Hills of the north, rejoice;
River and mountain spring,
Hark to the advent voice;
Valley and lowland, sing;
Though absent long, your Lord is nigh;
He judgment brings and victory.
Isles of the southern seas,
Deep in your coral caves
Pent be each warring breeze,
Lulled be your restless waves:
He comes to reign with boundless sway,
And makes your wastes His great highway.
Lands of the East, awake,
Soon shall your sons be free;
The sleep of ages break,
And rise to liberty.
On your far hills, long cold and grey,
Has dawned the everlasting day.
Charles Oakley became Rector of Holy Trinity Church, Wickwar in Gloucestershire in 1856.
Shores of the utmost West,
Ye that have waited long,
Unvisited, unblest,
Break forth to swelling song;
High raise the note, that Jesus died,
Yet lives and reigns, the Crucified.
Shout, while ye journey home;
Songs be in every mouth;
Lo, from the North we come,
From East, and West, and South.
City of God, the bond are free,
We come to live and reign in thee!
Text: Charles Edward Oakley, 1832-65
Music: Martin Shaw, Tune: Little Cornard, Meter: 6 6 6 6 8 8
Feel free to copy and paste Oakley’s words for your own congregation this Advent. Advent begins on Sunday 27th November this year (2016). It is a time of preparation for the coming of the Lord in the year-book of the Church of England, England’s established church. But you don’t have to be Anglican to sing it!
Charles Oakley’s life
Charles Edward Oakley M.A. was born near Chatham in Kent in 1832. He was educated at Rugby School and Pembroke College, Oxford, and then at Magdalen College as a Demy (scholar), he took a First Class in Literae Humaniores (Greek and Latin literature and philosophy) in 1854, and a First Class in Law and Modern History (1855), when he was also Johnson Theological Scholar (1855).
He entered Holy Orders in 1855 and served as a chaplain to the army in the Crimean War (1855). He became rector of Wickwar, Gloucestershire (1856-63) and then later Rector of St. Paul’s, Covent Garden, London in 1863.
He died at Abergele, near Rhyl, North Wales on 15th September 1865 after a tragically short incumbency. In short, Oakley was a very clever as well as a holy young man.
His fine Missionary hymn, “Hills of the north, rejoice,” appeared in Bp. T. V. French’s Hymns adapted to the Christian Seasons, and the Hymnal Companion in 1870. (John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology, Appendix, Part II (1907)) The tune now associated with the hymn, Little Cornard, was written by composer Martin Shaw in 1915.
Beware of the modern version!
Above are C.E.Oakley’s original words. The modern version of this hymn (scroll down in the link) still carries an advent message, but uncomfortable notions like ‘judgment’ and ‘victory’ have been expunged. Jesus becomes a personal saviour who doesn’t reign any more. In the last verse, ‘they’ come, not ‘we’. And rather than ‘live and reign’, with all the responsibility and action that implies, ‘they … find their rest’. Maybe the Victorian sentiments are politically incorrect these days, but Oakley captured the majesty of Christ and created something singable and uplifting, an inspiring hymn full of hope and destiny.
Based solidly on scripture
There is some Victorian romanticism in the Southern Seas and so on, but even there the hymn is inspired. The rhymes and construction are simply faultless. Each verse has its four lines of geography and its final two lines of triumphant theology. Note the hymn has nothing to do with British imperialism. Oakley was not imagining himself in Gloucestershire but in Jerusalem, in the ‘City of God’.
The scripture message he had in mind starts in the Psalms:
Psalm 107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; 3 And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
In Isaiah (and in Jeremiah) it becomes a promise to regather Israel:
Isaiah 43:5 Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; 6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; (cf Jer 16:14-15, 23:7-8, 31:8)
Finally, in the Gospel, our Lord himself applies the great gathering to his believers:
Luke 13:29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
That is what the hymn is about. More could be written on it.
Copy and Paste
Once again, you don’t have to be an Anglican to sing this great hymn. It will grace and bless any church. Remember there is no longer any copyright on Oakley’s words, so you can indeed feel free to copy and paste them for your own congregation. To hear the tune, click here (opens in a new tab).
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A special police constable disrupted a street worshiper and claimed that singing gospel songs “outside of church grounds” was not allowed.
Harmonie London filmed and posted an apparent altercation between herself and Maya Hadzhipetkova, Metropolitan Police special constable – a volunteer role.
Ms London regularly performs worship music on Oxford Street in central London.
Special constable Maya Hadzhipetkova disrupting street worship
In the clip posted to Harmonie’s Instagram page, special officer Maya Hadzhipetkova said: ‘No, miss, you’re not allowed to sing church songs outside of church grounds, by the way’.
Ms London responds: ‘You are, you are, you are, but the officer insists that she cannot sing “outside of church grounds” unless you have been authorised by the Church to do these kind of songs’.
Ms London replies: ‘That’s a load of rubbish, you’re allowed’.
The officer then walks away, while another adds: ‘She’s not saying anything any more, thank you for your time.’
The singer continues: ‘Are you saying that you don’t care about the Human Rights Act?’
As the altercation went on, the officer stuck her tongue out at Harmonie as she filmed.
In recent times, Christians in the UK have encountered persistent harassment while preaching or singing praises to the Lord on the streets.
The incident highlighted above sheds light on the concerning behaviour of the police officer who, instead of protecting lives and properties, chose to mock the gospel by attempting to disrupt a singer’s performance.
This raises concerns about the extent to which Christians may be restricted from practicing their faith in public spaces by police officers with inadequate training in the exercise of basic freedoms.
The Bible says John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Met Police apologises
The Metropolitan Police have apologised for special constable Maya Hadzhipetkova’s behaviour.
According to the force, Ms Hadzhipetkova should not have told Harmonie London to ‘stop performing church songs outside church grounds’. So why did she?
Met police said: ‘The officer was mistaken in saying church songs cannot be sung outside of church grounds.
‘We’re sorry for the offence caused and will take the learning forward,’ they added.
However, was this absurd altercation stemming from such a ridiculous starting position the result of inadequate training? Alternatively, did the officer receive full training in human rights and ignore it?
On the face of it, for any individual to tell another in a London street that they are not allowed to sing worship songs outside a church unless they have the permission of said church betrays a stunning ignorance of Christian freedom, or any basic kind of freedom in a normal society anywhere on earth.
READ: Deut 7:6-7 Isa 41:10; Prov 11:30; Matt 9:36–38; Rom 10:14–15; 2 Cor 5:20; 2 Tim 3:12; Gal 6:14. PRAY: for Christians across the UK upholding the faith. Pray for those prosecuted Pray for street preachers and Christian Artists
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Police forces have been told not to arrest preachers under the new guidance from their governing body. All officers in England and Wales will be trained to the new standard from the College of Policing from April 2023 according to a statement published on the College of Policing website.
The College of Policing CEO, chief constable Andy Marsh, said ‘Like so many areas of life, crime and the demands policing faces have changed radically. The training we provide officers needs to reflect this. We have listened to policing and the public to make sure the training helps officers tackle the core issues faced on the street. One of the issues includes traditional crimes such as burglary. But will deal with more emerging crime types like fraud and online crime’.
New guidelines
The guidelines now state that:
1 Non-crime hate incidents should not be recorded where they are trivial, irrational, or if there is no basis to conclude that an incident was motivated by hostility,
2 Individuals who are commenting in a legitimate debate. For example, political or social issues should not be stigmatised because someone is offended,
3 If a record is made, it must be done in the least intrusive way possible. For example, it may not be necessary to record the name of an individual or the location of an incident.
The updates seek to redress the balance between freedom of speech and ‘protecting vulnerable members of the public’, according to the statement.
Preaching the Gospel is commanded
The European Convention on Human Rights guarantees the rights to freedom of religious belief which is seen in (Article 9) freedom of expression. This includes freedom of speech (Article 10).
However, these rights only attest to Biblical command to Christians to preach the gospel. We find this all through the Gospels and Epistles. In the words of the Lord Jesus himself: Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
The example of the early church shows how seriously the Apostles took their duty to preach: Acts 4:20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. (More Bible Read Points below.)
The exercise of their God-given right by Christians and the persecution they have faced from officers of the law is a clear threat to our freedom of speech.
Arrested during Lockdown
On April 10, 2020, Metropolitan Police arrested pastor Joshua Sutcliffe for preaching the gospel during ‘Lockdown’. The police charged Pastor Sutcliffe, but London Magistrates Court cleared him of all charges. Pastor Joshua was preaching the Gospel and handing out leaflets in Camden, North London. According to CBN News, ‘Officers told him that being outdoors was a violation of the lockdown orders’.
The court judgment stated, ‘We find that the defendant was outside and that he had a reasonable excuse as he was travelling to his place of work, as a worship leader. Their gathering was limited in duration, and they were entitled to gather for street evangelising.’ The court found that the law permitted gathering and street evangelism during the lockdown, limited only in time duration.
After Pastor Sutcliffe’s release, He said ‘At one point, I was surrounded by four police officers. It was very intimidating. They treated me like a second-class citizen. I am a Christian minister of the Gospel, which not so long ago was a treasured and respected vocation in the UK’. His statement buttresses the age-long tradition of street preaching in the UK.
