Burnham says palliative care must be fixed before assisted dying is considered
The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has said that the funding of palliative care and social care should be fixed before assisted dying is considered. MPs had voted in favour of the assisted dying bill with majorities of 55 and then 23, but the Lords heavily criticised the bill and put forward more than 1,000 amendments, so it ran out of time and was lost. Labour MP Lauren Edwards has vowed to bring it back to the Commons in September. The government has previously said it was neutral, but Keir Starmer was always in favour. This change of approach by the new PM has given hope to opponents of the bill.
Burnham made the comments after a speech on social care at a Jewish care home in Golders Green. He told reporters:”I take the view that that debate (assisted dying) – and I don’t say that there shouldn’t be a debate at some point about those issues – personally, I think there’s something that needs to happen first. That is the fixing of the funding of palliative care and social care. I think it is very challenging to introduce that wider debate in a context of people not receiving that care and having the peace of mind about that care. That’s the way I kind of see this, and that’s the position that I will stick to.”
Archbishop John Sherrington, Archbishop of Liverpool and Lead Bishop for Life Issues for the Catholic Bishops’ Conference, welcomed Burnham’s comments. In a statement he said: “We have consistently called for meaningful investment in palliative and end of life care as an appropriate focus to uphold the dignity of all at the end of life, and opposed a bill seeking to legalise assisted suicide… I once more urge parliamentarians to vote against this dangerous legislation on 11 September and to work together to ensure that our palliative and social care services can be held up as examples of truly dignified care at the end of life for all.”
Clergy support families distraught at actions of Hull funeral director
Two Church of England clergy joined a line of protesters outside Hull Crown Court this week, urging the government to regulate the funeral industry. They joined families distraught at the actions of funeral director Robert Bush, who has admitted multiple counts of preventing the lawful and decent burials of dead people, fraud and one offence of theft from charities. He is up for sentencing as family members speak of the impact of his actions on their lives. The court has been told that he breached the trust of grieving families “on an almost industrial scale” while spending their money on himself. One of the clerics, Mother Linda Gillard, priest-in-charge of St Nicholas Church, Hull, has provided pastoral support for families since the scandal first emerged, leading vigils and memorial services and accompanying relatives in their campaign for justice. York Press report here.
Allegations of grooming, sexual abuse and exorcism at St Andrew’s Chorleywood 1980 – 2010
St Albans Diocese has published a report outlining allegations of sexual abuse, grooming, exorcism and spiritual abuse at St Andrew’s, Chorleywood, a leading evangelical charismatic church, in the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. It was here that the New Wine charismatic church movement began in 1989, and its youth ministry was led by Mike Pilavachi, who went on to found Soul Survivor, a large, charismatic youth movement. He resigned from ministry in 2023 after it was found that he had abused his power and acted inappropriately by wrestling young men to the ground and massaging them. In January, the Diocese initiated a “listening exercise” and 27 people came forward with further stories of harmful behaviour. The report says its aim was to listen but not investigate and then respond appropriately. The testimony included exorcism to cast out demons from a person identifying as LGBT+, grooming and sexual abuse by former male youth workers, the formation of intense relationships, kissing and cuddling. There were no names published of the witnesses or leaders accused of abuse. The report says current safeguarding at the church is robust. The findings of the report will be overseen by a Safeguarding Case Management Group and the Diocesan Safeguarding Advisory Panel “to ensure appropriate governance and accountability”. Report is here
‘Om Crematorium’ for Hindus, Jains and Sikhs, inaugurated in Buckinghamshire
Europe’s first purpose-built “Om Crematorium”, for use by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs, has been officially inaugurated in Buckinghamshire. It has been built within the grounds of the Anupam Mission in Denham, the European headquarters of a movement rooted in the teachings of Swaminarayan, a 19th century religious leader from western India. He believed the principles of Hinduism are around devotion to God, disciplined spiritual practices, an ethical moral life, non-violence and service to others. The current leader is Pujya Sahebji, who has led the project for the crematorium, uniting the communities and building it within 12 months. It is expected to be operational in November. The Eastern Eye reports a large public gathering to pay tribute to the teams who funded and built it. Mr Sahebji is quoted saying that Anupam Mission’s grounds in Europe have now become as sacred as Varanasi in north India, ensuring liberation for those cremated there. It’s reported that Lord Jitesh Gadhia, a prominent Hindu banker and businessman, said there had been 30 years of discussions about a purpose built crematorium and he welcomed the provision of a place that marks the soul’s journey, “a sacred transition rather than a mere ritual”.
Bishops tell Saudi Arabia to stop executions of persecuted Ethiopian Christians in jail
The bishops of Southwark, Chelmsford and Winchester have written to the ruler of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, urging him to call an immediate halt to the executions of more than 50 Ethiopian Christians on death row in the state. They say the Ethiopians have been mistreated in detention, crosses they were wearing round their necks were removed and they were assaulted, the open expression of Christian belief has been discouraged or prohibited, and several have been tortured and forced to sign documents they could not read or understand. They called for the Saudis to commute death sentences of all those convicted solely of non-lethal drug offences and to order a review of all cases, with access to legal representation and interpretation. They pointed out that “the right to hold, practise and express one’s religious faith, including within a prison setting, is a fundamental right recognised under international law”. They copied their letter to the Foreign Secretary Ed Milliband, asking him to intervene. A Foreign Office spokesman said: “Saudi Arabia is well aware of the UK’s opposition to the death penalty. We raise our concerns about the penalty with the Saudi authorities using a range of diplomatic channels.” The Bishop of Winchester, Philip Mountstephen, is the Church of England’s lead bishop for freedom of religion or belief.
Archbishop signs statement of solidarity with refugees
The Archbishop of Canterbury Sarah Mullally is among 75 leading figures who have signed “The Promise”, a global statement of solidarity with refugees, published to mark the 75th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on Refugees. The signatories reaffirm the commitment to protect people fleeing conflict, violence and persecution. Other supporters include Cate Blanchett, Angelina Jolie and Ben Stiller. The UNHCR says at the end of 2025, an estimated 117.8 million people worldwide had been forced to flee their homes. The Anglican Alliance has produced a toolkit of resources to help churches respond, as it says churches are often the first place refugees turn to when they flee.
Sheerness church relocates after vandals smash windows with catapults
The congregation at the joint United Reformed and Methodist church in Sheerness has abandoned worship in the church building after vandals used catapults to shoot ball bearings at pigeons, but got the windows instead, shattering glass over the church floor. Services are now held in the Lighthouse Café for safety. The minister, the Rev Lynne Le Masonry, told Kent Online: “We have made the decision that it is too unsafe to worship in the church because the glass is still continually showering down onto people. Every day we go in and find new shards of glass all over the place, over the chairs, on the carpets and on the communion table. We have had to come out of the church and into the coffee shop. But the congregation doesn’t like it. It’s not right and it’s not comfortable.” The report says there are plans to replace the damaged glass in the lantern of the roof with a bulletproof alternative.
