Prince Harry’s New Statesman article on ‘deeply troubling’ rise in antisemitism
The Duke of Sussex has written an opinion piece in the New Statesman, speaking out against the rise of antisemitism in Britain, which he calls “deeply troubling”. He said he felt compelled to speak because staying quiet allows “hate and extremism to flourish unchecked”. He said alarm at the scale of loss in the Middle East, and marching to demand accountability, were being dangerously conflated: “Nothing, whether criticism of a government or the reality of violence and destruction, can ever justify hostility toward an entire people or faith.” He called for a stand against antisemitism, while recognising that anti-Muslim hatred must also be “confronted with the same resolve”. Casting back to 2005 when he was pictured in a Nazi uniform at a party, he reflected: “I am acutely aware of my own past mistakes – thoughtless actions for which I have apologised, taken responsibility and learned from”. Article is here.
Nesil Caliskan MP is the new faith minister
Nesil Caliskan MP has been appointed as the new faith minister, replacing Miatta Fahnbulleh, who resigned when calling for Keir Starmer to quit. Caliskan, 37, was elected MP for Barking in 2024 and has spent the past eight months serving as Comptroller of the Household, the third most senior government whip in the House of Commons. She is the ninth faith minister in ten years. Her Wiki entry says she is the first Turkish-Cypriot heritage MP, raised in Enfield, with a background as a parliamentary researcher, local councillor and other roles in local government. In a statement on Twitter / X, she said: “It is an honour to accept the appointment as the Minister for Housing, Communities, and Local Government. I will work tirelessly to deliver the government’s agenda and will continue to represent my constituents in #Barking & Dagenham”.
Church of England congregations grew last year for fifth year in a row
The Church of England says congregations saw their fifth year of growth in a row in 2025 with steady increases in weekly and Sunday attendance and strong growth in Christmas and Easter services. Despite this recent growth, attendance and participation remain below pre-pandemic levels. The annual Statistics for Mission report says there were an estimated 1.023 million regular worshippers across Church of England congregations last year, up 1.4 per cent on 2024. Congregations on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were up 5.5 per cent to 1.96 million people. Easter attendance was up 7.8 per cent to 1.03 million. Over a typical week an estimated 707,000 people attended Church of England services, up 0.7 per cent on the previous year, while average attendance at Sunday services stood at 590,000 – up 1.6 per cent on 2024.
Government plans for communities, climate change, poverty and antisemitism
The government, in its fractious state, has laid out its future plans in the King’s speech, an event overshadowed by internal Labour politics. Among the pledges, in its own words, were: to defend the British values of decency, tolerance and respect for difference under our common flag; harness the potential of the pride felt across this country for its communities; take urgent action to tackle antisemitism and ensure all communities feel safe; continue to reform the welfare system to support both young and disabled people to flourish in work; a draft Bill to ban abusive conversion practices; a Bill to scale-up homegrown renewable energy and protect living standards for the long-term; be a leading advocate for tackling climate change; achieve a world free from poverty; take action to reduce humanitarian need and conflict around the world. Text of speech is here.
Dispute over drafting of new RE curriculum in Northern Ireland
Hyphen Online reports on a dispute in Northern Ireland over the drafting of a new pluralistic and inclusive Religious Education curriculum, after the current one was criticised for being too Christian and confessional. A consultative group has been set up to consider the change, but it only includes Christian denominations. There is criticism from Naomi Green, assistant secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain and a trustee of the Northern Ireland Interfaith Forum, that the education minister has not engaged with any non-Christian representative. Northern Ireland Humanists say that the minister has refused requests for a meeting. Hyphen reports a statement from the NI Department of Education saying there had been “an extensive programme of engagement with a wide range of stakeholders” and a public call for evidence received more than 1,000 responses from teachers and parents. Hyphen article is here.
Nine hour prayer event in Washington to promote US ‘Christian foundation’
The Trump administration is hosting a nine hour prayer event on the National Mall in Washington on Sunday, to promote the “history and Christian values which founded America”. The event is entitled “Rededicate 250: National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving” and will feature House Speaker Mike Johnson, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and evangelical preachers associated with Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission. An in depth report by Jason Wilson in The Guardian, delves into the beliefs of speakers, including those who say “the Democratic platform is demonic” and others with “vociferous support for Israel”. The event is being organised by a group launched by the White House to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary.
‘A million acts of hope’ counted this week to show the true spirit of Britain
The campaign “A Million Acts of Hope” is underway across Britain, with hundreds of charities, communities and faith groups staging events focused on good works and acts of kindness, and sharing them on social media and in their local areas. It is co-ordinated by the Good Faith Partnership, which says the events include community coffee mornings, foodbanks, litter picks, volunteer-run sports clubs, shared meals and warm spaces – things which happen routinely but this week are counted. It says: “These actions rarely make headlines, but they represent the true spirit of Britain: practical, caring, and quietly transformational. We believe most people want to live in strong, healthy, caring communities where everyone feels they belong”. More than 200 partners are involved and already groups have been filming or taking pics of their activities and posting them on Instagram and Facebook with the hashtag @1mActsOfHope. The week runs until Wednesday 20 May.