Preaching in the Open Air
Police violently arrest Pastor John Sherwood
On 23rd April 2021, CBN News reported that Pastor John Sherwood was arrested while preaching in an open air in Uxbridge, West London. He was accused of a criminal act for preaching what the word of God teaches about marriage.
Pastor John cited Genesis 1:27. He said: ‘God’s design in creating mankind was to set human beings in families’. He added that these families should be headed by a father and a mother, not by two fathers or by two mothers. ‘The distinction within mankind of just two genders, male and female, made in the image of God, constitutes the essence of God’s created order’, he added. It appears some bystanders called the police because they felt the preacher’s sermon was ‘offensive’. Under the new guidelines, the police should explain to those complaining that they will not arrest such a preacher but protect his freedom of speech.
Pastor Sherwood was acquitted by Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 7th April 2022. He was cleared of all charges of making ‘homophobic statements termed as offensive and discriminatory’ according to News Week.
Pastor’s arrest and ill-treatment were carried out as if he was a violent criminal as this YouTube clip reveals.
While Pastor Sherwood was being dragged away, a lady in the crowd can be heard heard saying, ‘it’s a Christian country, let him speak.’ Pastor Peter Simpson, who was preaching alongside pastor Sherwood, noted that others in the crowd had accused him of ‘hate speech’ as well. Christian Post report.
Michael Overd
Michael Overd (l) and Michael Stockwell were acquitted at Bristol Crown Court
Similarly, in July 2016 we reported that Michael Overd was arrested in Broadmead Shopping Center in Bristol. He and his fellow preacher, Mike Stockwell, were accused of ‘religious aggravated public order offence’ in February 2017. The pair were convicted in what we described as a biased magistrates court, and were duly acquitted on appeal to the Crown Court.
Mr. Overd was also arrested for preaching the gospel in Taunton, Somerset. The BBC reported that during his preaching he stated, ‘Even these dear men caught in homosexuality, if they ask God for forgiveness of sin, they will be forgiven. God loves them that much.’ The two men concerned subsequently made an official complaint to the police. Mr. Overd was charged under Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986 for words which allegedly caused harassment, alarm or distress.
Defended by barrister Paul Diamond, Michael Overd was acquitted. The magistrates found that he did not intend to cause harassment, alarm or distress contrary to Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986.
Arrest at Cardiff Mardi Gras
Stephen Green outside Cardiff Magistrates Court after the case against him was dropped.
Stephen Green, National Director of Christian Voice, was arrested by South Wales Police for distributing gospel leaflets at a homosexual event in Cardiff in 2006. He was giving out the leaflets out side the ‘Mardi Gras’ event when a police Inspector from the ‘Minorities Support Unit’ demanded he stop. The policeman arrested Mr Green when he immediately handed a leaflet to the next passer-by. Here is our report.
Mr. Green was held in a cell in Cardiff Police for four hours before being charged under the Public Order Act 1986. He was released after a brief pre-trial hearing. The Public Prosecutor admitted there were human rights issues but arrest, detention and charge were a violation of his right to freedom of expression.
The leaflet Stephen Green was giving out maintained that marriage could only exist between a man and woman. It cited Biblical passages condemning the act of homosexuality but also spoke of forgiveness and healing from ungodly desires. That was too much for the Mardi Gras organisers and the Police Minorities Support Unit. Mr Green afterwards sued South Wales Police for unlawful arrest, wrongful detentiuon and malicious prosecution and won. Even the homosexual Pink News website reported that he said: “I thank God for the honour of being locked up for sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Let Preachers Preach!
On 17th July 2022, a Nigerian preacher was arrested and detained in London for preaching the gospel. In a video which went viral on Instagram, he can be heard telling the police that they were harassing him and that he had done nothing wrong. He declined to provide his name and address when prompted, stating that he would report the incident because they had only arrested him for speaking about Jesus.
Charges, arrests for breaching public order and allegations of hate speech leveled against Christian preachers have arisen because the Bible’s standards of holiness and its statement of God’s institution of marriage are so challenging. Complaining homosexuals consider such standards so offensive no-one should voice them.
Furthermore, the Bible states that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the only way to find salvation. Muslims contend that ‘Allah’ is God and that it is blasphemous to say that Jesus is the Son of God. So Muslims have also called for preachers to be arrested, although not as frequently as have homosexuals.
The UK’s elite is of course firmly in favour of same-sex sexual rights. We see that as at odds with the foundation of our nation, which was established on the principles and values of Christianity.
Redmond-Bate case
Sir Stephen Sedley – ‘Freedom of speech to say the inoffensive is not worth having
Christian Voice has constantly defended the right of Christian preachers to preach. We were greatly encouraged by the case of Redmond-Bate vs the Director of Public Prosecutions. One PC Tennant arrested Alison Redmond-Bate when she refused to stop preaching on the steps of Wakefield Cathedral in October 1997.
Alison Redmond-Bate was convicted by magistrates of obstructing the police officer in the execution of his duty. Her conviction was upheld by the Crown Court. The landmark case eventually reached Lord Justice Sedley and Mr. Justice Collins in the Court of Appeal in June 1999. Sedley LJ wrote the judgement in which he set aside the conviction. The summary is HERE on Swarb. The whole judgment is well worth a read here on the Oxford University Press website.
In his judgment, Lord Justice Sedley said: ‘Freedom of speech means nothing unless it includes the freedom to be irritating, contentious, heretical, and provocative provided it did not tend to provoke violence. Freedom only to speak inoffensively is not worth having.’
He went on: ‘There was no reasonable inference available in this case to the police officer that the preacher, preaching about morality, was about to cause a breach of public peace. … The constable was not acting in the execution of his duty when he required the women to stop preaching, and the appellant was therefore not guilty of obstructing him in the execution of his duty when she refused to comply.’
The law of the land
That acquittal established the law of the land in England and Wales. As a result, every Christian preacher arrested and charged under the Public Order Act 1986, properly represented in Court, has been either acquitted or the charges have been dropped. But that has not stopped the police continuing to harass preachers. It has taken over twenty years for the police to catch up.
Just a day ago, the Daily Telegraph reported on Stephen Watson, Greater Manchester chief constable, telling his officers to told to stop wasting time on Twitter disputes ‘simply because someone is offended.’ They had been ‘overzealous’ in recording trivial online spats, he said.
Donna Jones, Hampshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner
And from the Evening Standard we learnt that Hampshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones criticised her own force for sending police officers on two occasions to question and then arrest a man for an alleged offensive social media post.
The new guidance from the College of Policing aiming to put an end to arresting preachers is a welcome development. However, how much time will it take to filter down through Chief Constables to the rank and file? Will the new policy make any changes to the arrest mentality of police on patrol?
We need to pray that the Police will observe legal precedents and protect, not abuse, preachers who exercise their freedom of speech according to the newly revised Policing Policy codes.
Prayer Points
Read: Isa 52:7; Mark 1:14-15, 16:15; Matt 10:7; Matt 28:18-19; Luke 9:2, 10:1; John 3:16-18; Acts 4:18-20, 5:29, 10:42; Rom 1:16, 10:14-15; 2Tim 4:2. Pray:
* Thank God for the victory to freely preach the word of God in the UK.
* Pray for lost souls in the United Kingdom.
* Pray for Christians in the UK and all over the world who are persecuted.
* Pray for the love and peace of God in our country. Jer 29:7 And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
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Sir David Bell of Common Purpose - right behind Sir Brian Leveson (r)
Sir David Bell of Common Purpose – right behind Sir Brian Leveson (r)
The antics of a sinister left-of-centre freemasonry need consideration by those of us concerned about the elite and the quangocracy. But scripture can encourage us in our prayer.
In November 2012, Richard Pendlebury, an investigative journalist on the Daily Mail, put together a series of articles on the activities and people behind a shadowy elitist training school called ‘Common Purpose’:
Common Purpose runs expensive leadership courses mainly for public sector employees, largely because only the public sector can afford its fees of £5,000 for a week’s attendance.
Richard Pendlebury
One cannot always trust what the Daily Mail says, and in attacking those campaigning for restrictions on the press, it can be accused of fighting its own corner as the Leveson Report looms rather than exposing chicanery in high places.
Nevertheless, Mr Pendlebury is an award-winning journalist and his articles are replete with well-researched links between personnel and based on documents and statements in the public sphere. Chief among the people identified is Sir David Bell, a top fixer in the Leveson Enquiry and a trustee of the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, which falsely linked Lord McAlpine to the Wrexham paedophile scandal. Sir David is indeed a trustee of the Common Purpose Charitable Trust, whose purpose statement claims: ‘Our educational courses give people the inspiration, skills and connections to become better leaders.’
Common Purpose International is linked by personnel to the Common Purpose Charitable Trust and aims to establish Common Purpose operating organisations in countries outside the UK. It says ‘All Common Purpose operating organisations aim to give leaders the inspiration, the knowledge and the connections they need to produce real change.’
Even the Guardian’s Michael White was grudgingly appreciative of the ‘Mail’ article and Richard Pendlebury, writing: ‘Bell is a good Mail target because he’s highly visible in the octopus as a former Social Democrat party member and ex-chairman of Pearsons with links to other quango-crats named by the paper.’
