Family of murdered MP call for public inquiry
THE family of the Conservative MP Sir David Amess, who was murdered in 2021, have criticised the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, for rejecting their calls for an inquiry into his death. Amess was the MP for Southend West when he was fatally stabbed by a terrorist, Ali Harbi Ali, in Belfairs Methodist Church, Leigh-on-Sea, in Essex, during a constituency surgery in October 2021 (News, 15 October 2021). In a letter to the family, Ms Cooper said that it was “hard to see how an inquiry would be able to go beyond” Ali’s trial (he was sentenced to a whole-life order in 2022), and the recently published Prevent learning review. This was, she said, because the coroner had concluded that there were “no additional questions that could be answered through an investigation of this kind, that had not already been considered as part of the trial”. In a press conference on Monday, the late MP’s daughter, Katie Amess, said that she was “so, so angry that this was how they felt this should be dealt with, and such sadness at the betrayal of people that are claiming to be my dad’s friends just fobbing us off again”.
Bishops to make psychological tests mandatory
THE House of Bishops met online on Tuesday to discuss the General Synod meeting last month, including responses to the vote on safeguarding independence, a press release said. “The House then discussed proposals for work by the Liturgical Commission — the body responsible for the Church of England’s worship — and commissioned future work. The House considered the ongoing work of the Diocesan Finance Review and agreed that work should continue on ways to raise clergy stipends subject to recommendations to be developed by the Triennium Funding Working Group.” The liturgical business concerns “expanding the calendar”. Bishops also discussed, the release said, “the process of discernment leading to ordination and agreed that Assessments for Psychological Wellbeing, already widely in use across the Church of England, should become mandatory for all those presenting for training for ordained ministry from later this year”.
Walker Bill seeks to equalise care-leaver benefits
THE Universal Credit (Standard Allowance of Care Leavers) Bill, moved by the Bishop of Manchester, Dr David Walker, has passed without amendment to its Third Reading, due to take place today. The Bill seeks to give the same Universal Credit allowance to claimants who are under 25 and have left care as is given to over-25s. During the Second Reading, Dr Walker said that under-25s who claimed Universal Credit as care-leavers were disadvantaged by the current law (News, 24 January).
Church Commissioners’ housing plans approved
THE Church Commissioners’ planning application to build 150 homes, of which 25 per cent will be “affordable”, in the village of Fiskerton, in Lincolnshire, has been approved by West Lindsey District Council. This was conditional on there being a second access point to the site, after the council planning committee heard concerns about traffic volume to the proposed single access point through Corn Close. Cllr Roger Patterson told the committee: “I live in a similar place with only one access road, and it’s utter carnage. With 150 homes, you will have a minimum of 300 cars in the morning rush hour.” Further details for the proposed development, including house designs, will be submitted to the council at a later date.
Christians on the Left elect new chair
THE parliamentary group Christians on the Left has elected Anna Dixon as its new chair. Ms Dixon was elected MP for Shipley in last year’s General Election, in a Labour gain. She succeeds Jonathan Reynolds, who resigned the chair after being appointed Secretary of State for Business and Trade. Ms Dixon was previously the founder and chief executive of the Centre for Ageing Better, and chaired the Archbishops’ Reimagining Care Commission (Feature, 17 June 2022). Before this, she was a senior civil servant at the Department of Health. Since the election, she has served on the Public Accounts Committee. Her first engagement as chair will be Christians on the Left’s annual Tawney Lecture, on 2 April. She said this week: “It is important we remain true to the traditions of Christian socialism and our values of social justice, loving our neighbour and tackling poverty. It is important to change with the times.” The director of Christians on the Left, Hannah Rich, said: “She brings with her a wealth of experience in both faith and organisational leadership and strategy, with a strong commitment to our Christian Socialist heritage.”
Norwegian bishops join call to block Rosebank oil
BISHOPS of the Church of Norway have joined Christian charities in the UK in opposing the drilling of the Rosebank oilfield. Rosebank is the largest undeveloped oilfield in UK waters. In 2023, the Conservative government gave the Norwegian oil giant Equinor the green light to drill (News, 29 September 2023), but legal challenge by the charities Greenpeace and Uplift stalled the proceedings. Campaigners are calling on the Government to revoke the drilling permissions. The Bishop of Møre, the Rt Revd Ingeborg Midttømme, whose diocese is linked to Newcastle diocese, said: “I support the fight against Equinor’s Rosebank oil field. We are a long way away from the UN’s Sustainability Goals and the Paris Agreement’s goal . . . for the sake of humanity’s future, investment in and development of renewable energy is key.” A former Bishop of Oslo, the Rt Revd Gunnar Stålsett, agreed that the project “undermines Norway’s climate goals. . . Christians and others who see the protection of creation as a moral imperative have to stand together to stop this.” On Ash Wednesday, Christian Climate Action, Christian Aid, and other charities held a 24-hour prayer vigil, “No Faith in Fossil Fuels”, outside the Department for Net Zero and Energy Security in Whitehall.
