Ed Davey says his Christian faith leads him to decline invitation to Trump state banquet
The Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has spoken of the impact of his Christian faith on his politics, saying he decided to decline an invitation to the state banquet with Donald Trump after praying about it. In an interview with Radio 4’s Today programme, he said it was a difficult decision because he has great respect for the King and the monarchy, and he meant no disrespect. But it was the best he could do to make the point that Trump could and should act to end the war in Gaza. He said: “I had to pray about it. And I am a Christian and my wife and I go to our local church, St. Andrews and Marks, very regularly. My faith is very important to me and to my wife. And although .. other people say religion doesn’t impact your policy, it does impact mine. I don’t talk about it very much. But on this I had to be very honest. I’ve thought and prayed about this. I really have.” The Telegraph reports on how faith impacts other political leaders here. Today programme here (1’14’00’’ in)
Bishop of Oxford accuses Nigel Farage of ‘deliberately increasing fear of the stranger’
The Bishop of Oxford, Dr Steven Croft, has hit back at Nigel Farage’s criticism of senior Christian leaders as being out of touch with ordinary people on the issue of immigration. In a blog published yesterday, he accused Nigel Farage of “deliberately increasing fear of the stranger in our communities”. He was referring to Mr Farage’s speech on Tuesday, launching Reform’s immigration policy, pledging to deport 600,000 migrants during the next five years and detain all who arrived on small boats. The bishop said: “I heard no compassion in what you said for those who are at risk from people traffickers; those who fled for their lives; those who long for sanctuary and safety; the vulnerable who would be forcibly deported. The British people, as I understand them, want public policies founded on the deeply British and Christian values of compassion and care for those in need.” Mr Farage had been asked at a press conference after the launch, how he would respond to Christian leaders challenging him morally on the policy. He said: “Whoever the Christian leaders are at any given point in time, I think over the last decades, quite a few of them have been rather out of touch, perhaps with their own flock. Given the types of people appointed to be the Archbishop of Canterbury, that is probably the biggest understatement of the day.” Responding as a senior leader, Bishop Stephen said: “Community cohesion and mutual respect are vital assets in any local community. There are many, many forces which seek to separate good neighbours and sow distrust. We have seen an increase in hate crime in recent months, even in this kindest and most international of cities. To see any politician with a public platform seeking to play on these fears and stoke division for political advantage is deeply disturbing.”
UK government ‘clear-eyed’ about threat to British Jews from Iran
The Board of Deputies has issued a statement supporting the decision by the “E3” – the UK, France and Germany – to reimpose United Nations sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme. Two months ago, the US bombed Iran’s atomic sites during the war in Gaza, and UK officials have reportedly said there remain “significant” concerns about Tehran’s non-compliance with a 2015 agreement to limit its nuclear programme. The BoD says it has raised with the government the need to confront the Iranian regime’s threats to Britain’s Jewish community, and in an interview with Jewish News, Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer said: “I want to reassure the Jewish community in the UK that in regards to some of the antisemitic rhetoric that has been associated with the Iranian regime, directed particularly at them, that firstly, we are clear-eyed about the threat that Iran can pose to them, and to other communities, and that’s one reason why we’re taking the action that we have today .. I have been crystal clear with my Iranian counterparts that the security of the Jewish community, indeed all communities, is absolutely our foremost priority, and regardless of what else is going on in the world.”
Attendance grows at English cathedrals
Church of England cathedrals saw an 11 per cent growth in weekly attendance in 2024, with 31,900 people attending services throughout the week. Adult congregations at midweek services rose by 15 per cent, children by 16 per cent. However, these numbers have still not returned to pre pandemic levels. The report says: “Easter services attracted 50,200 worshippers, a 12 per cent increase year-on-year, while Holy Week attendance reached 90,200. However, Christmas attendance dipped slightly to 121,100, down three per cent from 2023, and Advent services saw a similar decline”. The number of baptisms rose, while marriage and funeral services remained stable. Visitor numbers rose and the number of cathedral choirs reached a record high. David Monteith, who chairs the Church of England’s College of Deans, responded: “Cathedrals continue to be places of welcome, joy, and reflection – where ancient rhythms meet contemporary needs. Whether through worship, education, or civic life, our cathedrals are helping people reconnect with faith, with one another, and with hope.”
