This photo was taken in 2014 at a march held to commemorate a suffragette rally that took place in Walthamstow, east London, in 1910. This is my mother, my daughter and me, three generations marching together for equality and to honour the women (and men) who fought for the vote for all. So as …
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Womanhood and faith
What the vote means to me Turning eighteen is a pretty big deal, suddenly you can buy alcohol, serve on a jury, buy fireworks and sue or be sued, just to name a few. Of the rather interesting and sometimes random things that you can do once you reach eighteen, I see voting as an incredibly …
A sacred place?
I grew up fascinated by the stories that I heard about suffragettes. I was also brought up to understand that voting is a very important responsibility. I was first entitled to vote at the 1997 general election and my parents made a bit of a fuss about it and were very keen that we should make our …
A hard won right
What the vote means to me 1974 was an exciting year in British politics, with two General Elections. I wasn’t old enough to vote, but the second fell on my 15th birthday – so I remember well having a day off school! From that day onwards I couldn’t wait to be 18 and to vote. In the 1979 General …
The privilege of challenging oppression
What does having the vote mean to me? In my ministry in Wakefield and in Yorkshire I have met many people from other countries who are seeking asylum. Commonly they are seeking refuge from oppressive governments which they have no power to oppose and no mechanism for changing. For me, being able to …
Celebrating the Representation of the People Act
This Tuesday, the 6th February 2018 marks one hundred years since the Representation of the People Act. Whilst the anniversary has led us to focus on women’s suffrage, it is important to remember that the Act did not grant the vote to all women. It granted the vote to all men over the age of …
Questioning injustice
JPIT’s newest team member, Simeon Mitchell, introduces himself. For as long as I can remember, I have had more questions than answers. Why can’t I walk on the grass? How do I know that I’m real and not just in a dream? Why is the sea blue when water isn’t? As I grew older and was exposed to …
Response to the Government consultation on gambling machines
The Baptist Union, Methodist Church, Church of Scotland and United Reformed Church have responded to the Government's consultation on gambling machines and related issues. This can be read here. …
Brexit Doom and Gloom?
Last week the Scottish Government released their Brexit impact report and it was a lot of doom and gloom. Perhaps this is understandable; the devolved nations have a unique relationship with the EU and will feel the effects of Brexit more acutely than England. …
Reconciliation with the Environment
At the end of last year I joined a two week pilgrimage to India led by the Revd Inderjit Bhogal. We travelled from Delhi to the Punjab, then drove up through the foothills of the Himalayas to a small town called Dalhousie. Our purpose was to explore reconciliation in the context of the Punjab …