The idea of constant or nebulous ‘change’ with no qualification or explanation or what it entails is a Marxist concept within which the Common Purpose websitefeels right at home. Common Purpose graduates acquire skills in ‘group dynamics’ equipping them to manipulate meetings. EDI features heavily. There again, an elitism present in Common Purpose is exemplified in its constant assertion that it provides ‘connections’. Certainly its Chief Executive, Julia Middleton, has become extremely well-connected to the liberal establishment through Common Purpose. She is director and company secretary of the Media Standards Trust, financial backers of the ‘Hacked Off” campaign and no end of feminist groups. In 1994, she helped set up the left-of-centre think-tank Demos. Look for a comment by ‘The Trician’ about her here. She is married to the equally well-connected financier Rupert Middleton.
Julia Middleton – ‘the best-connected woman you’ve never heard of’.
While campaigning for transparency elsewhere, the Common Purpose website has a password-protected inner core and refuses to publish a list of its ‘graduates’. But they include some 35,000 mainly public-sector employees, journalists, police officers – the Met spent tens of thousands of pounds on Common Purpose courses under Sir Ian Blair – and aspiring politicians. Nor is Common Purpose any more forthcoming – or eager to comply with company law – over disclosing the home addresses of its directors. Most of them claim to live at the Common Purpose office in Banner Street, EC1.
Common Purpose tried to blacken the name of people doing Freedom of Information searches on it, and it would not be beyond the bounds of possibility to suspect that if a group of Common Purpose graduates have the down on someone in a locality, that they could do him serious financial damage.
The most subversive aspect of the Common Purpose mindset is the one hiding in plain sight, the concept of leading ‘beyond authority’. It is even the subject of a book by Mrs Middleton. According to the Common Purpose website:
‘Many successful leaders learn to lead in roles or circumstances where they have clear authority, budget and accountability. When they move beyond this – leading peers, partners and stakeholders – the skills that brought them success may not be enough. To operate effectively they need a different approach to leadership – the ability to Lead Beyond Authority.’
What that means is that CP people are trained to interfere in matters which are not their responsibility in order to effect the changes in policy (EDI, etc) they want to see. Even the Guardian’s Michael White is alarmed: ‘In her book Beyond Authority, Middleton – as quoted by the Mail – writes cheerfully of using “charm and flattery” to place a “conventional useful idiot” into a job which would be a “perfect smokescreen” for a chum’s agenda. Such tactics need watching.’
The Guardian described Common Purpose as ‘well-meaning’. But what Common Purpose plot and plan is likely to benefit themselves and their pet causes first and the rest of us and righteousness a long way second. Pray that the Lord will bring their devices to naught:
Psalm 2:2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
Matt 10:26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.
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Fuad Awale was transferred to a special separation unit for dangerous convicts after he and another convict ambushed a jail worker and threatened to kill him
Fuad Awale was transferred to a special separation unit for dangerous convicts after he and another convict ambushed a jail worker and threatened to kill him.
A convicted Islamist double murderer has been awarded £240,000 of public money after a High Court ruling found that his isolation in prison breached his human rights.
Fuad Awale, serving a life sentence for the execution-style killing of two teenagers in Milton Keynes, successfully claimed that being placed in solitary confinement following a hostage-taking incident caused him psychological harm.
The payout, agreed by David Lammy, Justice Secretary, includes £7,500 in compensation and more than £234,000 in legal costs following a High Court judgement which stated that: “there had been a significant degree of interference with the claimant’s private life”.
According to the Mail, Mr Lammy suggested in a letter dated 2 January 2026, that Ministers were considering changes in the law to prevent extremist criminals from using the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) as a “barrier to us protecting national security”.
Proverbs 17:15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.
Robert Jenrick, the Conservative Shadow Justice Secretary, who obtained details of the payout in a letter from Mr Lammy, branded the decision a “sick joke”.
He said: “Labour are cowing to terrorists and the human rights brigade. They must introduce emergency legislation to carve these monsters out of the ECHR immediately. If they don’t, we will as soon as Parliament returns.”
Facts behind the claim
Mr. Awale was segregated after ambushing a prison officer, holding a sharp object to his throat, and threatening to kill him, explicitly referencing his previous murders.
Prison authorities transferred him to a separation unit to protect staff and prevent radicalisation.
Nevertheless, he later argued that this security measure interfered with his private life under Article 8 of the ECHR, a claim the court upheld despite acknowledging the seriousness of his offences.
The court heard Mr. Awale previously asked to associate with one of the Islamic extremist killers of Fusilier Lee Rigby – but was denied the request due to “counter-terrorism concerns”.
He and an accomplice also demanded the release of Qatada, a hate preacher who had been facing deportation to Jordan to face terror charges, as well as Roshonara Choudhry, who stabbed Labour MP Stephen Timms in 2010.
Awale was sentenced to a minimum of 38 years in prison in January 2013 aged 25 after shooting Mohammed Abdi Farah, 19, and Amin Ahmed Ismail, 18, in the head in a Milton Keynes alleyway over a drugs dispute.
Romans 13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good… but if thou do that which is evil, be afraid.
This case follows a growing pattern in which violent or extremist offenders use human rights law to challenge the consequences of their own actions.
Similar claims have been brought by dangerous prisoners seeking association with known terrorists, privileges denied on security grounds, or damages for conditions imposed to keep others safe.
Another case saw far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (Tommy Robinson) who sought legal permission to challenge his segregation at HMP Woodhill on the basis of harm to his mental health, though the High Court refused permission, ruling the regime did not constitute a human-rights breach because it was imposed for his protection and prison safety.
A further example involves a convicted murderer at HMP Full Sutton who received thousands in taxpayer-funded legal aid to argue that restrictions on his access to facilities such as the gym and library violated his ECHR rights, prompting criticism from political figures that human-rights challenges can constrain prison governors’ ability to isolate radicalising inmates
Additionally, in Sahayb Abu v Secretary of State for Justice, a High Court judge found that extended segregation without adequate assessment of mental health needs breached protections against inhuman or degrading treatment, illustrating the judiciary’s willingness to apply human-rights protections even in terrorism-related confinement contexts
These cases collectively highlight growing judicial engagement with prisoner rights that sometimes limits how the state manages dangerous individuals, and feeds public debate over whether the human-rights framework adequately balances individual rights with public safety.
Again and again, the system appears more responsive to the grievances of offenders than to the trauma of victims or the safety of those tasked with guarding them.
Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
What direction is the UK taking?
The deeper question raised by this case is not merely legal but moral. Why should taxpayers fund compensation for a man who murdered two youths, took a prison officer hostage, and espoused extremist beliefs?
Public money intended for justice, rehabilitation, and public protection is instead diverted to reward claims brought by those who have shown utter contempt for life and law.
This inversion of priorities raises serious doubts about whether the state still understands its duty to protect the innocent before appeasing the guilty.
Isaiah 10:1 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed.
The cost of human rights absolutism
British courts increasingly treat human rights as absolute entitlements, detached from responsibility or context.
In Awale’s case, segregation was imposed not as cruelty but as a proportionate response to extreme violence and credible terrorist risk. Yet the legal framework elevated the offender’s subjective distress above the objective need for prison safety and national security.
Justice becomes distorted when mercy is extended without truth, and compassion is applied without discernment.
Micah 6:8 What doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
What was left unsaid
Little has been said about the families of the two teenagers Awale executed, or about the prison officer who was pinned to a chair with a weapon at his throat.
Their suffering carries no financial remedy, no court-ordered acknowledgement. As ministers now suggest possible legal reforms to prevent extremists exploiting human rights law, the case stands as a stark warning: when the state prioritises the rights of the violent over the protection of the faithful and law-abiding, public confidence in justice is inevitably eroded.
Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
READ: Gen 9:6; Exo 23:7; Deut 19:21; Prov 17:15; Prov 21:15; Ecc 8:11; Isa 1:17; Rom 13:4; 1Ptr 2:14; Rev 20:12. PRAY: Pray for justice to be upheld with wisdom and restraint, so that laws protect the innocent, honour victims, and do not reward wrongdoing.
Pray for those in authority to govern with moral clarity and courage, balancing compassion with accountability in decisions that affect public safety.
Pray for a society that values righteousness and truth, where mercy does not eclipse justice and where evil is neither excused nor enabled.
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Keir Starmer pledges to create a role to support LGBT rights if he is PM - 20/10/2022
Lucy Connolly: Woman jailed over social media post after Southport murders to be released.
Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of hypocrisy over the prosecution of Lucy Connolly. She is set to leave prison this week after serving part of her 31-month sentence for inciting racial hatred, according to The Telegraph.
Mrs Connolly, a mother-of-one, posted an inflammatory message on X following the Southport tragedy, but deleted it just hours later, expressing regret.
Despite her remorse, the Prime Minister stood firm in support of her conviction, claiming that while he valued free speech, he opposed ‘incitement to violence.’
The question must be asked: Why is Sir Keir holding others to a standard he once rejected for himself?
John 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgement.
