his ‘miraculous’ recovery. One wonders if the Advertising Standards Authority will prevent him suggesting God might have had a hand in his recovery, especially following the tweets from his fiancé and the many others tweeting #pray4muamba.
Jamie Reed MP
Labour MP Jamie Reed created a bit of a stir last weekend when he tweeted that after seven years he was still waiting for a Christian to write to him about child poverty.
He was shocked by the response as Christians responded to his criticism, mostly noting some level of agreement. Several other thoughts followed, and Gareth Davies from Care took up the baton and responded to one of his charges.
Diamond Jubilee
For The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, parliament clubbed together and bought her a window. You would have thought Buckingham Palace already had plenty of them.
In celebration of the occasion The Queen gave a speech to both Houses of Parliament, returning to the spot where she had celebrated her silver and gold jubilees, and also just feet from where Charles I was tried.
You might also be interested in
- 19 Apr 2018 Civil society and the church: have your say
- 24 Nov 2017 Home-ownership: are we selling out?
- 07 Sep 2017 Joyride launched by comedian Tom Elliot
- 25 Aug 2017 Race and the UK Church: a personal reflection
- 31 Jul 2017 Best of the Alliance: July 2017
Stay in the loop
Sign up for a monthly update from the advocacy team, keeping you in the loop on the latest public policy and public leadership news, as well as how you can get involved.
- idea: Thy Kingdom Come 2018: a call to prayer and action
- 40 years of sharing Jesus with the Asian community
- idea: Home is where the heart is in the kingdom of God
- idea: Establishing God’s kingdom in the next generation
- Risk and relationship: partnering up with the Human Rights Commission in Northern Ireland