‘Blue Labour’ founder says drop plans for Islamophobia definition
The Labour peer behind the Blue Labour movement, Maurice Glasman, has urged Keir Starmer to drop any plans to introduce a new Islamophobia definition, saying that it could inflame community tensions and harm free speech. A working group is considering the seven year old definition put forward by the APPG on British Muslims, which says: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” This has been criticised for using the idea of race and the new group has been taking soundings on alternatives, with a resolution expected this autumn. In an interview with Politics Home, Lord Glasman feared a new definition would limit free speech by disallowing criticism of Islam. He said: “People should be free to explore, criticise aspects of religion. The whole post-Victoria English culture was based on the mild scepticism about claims of religion. It’s madness to bring in a new law which limits what can be said. I’m also very sceptical about the definition of antisemitism for very similar reasons. It makes criticism of Israel and of the Jewish religion [more difficult].”
FBI treating Minneapolis church shooting as anti-Catholic hate crime
The shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, when two children aged 8 and 10 were killed by a gunman firing through stained glass windows during a Mass for the start of a new school year, is being investigated by the FBI as an anti-Catholic hate crime. FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X. “As we continue to investigate yesterday’s barbaric attack from Robert Westman, the male subject, our teams have gathered information and evidence demonstrating this was an act of domestic terrorism motivated by a hate-filled ideology. Some updates: subject left multiple anti-Catholic, anti-religious references both in his manifesto and written on his firearms, subject expressed hatred and violence toward Jewish people, writing ‘Israel must fall’, ‘Free Palestine’, and using explicit language related to the Holocaust, he wrote an explicit call for violence against President Trump on a firearm magazine. The @fbi investigation is still ongoing. We will employ all of our counter-terror tools to ensure this is fully investigated and deterred.”
Catholic bishop heading international affairs denounces Israel’s action in Gaza City
Bishop Nicholas Hudson, Chair of the International Affairs department of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has added his voice to those of Pope Leo, the Patriarchs of Jerusalem, and Caritas Internationalis on the situation in Gaza. He said he wishes to amplify the statement by the Latin and Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Jerusalem that the actions in Gaza were “not the right way. There is no reason to justify the deliberate and forcible mass displacement of civilians.” He is concerned for Fr Gabriel Romanelli who has worked throughout to protect and comfort people who seek shelter in his church, and to nurture the community of the Holy Family parish in Zeytoun. He commends the Caritas statement that describes action in Gaza as “a deliberate assault on human dignity and the collapse of moral order, a failure of leadership, responsibility, and humanity itself.” He appeals to all Catholics to pray this weekend for peace in Gaza and justice for Palestinians and Israelis.
US Senators visit Christians in Taybeh on the West Bank
Two US Democrat senators have visited the Church of St George in the mainly Christian town of Taybeh on the West Bank, which has seen a series of attacks by Israeli settlers, including an arson attack on the church. In an interview on Al Jazeera, Senator Jeff Merkley said it was important for members of the US Congress “to come here to witness and to listen and to carry the stories of injustice in our heart, but also in our advocacy back home.” Senator Chris Van Hollen said violence against Palestinians on the West Bank was unacceptable, as was starvation of people in Gaza. He stressed the necessity of ending Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza and settler violence in the occupied West Bank.
Statutory inquiry into two charities connected with Wolverhampton gurdwara
The Charity Commission has opened a statutory inquiry into two charities connected with the Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Wednesfield, which were set up for the advancement of the Sikh religion in the area. Its statement says: “An unregistered charity, Guru Nanak Gurdwara (also known as the Nanak Sikh Temple, amongst other names), was established in 1980, while the Guru Nanak Gurdwara, Wednesfield was registered with the Charity Commission as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) in 2024. The Commission had previously opened a regulatory compliance case due to concerns raised by some of the Gurdwara’s congregation about the trustees’ oversight of the established, unregistered charity. Further concerns were raised by the formation and registration of a new CIO by some of those trustees. Trustees of both charities have failed to comply with regulatory guidance and with information gathering Orders of the Commission related to these concerns. The unregistered charity failed to comply with the Commission’s Order for it to apply to become a registered charity, as required by law, by 23 April 2025. However, it has since submitted a registration application to the Commission. A failure to comply with an Order of the Charity Commission is misconduct and / or mismanagement in the administration of a charity. The Commission escalated its engagement with both the CIO and the related, unregistered charity to a statutory inquiry in June 2025.”
Humain Chat – the AI app that aligns with Islamic values
The Times reports that Saudi Arabia has launched its own chatbot, which complies with Islamic values. Humain Chat, owned by a sovereign wealth fund, has been designed for the more than 400 million Arabic speakers and two billion Muslims, and will be expanded in Arabic and English to the wider Middle East and internationally. Developers say it will have safeguards to prevent it from violating the kingdom’s social and religious values, and it will be deeply aligned with “Islamic, Middle Eastern and cultural nuance”. At present it is only available in Saudi Arabia.