In 2013, Sir Keir as Director of Public Prosecutions introduced prosecutorial guidance that clearly advised against unnecessary prosecutions where an offensive post was swiftly deleted.
He publicly argued that ‘offensive remarks taken down quickly’ did not always need criminal action. Yet Lucy Connolly’s case appears to fall exactly within those parameters.
How then can the Prime Minister reconcile his past position with his present support for Mrs Connolly’s long sentence? Has political expediency replaced principle?
Scripture warns us:
James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
This is not the first time Britain has seen political leaders preach one thing while practising another.
When social unrest followed the London riots of 2011, politicians were quick to condemn “knee-jerk prosecutions” that filled the prisons, only to later support similar heavy-handed measures when it suited the political mood. Sir Starmer’s stance today looks like another instance of convenient forgetfulness.
The inconsistency is glaring: swift deletion and remorse were once deemed mitigating, but now they are dismissed. As in the days of the Pharisees, leaders say but do not.
Matthew 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
Free speech or convenient silence?
The Prime Minister insists he supports free speech, but his actions suggest otherwise. The Connolly case has become a lightning rod for concerns about whether Britain is still a country where opinions—however offensive—can be voiced without fear of crushing retribution.
If leaders can change the rules as it suits them, how can ordinary people know where they stand?
Psalm 11:3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
Can a leader who once called for leniency, but now upholds severity, be trusted to apply justice fairly? Britain needs leaders who are principled, not opportunistic—leaders who will govern by righteousness, not convenience.
Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
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Judicial Corruption: A Moral, Social, and Political Rot - Republic Policy
Judicial Corruption: A Moral, Social, and Political Rot – Republic Policy
Judicial corruption and inconsistent sentencing are under scrutiny in the UK.
It is becoming apparent that the British legal system is serving its own interests and those of the state rather than delivering justice for the public, as the biblical standard demands.
In the Bible, justice is about putting things right, but recent cases suggest that British courts are more focused on defending their own patch rather than protecting the rights and safety of citizens.
Turning a blind a eye
A glaring example of of the two-tier system disparity is seen in the way certain crimes, such as burglary and shoplifting, are handled. Despite the emotional and financial toll these offences take on victims, the government make reassuring noises but the police stand accused of turning a blind eye to them.
Policies have emerged suggesting that unless the value of what’s stolen is deemed significant, pursuing these cases is considered a waste of police time. The police are also reluctant to chase after perpetrators who could be dangerous.
This approach has left many feeling vulnerable. Criminals face minimal consequences, and communities are left without the assurance that justice will be served.
The leniency in these cases stands in contrast to harsher sentences handed down for less direct threats to public safety.
Sentences for ‘rioters’
Following the murders of three little girls in Southport on 29th July 2024, demonstrations took place across England in the following month. It would appear that stories circulated on social media claiming the suspect was an illegal migrant. He wasn’t. He was of Rwandan descent and was born in Cardiff.
Some of the protests turned violent, with items thrown at the police. However, during one incident in Whitehall, it appears that angry protestors merely confronted the police with shoving and verbal abuse.
The case of one of them, David Spring, 61, of Sutton in South London, stands out. Mr Spring’s role in the disorder was shown on police body worn camera footage in court. He was seen making threatening and hostile gestures towards police, calling officers “c****” and joining in chants of “you’re not English anymore” and “who the f*** is Allah”.
The local paper reported that Judge Kelleher said a custodial sentence was appropriate ‘in order to deter others from engaging in similar behaviour’. David Spring was advised by barrister Piers Kiss-Wilson to plead guilty to violent disorder. He was sentenced to 18 months.
There was no report that we have seen associating Mr Spring with actual violence. In essence, he received 18 months for calling policemen part of the female anatomy, questioning their patriotism and asking, in robust language, what jurisdiction has the god of the Muslims over this United Kingdom.
State protecting its dignity
Burglaries, shoplifting, knife crime, affect ordinary people. What the August protestors did was challenge the immigration policy of the State. So it appears we now have a legal system more interested in maintaining its own standing with expedited procedural efficiency than in administering justice for the people.
This inconsistency raises questions about the integrity of the judicial system and whether it is meeting its fundamental biblical role: to right wrongs and protect the public. Without a commitment to equitable justice, the trust in our institutions of law and order will continue to erode. Two-tier policing, two-tier justice and two-tier politics are stoking up resentment. The system is no longer serving those it is meant to protect.
The Bible says, Leviticus 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
The number of shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales has risen to a new 20-year high. A total of 443,995 offences were logged by forces in the year to March 2024, up 30% on the 342,428 recorded in the previous 12 months.
The figure is the highest since current records began in the year to March 2003, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Meanwhile, one of the UK’s largest grocery chains has told a parliamentary inquiry that organised criminals are behind the recent rise in shoplifting and violence against shop workers rather than people stealing to survive,
Paul Gerrard, the public affairs director at the Co-op, told the House of Lords justice and home affairs committee into shoplifting that a 44% rise in retail crime it experienced last year was mostly down to gangs stealing to order at scale – clearing shelves in some cases.
The Bible says, Job 11:14 If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.
Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards facing charges of making indecent pictures of children – NewscastStudio
The case of Huw Edwards, coming at this time, also appeared to illustrate inconsistencies in the UK’s justice system.
Mr. Edwards, a former BBC presenter, was convicted of possessing 41 indecent images, including the most serious category, yet he received a suspended sentence, allowing him to avoid prison.
Nevertheless, legal commentators pointed to mitigating factors like his mental health and early guilty plea as well as the exact circumstances and the legal definitions as reasons for the apparent lenient outcome. It is worth reading the judge’s sentencing remarks (and the discussion between John and Stephen in the comments below).
However, it remains that others have received much harsher penalties for far less serious offences. For example, Julie Sweeney from Cheshire was sentenced to 15 months in prison for making an offensive online comment.
This disparity again raises important questions about the justice system’s priorities, where serious offenses, and not just that of Mr Edwards, are met with leniency, while lesser actions lead to significant punishment.
The Bible says, Zephaniah 3:5 The just Lord is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
Violent domestic abusers were among the offenders released from prison in Augusr after serving just forty per cent of their sentences, in a bid to free up prison spaces for protestors.
In an interview with LBC, former Justice Secretary, Alex Chalk accused ministers of not being ‘frank with the British people’ about what releasing people early from prison would mean.
Mr. Chalk stated that a man who committed common assault by ‘thumping’ his partner, or causing actual or grievous bodily harm, would be eligible for release under the scheme unless he had been sentenced to four years or more in prison.
He also warned that plans to release prisoners up to 20 per cent of the way through their sentences would be a ‘mockery of justice’ and ‘affront to rule of law.’
This applies to offenders who are under an electronic tagging scheme that allows them to spend up to six months under curfew in their homes that they would otherwise have spent in jail.
They are currently entitled to be released on tags as little as 25 per cent of the way through their sentences but, because of the early release scheme due to start on Sept 10, it has been recalculated down to 20 per cent.
The Bible says, Proverbs 11:21 Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.
Ling, now 49, was granted parole in July and has been released after serving 26 years of a life sentence. He was convicted in 1998 for the brutal Christmas Day murder of 29-year-old Joanne Tulip in 1997. Ling violated and stabbed Miss Tulip 60 times, in what the presiding judge described as a horrific act of violence. During his sentencing, the judge declared that Ling would remain in prison for as long as he posed a danger to women.
Despite these warnings, Ling is now a free man. His release, at a time when prison spaces are being prioritised for those involved in recent protests or social media controversies, has sparked outrage. We argue here that Steven Ling should have faced the death penalty:
The justice system’s priorities have shifted away from protecting the public, focusing instead on individuals whose offences lie more in speech than in violent crimes.
The release of such a one as Steven Ling underscores growing concerns about whether the safety of citizens is being compromised by a government intent on managing overcrowded prisons and responding to current political trends. Albeit that justice was never done for Joanne Tulip.
The Bible says, Gen 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.
Police persecute ex-Muslim
The state is also keen to protect its ideas and ideology, not least that of multi-culturalism. That helps explain what Tim Dieppe has described as the Metropolitan Police’s ‘outrageous persecution’ of Hatun Tash.
The ex-Muslim turned Christian preacher has been repeatedly arrested at the behest of her Muslim tormentors. She carries a Koran with holes in it, to illustrate its shaky provenance. Yet when Muslim activists at Speakers’ Corner stole it from her, the Police arrested her, not them.
With the assistance of the Christian Legal Centre, Hatun Tash has now been awarded not just one, but two payouts of £10,000 from the Met for unlawful arrest at Speakers’ Corner.
More serious crimes
A man chasing a couple with a hedge trimmer after an altercation at a petrol station.
The recent arrest of a man in Greater Manchester highlights the increasing neglect of public safety.
A viral video shows a Muslim couple being chased by a man wielding a hedge trimmer after an altercation at a petrol station.
The footage captures the man retrieving the tool from his vehicle and charging toward the couple’s car as they quickly fled.
This incident, while shocking, underscores the troubling trend where serious threats to citizens’ safety are deprioritised, as the system diverts its focus to less critical offences. Such cases reflect how the balance between protecting the public and catering to political or social agendas is becoming increasingly skewed.
