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The Illegal Migration Bill places politics before people
At the start of the year, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak offered five pledges for his government, one of which was to simply ‘stop the boats’. The government’s proposed legislation to achieve this and tackle small boat crossing in the Channel was introduced into parliament in early March. This proposed…
Danny Webster
Wales: Reflections from Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast 2023
Faith is often described as a journey, and it’s fair to say that Wales’ journey with faith is one of great richness and influence. It was poignant therefore that this year’s theme at the Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast was pilgrimage. Darren Millar MS, chair of the Cross Party Group on faith, who…
Spotlight: Our mission team
Meet the team Our core mission staff team is small but mighty. Rachael Heffer is head of mission, she is the queen of celebration and loves partnering with our membership organisations and churches to help share the good news of Jesus. You may have known Phil Knox under a different role, but he now…
Alyssa Carey
Baroness Casey calls for a culture reset in the Metropolitan Police
When reading through the Casey report, although saddened and frustrated I was not surprised by her conclusions. Prior to joining the Evangelical Alliance, the majority of my career was spent working for different charities supporting young men and women connected to the criminal justice system in…
Alicia Edmund
How to be a great friend: look at the Easter story
I have two sons. Each week they attend Sunday school at our local church. Occasionally, their enthusiasm and tendency to talk too much (no idea where they get that from) means they miss the question the teacher asks. I have instructed them in this instance to simply put your hand in the air and…
Phil Knox
The cross is for daily life, not just for Easter
This reflective meditation includes the repeated prayer, "Come Lord Jesus, 'Easter' us anew", inspired by the prayers of theologian Walter Breuggemann. It expresses a longing for the ongoing renewal and restoration of our daily human lives that is possible because of the first Easter event. It's…
Donna Jennings
30 years on from the death of Stephen Lawrence - there is still much work to do
On 22 April 1993, Stephen Lawrence was murdered in Eltham, South London. The ensuing investigation, failed prosecutions, both public and private, exposed failings in the police. There was widespread concern that the racially motivated killing of Stephen was met with racially prejudiced policing…
Danny Webster
Maternity care for Black and Asian women deemed "appalling" by MPs
The difference in health outcomes during pregnancy and following childbirth based on ethnicity is well documented in medical journals and parliamentary inquiries. Since 1995, it has been government policy for hospitals in England and Wales to collect patient’s ethnicity data with the view that…
Alicia Edmund
Cost of living crisis: we need to be in this together
On one occasion I was stood in a carpark outside our foodbank whilst a woman broke down right in front of me. It was the second time that morning she had been reduced to tears. The first was after coming into our building, a nervous first-time foodbank user. Her tears were of relief, when she saw…
Chris Leech
The Illegal Migration Bill has been passed through the House of Commons – what happens now?
The Illegal Migration Bill is the government’s attempt to reduce the high number of people who cross the Channel on a small boat in order to seek asylum in the UK. The bill will result in anyone arriving in the UK through unauthorised means being prevented from claiming asylum. Those who arrive…
Nicola Martin
Father's Day: Why I choose to trust Abba Father today
Recently, Father’s Day took on a new but painful meaning for me. It is no longer only a time to lament on how much less choice my children have to celebrate me in comparison to their mum on Mother’s Day (#JustSaying), but it has now become one where I am almost forced to accept the truth that my…
Joel Edwards Jnr
Spotlight: our unity team
It’s been a lively time for our recently formed team, having just returned from having undertaken tours of north and southwest England. With growing representation across regions, our team travelled more than 1,300 miles (ranging from Lancaster to Truro), gathering more than 400 leaders together…
Emily Hooper
Heart behind the art: an interview with Sam Suriakumar
Growing up, Sam had a longstanding “deep and trusting relationship with God”, but over time he grew to realise the extent of God’s faithfulness. A child of immigrant parents from Sri Lanka, Sam was encouraged in his twin passions of South Asian and Western music. His mum and dad supported him to…
Helen Locke
Homeshare
When Marion and her husband were blessed with a gift in her dad’s will, she knew she wanted to do something amazing with it. And when the war in Ukraine broke out, it seemed like a “no brainer” to use it to provide hospitality to those coming to the UK as refugees. Brought up in a Christian family…
Nicola Morrison
Windrush legacy: Honouring the lives of pioneers
Windrush represents a connection to my Bajan (Barbadian) heritage, carrying with it the courage and resilience of my grandparents as they came to Britain, seeking new opportunities to help rebuild a nation after war and provide for their own families. It is important to note that the migration…
Shantelle Richardson