It was all going so well… Last week we saw quite a bit of movement on the issue of Brexit, after what appeared to be deadlock came a flurry of announcements of progress being made in many different areas. Firstly we found out that, for the first time since their introduction in 2014 all of the …
Should Donald Trump come to Britain on a state visit?
In the light of the current controversy over the Britain First tweets, two JPIT members test out the arguments for and against inviting Donald Trump for a state visit… Madalena writes: President Trump did not retweet Britain First by accident. Even if he did not know the nature of the …
Prepare Ye the Way
Advent is a time of dual anticipation. As we wait for the birth of Christ celebrated at Christmas, we also wait for the second coming of the son of God, for Jesus’ return. In the midst of preparing ourselves for Christmas, as we purchase gifts and fill our homes with festive decorations, it is …
Universal Credit: Solving one problem by creating another
The changes announced in Wednesday’s budget are likely to improve the often awful first weeks of a Universal Credit claim. The problem is that, rather than address the core flaws in the benefit’s design, they patch it over. The announcement is not so much a step in the right direction as making the …
Minimum Unit Pricing is Legal in Scotland
The UK Supreme Court has ruled it legal for Scotland to introduce minimum unit pricing (MUP), a policy which targets harmful and hazardous alcohol consumption. This briefing explains what minimum unit pricing is, why it is necessary and encourages individuals and churches to encourage England to …
The Balfour Declaration: Britain’s Broken Promise
Britain’s Broken Promise “Britain’s Broken Promise: Time for a new approach” was a remarkable event organised by the Balfour Project at Central Hall Westminster. It was remarkable not only in terms of the list of prominent speakers but, even more, for the sober way in which it meticulously exposed …
Brave New World?
It is difficult to escape the feeling that we are living in changing times. Politically speaking, change is the order of the day at local, national and international levels. Elections have yielded some rather unexpected results. We have seen the successes of rank outsiders such as Donald Trump …
Not guilty
Revd Daniel Woodhouse and Sam Walton have been found not guilty at Burnley Magistrates Court Revd Daniel Woodhouse, a Methodist Minister, and Sam Walton who works with the Quakers in Britain have today been found not guilty by District Judge James Clarke. Daniel and Sam, armed with a hammer, …
JPIT briefing ahead of today’s Universal Credit debate (updated January 2018)
Universal Credit will be debated in Parliament today and the JPIT churches have sent a briefing to every MP outlining our concerns. The briefing outlines some of the key problems but the central message is simple: Universal Credit’s processes suit the lives of the relatively well-off, the people …
Universal Credit: Bending the evidence and carrying on regardless
At Prime Minister’s Questions Theresa May defended the roll out of Universal Credit by saying that the new benefit gets more people into work. Since July the Government has used the phrase, “[with] Universal Credit people are moving into work faster and staying in work longer than under the old …