Muslim given suspended sentence for assault
In Bradford, a Muslim man berated three Muslim women, whom he knew, at a petrol station for not wearing Islamic dress and for wearing make-up. He then violently attacked them, a court heard.
The local paper reported that Muhammad Hassan, 26, grabbed the driver and slammed her head on to the dashboard of her vehicle. He then grabbed the second woman’s hair and punched her in the head before hitting the third woman.
Judge Colin Burn said: “Whatever the motivation was for this, it’s still utterly inadequate to justify the violence that you perpetrated against [the victims] when they were sitting in a car effectively cowering from you.
“The three people on the receiving end of your violence were women who were in a vulnerable situation. This was an extremely abusive, controlling and violent incident.”
Given such a summing up, we should expect a custodial sentence. But no. Hassan, from Bradford, was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years. Compare that leniency to the sentences given to the Southport protestors.
Where is the duty of care?
As prisons in England and Wales near maximum capacity, the early release of inmates by Labour ‘to address the shortage of space’ is sparking concerns about the government’s duty of care.
There are concerns that without adequate measures to vet who is being released, the plan risks allowing violent offenders back into society prematurely. Questions are being raised about whether sufficient safeguards are in place to prevent potential harm, or if the focus is more on managing prison numbers than ensuring community safety.
Even more, there fear growing concerns that the Labour government may be prioritising freeing criminals over maintaining stringent protections, leading to heightened anxiety over public security.
This follows a stark warning from Charlie Taylor, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, who warned the ‘high risk of harm’ posed by the early release of violent criminals
He told the Telegraph that there was a danger former criminals may be let out to offend again.
‘The biggest risk would be a released offender slipping through the cracks” and going on to commit a serious crime because of rushed work.’
Read and pray
READ: Lev 19:35; Job 5:16; Job 11:14; Psa 37:9-10; Prov 13:23; Prov 22:8; Isa 28:9; Ezek 3:20; Hosea 10:13; Zeph 3:5; Rom 9:14.
PRAY: For the repeal of woke laws.
Pray for safety of everyone in the UK
Pray for victims of domestic violence, and other crimes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Let us know what YOU think in the comments below.
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Corrupt former police chief blamed the "political and media frenzy" for his decision to resign
The chief constable of West Midlands Police has retired after damning criticism of a decision to ban Israeli fans from a match against Aston Villa.
Craig Guildford’s retirement was confirmed on Friday 16th January 2026, after both Downing Street and the home secretary said they had lost confidence in his leadership.
He faced numerous calls to resign after apologising for providing incorrect evidence to MPs, which included the denial that AI was used in a report which led to the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from the game on 6 November.
According to the Telegraph, a secret dossier proving that police covered up threats against Israeli players by “Asian youths looking for a fight”. Senior officers misled the public by claiming that the event had taken place without incident, when in fact the Maccabi team had been constantly in danger of mob violence.
The big question British people should be asking is how many more corrupt police officials are out there waiting to be caught?
Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Corrupt former police chief blamed the “political and media frenzy” for his decision to resign
52-year-old Craig Guildford announcing his retirement, blamed what he described as the “political and media frenzy” for his decision to step down.
“I have carefully considered my position and concluded that retirement is in the best interests of the organisation, myself and my family,” he said.
“It has been the honour of my career serving as the chief constable of West Midlands Police.”
In a statement to reporters, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Simon Foster said he welcomed the decision and was “pleased this outcome had been reached”.
“That has prevented what might otherwise have been a complex procedure that would have caused significant distraction, impact and cost to West Midlands Police and the wider West Midlands,” he added.
Mr. Foster said he was pleased the outcome was reached “having regard to due process and the law”.
“It was important this matter was resolved in a balanced, calm, fair, measured and respectful manner.”
Proverbs 21:3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
The web of lies
In October 2025, West Midlands Police (WMP) and Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group barred Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters from attending a Europa League match at Villa Park, citing vague “intelligence” and alleged safety risks linked to violent disorder at previous European fixtures. However, subsequent scrutiny revealed that the decision appeared to be made before the evidence was established, raising concerns that Jewish supporters were excluded first and justification sought later.
WMP’s case relied heavily on claims of serious disorder involving Maccabi supporters in Amsterdam in 2024, including allegations of widespread violence, overwhelmed policing, and dramatic scenes in the city. These claims were later contradicted by official Dutch police statements, which confirmed that no such chaos had occurred. Officer numbers were significantly lower than reported, and allegations of protesters being thrown into canals were false. Dutch authorities instead noted that Jewish supporters were the primary victims of hostility that evening.
Errors and misinformation continued to surface as the ban came under parliamentary scrutiny. When questioned by the Home Affairs Select Committee, WMP Craig Guildford claimed that local Jewish representatives had been consulted prior to the ban. This was untrue. No such consultation had taken place. WMP later issued a written apology, attributing the false statements to “unintentional errors” in its briefing. Further credibility was lost when it emerged that intelligence had included reference to a non-existent match between Maccabi and West Ham—an error later traced to the use of an artificial intelligence tool, despite initial denials by the force.
Further inaccuracies compounded the controversy. WMP wrongly claimed to have consulted local Jewish representatives, later issuing an apology for “unintentional errors.” Even more troubling was the revelation that some intelligence, including a reference to a non-existent match between Maccabi and West Ham, had been generated by an artificial intelligence tool. After initial denials, WMP admitted consulting Microsoft Copilot, prompting serious concerns about the reliability and accountability of policing decisions.
The episode was further politicised by comments from Birmingham Perry Barr MP Ayoub Khan, who suggested Israeli supporters would be a provocation in an area with a large Muslim population.
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.
Muslim leaders now decision makers?
Confidence in the force has been further shaken by revelations concerning the appointment process itself.
The chief executive of Green Lane Mosque, an institution previously criticised for hosting radical speakers, sat on a panel that interviewed candidates for the Chief Constable role three years ago.
Kamran Hussein’s involvement inevitably casts fresh doubt on subsequent decisions to consult the mosque ahead of the Aston Villa–Maccabi Tel Aviv fixture, raising serious questions about whether professional distance and institutional integrity were properly maintained at senior levels of policing.
It is of paramount importance that our “citizens in uniform” are led by officers who not only treat all ethnic or religious groups equally, but are seen to do so. So-called “community policing” must never again degenerate into turning a blind eye to violence and extremism in one community, while ignoring the justified fears of a smaller one.
We must hope that Shabana Mahmood’s background will help her to restore the battered reputation of British policing.
Across the UK, a series of deeply troubling misconduct cases have undermined public confidence in law enforcement, raising questions about vetting, discipline, culture and systemic accountability.
One high-profile case that has shaken trust in British policing involves Merseyside Police, where Detective Constable John Rigby was dismissed after admitting he paid a 17-year-old boy for sex and unlawfully accessed police computer systems to obtain information on individuals without legitimate purpose. The chief constable described the offence as “inconceivable” in someone sworn to uphold the law, and Rigby is now barred from policing roles.
Meanwhile in London, the Metropolitan Police Service has faced a string of credibility crises. Independent reports have highlighted institutional failures, discrimination and toxic culture at Charing Cross police station, including racist, sexist and homophobic behaviour among officers that senior leadership failed to address. Separately, a BBC Panorama probe, resulted in the arrest and suspension of a sergeant on suspicion of perverting the course of justice and the dismissal of officers for gross misconduct.
Compounding these concerns are revelations that the Met failed to properly vet thousands of officers and staff between 2018 and 2023, leaving gaps in background checks that potentially allowed individuals with problematic histories to serve.
A recent report suggests that over 1,400 officers across forces in England and Wales are under scrutiny for alleged gross misconduct, including sexual offences, domestic abuse and abuse of authority, an unprecedented scale that commentators say could amount to the most serious crisis in policing in decades.
Amid these revelations, the reluctance of some political figures to take decisive action has further fuelled public frustration.
Psalm 82:3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Christians bearing the brunt
Across the UK, there have been encounters between Christian street preachers and the police, where concerns have been raised about how freedom of religion and free speech are being interpreted and enforced.
These cases highlight a pattern in which preachers have been arrested, detained or investigated,sometimes only to see charges dropped or compensation awarded later.
In London, Jesse Samuel, a Christian street preacher was surrounded by police officers during an open-air service.
In a viral social media video, Jesse was seen declaring the Gospel as officers confronted him over the content of his message.
Another case involved Dale Mcalpine, a street preacher in Cumbria who was arrested and detained for six hours after police accused him of using words that could cause “alarm or distress.” He pursued a wrongful arrest and false imprisonment claim against Cumbria Police, which settled with a £4,000 payout plus costs. Mcalpine’s lawyers called the police response a “gross overreaction” and reinforced that lawful Christian preaching should not be treated as criminal conduct.
In Greater Manchester, John Craven, a preacher who had quoted the Gospel to two teenagers, was wrongly arrested, denied food and medication while in custody, and held for over 19 hours before the case was settled. A compensation package of around £13,000 was agreed shortly before his case was due in court, a significant payout acknowledging serious failures in how officers applied public order laws.
More recently, Shaun O’Sullivan, a street preacher in Swindon, faced multiple arrests (16 times according to reporting) related to his public ministry during demonstrations. At a Crown Court trial, a jury unanimously cleared him of “religiously aggravated intentional harassment,” recognising his speech as protected religious and political expression.
Across these cases, a common thread is police action being taken on the basis of public complaints or perceived offence, rather than clear evidence of criminal conduct. In several instances, charges were later dropped or civil claims were successful because legal standards for hate or public order offences were not met. These outcomes reveal a clash between modern interpretations of public order and the fundamental right to preach and express belief in public.
Proverbs 31:8 Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
Read and Pray
PRAY: Pray for that God would strengthen Christian believers to stand firm in truth, and that lawful freedom to preach the Gospel in public would be protected and upheld without fear or intimidation.
Pray for wisdom among authorities — that police, lawmakers and courts would act impartially, discerning between genuine harm and lawful expression, and uphold justice without prejudice or double standards.
Pray for repentance and revival.
READ: Deut 27:25; Psalm 106:37-38; Prov 14:23; Isa 28:9; Matt 10:7; Luke 9:2, 10:1; John 3:16-18.
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GMP chief refuses to apologise to LGBTQ+ community
Police chief, refuse woke apology
A police chief has refused to apologise to the woke community.
Chief Constable Stephen Watson has dared to swim against the tide, in a culture increasingly governed by the dictates of political correctness,
His recent refusal to issue a sweeping apology to the gender ideology advocates — in contrast to police chiefs from across the UK — is a breath of fresh air in a stifling climate of virtue-signalling and ideological pressure.
Instead of parroting the mantra of “institutional guilt,” the GMP chief has chosen to speak truth with measured dignity, acknowledging past imperfections without sacrificing the honour of those who served faithfully.
Veteran homosexuality campaigner, Peter Tatchell, branded the decision an “insult.” But in truth, what Mr Tatchell demands is not justice — it is ideological submission. Apologies, when not rooted in real repentance for personal wrongdoing, become nothing more than theatre.
Mr. Watson rightly called it out for what it is: “superficial and merely performative.” His refusal to apologise for sins he did not commit shows moral clarity in a time when even pastors, politicians, and parents are bullied into appeasing the loudest voices.
There is no virtue in pretending that an entire institution was rotten to the core. As Chief Constable Watson rightly pointed out, thousands of officers over the decades have served “with decency, professionalism and compassion.” And yet, the wokedom elite insist that even those who upheld the law with integrity must now bow before the rainbow flag and offer penance for the past. This is not humility; it is coercion — a false gospel of identity politics demanding collective guilt.
Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
In today’s topsy-turvy Britain, apologies are no longer about righting wrongs but about paying homage to new cultural idols. And none looms larger in the modern pantheon than the “LGBTQ+ movement”. The moment a public figure declines to apologise, the mob descends with cries of outrage.
But are these apologies truly about reconciliation? Or are they the golden calves of our generation — demanded, displayed, and worshipped?
Mr. Tatchell claims that apologies are “acts of justice.” But justice in Scripture is rooted in truth, not ideology.
Micah 6:8 Act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.
For many of us who still hold to traditional values, it is wearying to see institution after institution cave under pressure. Schools teach our children that gender is fluid. Churches fly rainbow flags and ignore the call to repentance. Truth becomes the casualty of cultural compliance.
Chief Constable Watson’s stance exposes a much deeper sickness in our society — the tyranny of wokeness. Even those who see through its lies often hide under its umbrella for fear of being cancelled.
The “apology culture” is not about accountability. It is about power. It seeks to silence dissent and force conformity, even from those whose consciences urge caution.
Sir James Anderton, the former GMP chief, remains a figure of controversy, particularly for his comments during the AIDS crisis. And while his words were undoubtedly harsh, they reflected a moral clarity and a concern for public health that is now unthinkable in public discourse.
Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire
We are not advocating cruelty or persecution — far from it. Christians are called to compassion and care for all. But compassion does not require affirmation. Nor does disagreement equal discrimination. To apologise for historic policing of illegal acts, judged by today’s standards, is not justice — it is historical revisionism.
Sadly, many Christians have lost their prophetic voice in the public square. The Church once spoke with clarity on matters of morality. Today, many pulpits are silent, or worse — complicit. Let us pray for leaders like Watson, who will not bow to the golden calf of wokeness.
The Real Victims Silenced
While Peter Tatchell calls for apologies to be offered to “LGBTQ+ communities”, one wonders where his concern is for the countless Christians who have been marginalised, harassed, or investigated simply for expressing biblical beliefs. Street preachers arrested. Teachers fired. Nurses silenced. Where are their apologies? Where is their justice?
This selective outrage is what makes the modern woke movement so dangerous. It masquerades as inclusive, yet it excludes those who hold to a biblical worldview. Chief Watson’s letter rightly questioned the utility of symbolic gestures, especially when they “make little or no difference to developing contemporary practice.” Wokeness is about symbolism, not substance.
When police resources are diverted to appease lobby groups rather than protect the public, everyone suffers. GMP should focus on combatting knife crime, tackling drug gangs, and supporting vulnerable victims — not appeasing historical activists with choreographed contrition. Even more so when those activists will never be satisfied until all dissenting voices are silenced.
Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil.
A Light in the Darkness
The Church must take note. We too are being pressed on every side to compromise. But we are not called to please man, but God.
Galatians 1:10 Do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
We cannot serve Christ and cultural idols. We must be salt and light — not sugar and shadow.
Let us support those in public life who speak truthfully and act with integrity.And let us hold fast to the truth that sets people free — the truth of God’s Word. Not all will applaud us. But our calling is not popularity. It is faithfulness.
In the days ahead, we will need more leaders like Stephen Watson — principled, respectful, and unashamed of truth. May God raise up such voices across every sphere of society. And may the Church once again lead the way, not by pandering to culture, but by proclaiming Christ without fear. Amen.
READ: Gen 1:27;Exod 18:20; Lev 19:35-37; Isa 29:16, 45:9-10; Rev 19:15-16; Matt 9:12; Rom 3:13..
PRAY: Let us pray for police officers, teachers, civil servants and others under daily pressure to go along with falsehoods.
Let us know what YOU think in the comments below.
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In February 2023, buffer zones around abortion clinics were brought in nationally following an amendment to the Public Order Bill. A Government consultation on implementation ends on 22nd January 2024:
On Friday 19th January 2024, a Christian preacher faced trial in Uxbridge Magistrates Court at 10am for displaying a Bible verse outside an abortion facility inside a ‘buffer zone’ in Ealing in London.
There was much discussion of the relevance, if any, of a certain Bible verse to abortion! The trial finished quite late, so Judge Burgess decided to think about it and give her judgment on Thursday 1st February at 2pm.
At a preliminary hearing on Tuesday 17th October 2023, solicitor Robert Smith told the court that Ealing Council’s decision to prosecute Stephen Green infringes his human rights. Mr Smith, defending, told the court: “My client does not accept the charges brought against him. He does not believe his action meets the charges brought.
“In the event that they do, he cites in his defence articles 9, 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Article 9 is freedom of belief, Article 10 is freedom of expression and Article 11 is freedom of assembly.”
But more than that, the commandments of Jesus Christ himself compel Christians to preach the word.
The Christian Voice National Director is being prosecuted by Ealing Council for doing no more than displaying a verse from the Book of Psalms outside MSI Reproductive Choices clinic on 6th Feb 2023.
Stephen Green on 6th February 2023 outside Marie Stopes abortion facility in Mattock Lane, Ealing.
His sign said: “Psalm 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.”
The campaigner, who is being supported by the Christian Legal Centre, is alleged to have broken a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) that prohibits “protesting, namely engaging in an act of approval/disapproval, with respect to issues related to abortion services”
Politicians and campaigners have decried the introduction of buffer zones as deeply draconian measures that criminalise free speech and prevent vulnerable women from accessing alternatives to abortion.
Protest against Buffer Zones
Mr Green accepts he was outside Marie Stopes, but says he was perfectly within his rights to hold up the placard as a protest, not against abortion, but against the buffer zone. In any event, Marie Stopes staff called the police, who categorised the matter as an emergency, but took more than forty minutes to arrive, by which time Mr Green had left.
Almost at once, Ealing Council sent the activist a fixed penalty notice demanding £100. When he refused to pay, in September 2023, they issued the summons.
If found guilty, Mr Green, from Carmarthen in South Wales, could be fined £1,000 and would face six months in prison if he failed to pay.
Oppressive
Andrea Williams of Christian Concern
Andrea Williams, chief executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said: “It is worrying that a man in his 70s holding a sign with a Bible verse on it is now being treated as an ‘emergency’ situation by the police.
“Buffer zones are an oppressive part of the current culture which force consent and silence dissent. The effect of the PSPO is to criminalise any act of disapproval of abortion and to create an area where no discussion or even prayer relating to abortion is permitted.
“There have now been over 10 million abortions in the UK since abortion was legalised in 1967. That is a staggering number. That is almost twice the population of Scotland and more than the entire population of London. Millions of people would be alive today if abortion had not been legalised.
“Instead of lamenting this loss of life, we are industrialising it, making it ever easier to obtain abortion effectively on demand, and now we are criminalising dissent.
“We will stand with Mr Green as he seeks justice in this case.”
PRAY: that God is glorified. Pray for wisdom for the Christian Concern legal team and favour with God and with the magistrates on 19th January.
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Sky News reports, ‘The former leader of the English Defence League, Tommy Robinson, has been jailed for 13 months after flouting court orders for a second time.’
It goes on, ‘The EDL founder – whose real name Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon was listed on court documents – was sentenced to 10 months for contempt of court. He was given a further three months for breaching the terms of a previous suspended sentence.’
Mr Robinson was arrested on Friday outside Leeds Crown Court. Apparently, he and his cameraman Caolan Robertson were broadcasting details of a current trial live on Facebook. A number of mainly Muslim men stand accused of grooming under-age girls for sexual purposes.
‘Swift injustice’
The trial itself is subject for some reason to blanket reporting restrictions. Astonishingly, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC also placed reporting restrictions on details of Mr Robinson’s sentence. Only when these were lifted yesterday ((Tuesday) could the mainstream media report it. But the details were already all over social media and on news outlets worldwide. On Zerohedge, Tyler Durden described the events as ‘Swift Injustice’. Fox News reported on the case on Friday. The same outlet reported later on political leaders across Europe calling the jailing politically motivated. Even Donald Trump Jr was expressing himself shocked at the UK’s apparent clampdown on freedom of expression.
The judge told Mr Robinson his actions could cause the ongoing trial to be re-run, costing “hundreds and hundreds of thousands of pounds”. But apparently, to date, the trial is still proceeding.
The hour-long footage had been watched 250,000 times within hours of being posted on Facebook, the court heard. The judge viewed some of it, we understand.
Of course Sky News, like most of the media, could not resist referring to ‘the right-wing activist, 35, of Wilstead, Bedfordshire’. All ‘right-wing’ means is that Mr Robinson has taken against Islam. And that stems from his experience of Muslims on council estates in Luton,
Tommy Robinson on Muslim gangs
When Judy and I met Tommy Robinson in 2010 on one such estate, he expressed no ‘right-wing’ opinions. He was not for big money, or opposed to trades unions, or an anti-society individualist. Instead, he told us of drug dealing and prostitution rings all run by local Muslims. He and his friends had become appalled by the Muslim rackets and the racketeers. Moreover, they wanted to call attention to it at a time when politicians were denying any problems existed with Islam. This was even before the Rotherham grooming trial.
At that time I even observed a rally of the English Defence League. It too is always described to this day as ‘right-wing’ or ‘far-right’. It was not much more than a bunch of football supporters concerned about encroaching Islam and Islamification. They were bothered about halal meat in supermarkets, schools and prisons. They were worried about Islamic violence from murderous Al Qaeda. Islamic State was not even on the radar at this time. But for all their chants of ‘E – E – EDL’, the marchers were hardly from the ‘right’. I gained the impression a distinct majority were working-class Labour Party voters.
As for the Muslims Mr Robinson spoke about, it appeared criminality sat easily with their Muslim faith. These Muslims went to the mosque and did their prayer. That alone made them ‘good Muslims.’ Our elite will never admit it, but repentance of sin is not big in Islam. It is not like Christianity at all. It is a religion of works. By that we mean it is built around doing faith activities, the ‘pillars of Islam’.. It is not framed around forgiveness and gentleness. There is no fruit of the Spirit in Islam. And no Saviour.
Restrictions Political?
Going back to the court, I am puzzled as to why Tommy Robinson pleaded ‘guilty’. Such a plea removes a major plank of an appeal. He can only appeal the sentence, not his conviction. But these things happen when you are under duress and have an inexperienced duty lawyer. Maybe he can appeal his conviction on the grounds of being wrongly advised.
Alex Jones on InfoWars is not known for restraint. But while interviewing Tommy’s cameraman Caolan Robertson (Twitter account here), he described Tommy Robinson as a ‘political prisoner of the West.’ That provocative statement actually seems difficult to argue against.
What tells us that charging and sentencing Tommy Robinson was a political act? For this writer, above all it was Judge Geoffrey Marson QC imposing reporting restrictions on his jailing. The Independent newspaper and Leeds Live went back to court to challenge Judge Marson’s order. The Washington Post says this was ‘in part by arguing that their competitors were already violating it.’
Either the judge himself or another judge lifted the restrictions. That means they were wrong in the first place. And that makes their imposition a political act.
In an editorial, the Indy itself said: ‘Like him or loathe him, the jailing of Tommy Robinson for contempt of court was an event of legitimate press and public interest. It cannot be right, whatever else, that a British citizen can be deprived of their liberty “in the dark”, the very fact of their whereabouts made a secret. It feels wrong, and, in spirit at least, partly in breach of the ancient principle of habeas corpus.’
Impact on the trial
So the reporting restriction on Tommy’s imprisonment was a political act. Now, where does that leave the restriction on reporting on the actual trial itself?
The Daily Mirror tries to show in this article why jailing Tommy Robinson was the right thing to do. It says of his Facebook live stream: ‘The video included comments that could have caused the collapse of a long-running trial, costing hundreds of thousands of pounds.’
That’s ‘could have’. Did the trial collapse? It does not appear to have done.
The Mirror goes on, ‘As well as breaching this order, Robinson also made comments that impacted on the defendants’ right to a fair hearing before a jury.’
Tommy of all people ought to know that being charged is not the same as being guilty. It really is not right to shoot footage assuming defendants’ guilt before the jury have reached a verdict.
Nor is it right to go up to defendants in the street during a trial and ask if they have their prison bag packed. And that is what Tommy Robinson was doing on some occasions.
The jury – the weak link
The jury is considered a weak link. Judges tell jurers not to pay any attention to social media. In some cases they advise jurers not even to look at it. It is hard these days to avoid social media. But it is do-able. Moreover, jurers are obliged to do their job fairly. They are essential to the system. We cannot trust judges alone.
The Mirror asserts, ‘His arrest and conviction were to protect our justice system – under legislation that ensure trials don’t collapse’.
Fair enough, except there appears to be scant evidence that what he did actually prejudiced the trial. So could there be a political motive behind reporting restrictions on the Leeds case and the earlier one in Canterbury?
It is a fact that those charged were predominantly Muslim. It is a loathing of Islam that motivated Tommy Robinson to make his broadcasts. And the establishment have a corresponding defensive attitude towards Islam. Tony Blair may have been the first politician to say ‘Islam is a religion of peace’. Even today our leaders do not want to upset the multi-faith applecart. Muslims are rising to positions of power and influence. Many are councillors, some are MPs. And of course a Muslim is now Home Secretary. Another is the Mayor of London.
Muslim grooming gangs
The backdrop is this. A malaise has affected Rochdale, Rotherham, Telford, Newcastle, Oxford, and, says the Spectator, eleven other English towns. In all cases, gangs of Muslim men have been convicted of grooming young non-Muslim girls for sex. Adherents of the Mohammedan religion see those outside it as inferior. They would not do it to Muslim girls. They are seen as ‘haram’. Their whole community would be outraged.
But other young women hanging around parks or city centres, perhaps involved in the care system, are easy and permitted prey. They are ‘halal’. The problem is inherent in the religion. It is a national scandal. And apart from a few brave mainstream politicians like gutsy Anne Cryer in Rochdale, no-one wants to admit it. No-one from the police, to social services, to local councillors, right up to the Prime Minister, will talk about it.
The subsequent vacuum was always going to be filled. And Tommy Robinson has taken it upon himself to fill it. Well, someone had to. It seems prophets, not just angels, can come in strange guises.
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Anas Sarwar welcomed the review into evidence of grooming gangs in Scotland- PA Media
Scotland has now bowed to public pressure and announced a national review into grooming gangs. This follows a decision that did not arise from moral clarity, but from years of evasion.
After decades of reports from Rotherham, Telford, Oldham, Newcastle and Rochdale, many of which Christian Voice highlighted repeatedly, Holyrood has finally admitted that Scotland is not exempt from the same group-based child exploitation that scarred England.
Professor Alexis Jay, who once exposed the industrial-scale abuse in Rotherham, has been called in again. It is a tragic indictment that the same nation that ignored warnings then is now chasing the problem only after survivors forced their hand.
Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
Anas Sarwar welcomed the review into evidence of grooming gangs in Scotland- PA Media
Statements from Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth are steeped in cautious language, “sensitive,” “complex,” “careful consideration.” But those are the same soft tones local authorities in England used for years as girls were trafficked and terrorised.
Christian Voice warned repeatedly that political fear, the fear of upsetting certain “community relations” was the very climate that allowed grooming networks to flourish.
John Swinney now claims he is “open” to an inquiry. Open? After an alleged survivor wrote to him directly?
After Police Scotland quietly reviewed cases for years? The SNP did not act out of conviction. They acted because silence became impossible.
Proverbs 16:11 A just weight and balance are the LORD’s.
Yet justice delayed is justice denied.
In England, survivors of grooming gang abuse resigned from the government’s national inquiry panel, accusing officials of betrayal and manipulation.
The survivors said the inquiry has become “less about the truth and more about a cover-up.”
More than five women were appointed earlier this year to help oversee the process but claim the government silenced survivor voices and allowed political convenience to replace transparency.
Meanwhile, we have long documented the clear, repeated pattern across the UK in our previous articles about police officers being too frightened to speak openly, social workers advised to avoid “cultural tensions,” and girls criminalised while their abusers walked free. Councils have allegedly concealed reports to protect reputations.
Isaiah 59:14 Judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off.
The dangerous comfort of process
The Scottish Government has assembled leaders, inspectors, and academics, but Scotland should beware.
England had endless “reviews,” “inspections,” and “multi-agency panels,” yet grooming gangs continued for years because bureaucrats replaced repentance with paperwork.
Professor Jay herself knows better than anyone: the issue is not expertise, but willpower. It is not lack of evidence, but lack of courage. Scotland risks following the exact same path, endless consultations while girls continue to suffer.
When leaders fear offending men more than protecting children, wickedness prevails.
Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare.
A call to national repentance
Christian Voice calls Scotland and the whole United Kingdom, to recognise that grooming gangs flourish in a moral vacuum. The absence of Christian sexual ethics, the collapse of family values, and a political class more concerned with image than innocence have all played their part.
A national review may reveal facts. But only national repentance will restore righteousness.
Scotland must not repeat England’s errors of political cowardice and moral confusion. Survivors deserve truth, justice, and a nation that finally stands on the side of the vulnerable.
Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil.
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But now ask your MP to ask the Government to recommend Good Friday to Her Majesty as a day of prayer for release from Covid-19.
DIY abortions
Psalm 106:37 Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,
The Government has announced the biggest change to abortion provision since 1967. They have introduced ‘telemedicine abortions’. A woman can just ring or Skype a doctor for for ‘DIY’ abortion pills, mifepristone and misoprostol.
She will then perform her own abortion at home, by taking both abortion pills, meaning she will be left to deliver her dead unborn child at home without a doctor or any other medical professional present. This is a backstreet abortion, the type abortionists say they are against.
Safety and safeguarding issues
Only last week, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care said “there are no proposals to change abortion rules.” The Department of Health stated the proposal carried ‘significant safety and safeguarding issues’ for women and young girls. Indeed, who might be standing over her as she makes the call?
Under the Abortion Act 1967, abortions could only take place in hospitals or abortion clinics approved by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. That brought judgment on us all:
Deut 19:10 That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee.
But this change will leave even more mothers bereaved and without the opportunity to consider the gravity of what they are doing. It has been made without any public consultation, parliamentary scrutiny or debate whatsoever.
The approval will expire “on the day on which the temporary provisions of the Coronavirus Act 2020 expire, or the end of the period of 2 years beginning with the day on which it is made, whichever is earlier.”
MPs must call government to account
We demand the Government rescind this decision and we urge MPs to call them to account.
Psalm 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
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Ex-MI6 man Christopher Steele compiled the Trump Russian Dossier
Ex-MI6 man Christopher Steele compiled the Trump Russian Dossier
Revelations are popping out about links between poisoned double-agent Sergei Skripal and the Russian Dossier on Donald Trump compiled by a British spy.
D-Notice on editors
Colourful ex-ambassador Craig Murray reports on something called a ‘D-Notice’. More properly it’s a DSMA-Notice (Defence and Security Media Advisory Notice). Nevertheless, people still refer to the old name, in use from the 1920s to the 1990s.
MI6 slapped this D-Notice on the mainstream media the minute Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found slumped on a bench in Salisbury in early March this year. It prevented editors from investigating any links between Sergei Skripal and an intelligence outfit called ‘Orbis’. Orbis Business Intelligence was being run by ex-MI6 man Christopher Steele. More about Orbis and Steele below.
But why should there be any link between Mr Skripal and Orbis in the first place? Why should MI6 be worried enough to tell journalists not to look there? The missing piece in the puzzle is another MI6 operative. His name is Pablo Miller.
Pablo Miller
Pablo Miller recruited Sergei Skripal and worked for Christopher Steele at Orbis
According to Wikispooks, and it seems common knowledge, Pablo Miller recruited Sergei Skripal In the early 1990s. Miller was directly under Christopher Steele. Once relocated to the UK, in fact to not far from Salisbury, Miller became Sergei Skripal’s minder and friend.
Christopher Steele (born June 1964) was our top spy with diplomatic immunity in Moscow in the 1990s. His friend and business colleague Christopher Burrows worked for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from 1990 to 2009, according to his LinkedIn page.
The Daily Mail, in the link below, claims Mr Burrows was also actually working for MI6 during that time. It is not surprising the Scottish Daily Mail, archived here at Pressreader, describes their enterprises as ‘spies-for-hire firms’.
Orbis Business Intelligence
Chris Burrows, Mr Steele’s partner in Orbis and its successors.
In fact, its own website (worth a look) says: ‘Orbis Business Intelligence Ltd. was founded in 2009 by former British intelligence professionals’. It gives an address of ‘9-11 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0BD.’
According to Companies House, Steele and Burrows formed Orbis Business Intelligence Limited in July 2009, They set up Orbis Business International Limited in July 2010. Next up was Walsingham Partners Limited in April 2015. Finally, they formed Chawton Holdings Limited in June 2017
Reporting on the latter enterprise, International Business Times says: ‘Steele, 53, and Burrows, 59, are also directors of Walsingham Partners and Orbis Business Intelligence, the Belgravia-based consultancy the duo founded in London in 2009 and which made more than £1m in profits between 2015 and 2016.
‘Steele, who quit the UK’s Security Intelligence Service (Mi6) the same year he set up Orbis, was forced to go into hiding when he was outed as the dossier author in January and returned to work in March.’
Christopher Steele’s home in Farnham bristles with CCTV
‘Christopher Steele’s British-based company, Orbis Business Intelligence, uncovered corruption at international soccer’s governing body, leading to the resignation of top officials, including president Sepp Blatter.
‘It was this work which gave credence to his reporting on Trump’s entanglements in Russia, officials in the US have said.’
Referring to the Trump Dossier, according to inews, ‘Andrew Wordsworth, co-founder of another London intelligence firm, Raedas, cast doubt on Mr Steele’s findings, saying it wouldn’t make sense for people high up in the Russian security establishment to leak information to a former British spy. “Russians believe once you are an agent, you’re an agent forever,” he told the Wall Street Journal.
LinkedIn profile disappeared
But what if Sergei Skripal was able to draw on his Russian contacts? Could he find out, or invent, material on Donald Trump with a Russian angle? And having done so, he could easily pass it to Pablo Miller. And the latter had links to Orbis.
The Daily Telegraph ran a story about an un-named ‘security consultant’ in early March. It said he was linked to Sergei Skripal and to Orbis. MI6 briefed their tame journalists that was ‘wrong’. But it wasn’t. The security consultant was none other that Pablo Miller. Miller boasted of his connections to Orbis on his LinkedIn page.
So we have demonstrable links between Sergei Skripal, Pablo Miller and Christopher Steele up to March this year.
Supposing Sergei Skripal was hankering to return to Russia. Some papers have suggested he was already in touch with the Russian Embassy or that he written to Vladimir Putin. He would want to show himself as bringing something of value. What if that was everything he knew about Steele’s Trump Dossier?
In such a case, who would want to either get rid of him or teach him a lesson? In the murky world of the spooks, anything is possible. One cannot rule out Russia’s FSB completely. Sergei Skripal did betray Russia. A Russian court convicted him in 2006. Nevertheless, Russia allowed him to go to the UK in a spy-swap in 2010. There is a convention that when spies are swapped they are left in peace. Otherwise, the system will not work in future. And Sergei had been here unmolested and in no fear for eight years.
Did the Russian Dossier change the game?
So what changed? What if we look elsewhere, to the UK or to the US, for example? The New Yorker says an intermediary called Fusion GPS paid Orbis for Steele’s work. Fusion GPS was paid by the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s Presidential campaign. Barrister and commentator James O’Neill suggests elements of the US ‘Deep State’, the CIA and MI6 were all involved. We know MI6 was.
Any of them, he says, had a better motive than the Russian state for wanting to be rid of Sergei Skripal. Which makes Mrs May’s allegations of Russian culpability look rather shaky. But what if Mr Skripal were just a convenient pawn in a game of demonising Russia? Surely that is too dark and would require too many politicians and officials to be in on it. It would have to leak. Orbis appears the best lead.
Craig Murray concludes: ‘Steele, MI6 and the elements of the CIA which are out to get Trump, all would have a powerful motive to have the Skripal loose end tied.’
Look where they tell you not to
As Mr Murray says, the first rule of journalism is to look where they tell you not to look. And he is annoyed none of the supposed ‘journalists’ of the mainstream media is doing that in this case.
A Guardian article says: ‘The D-notice system is a peculiarly British arrangement’. It goes on to describe it as ‘a sort of not quite public yet not quite secret arrangement between government and media’. the D-Notice mechanism is there ‘in order to ensure that journalists do not endanger national security.’ But there is no national security angle in the Trump Dossier. It was just dirt-digging. When such a mechanism is used to spare ex-MI6 agents embarrassment the D-Notice becomes a devalued currency. (The more so if one really were used to shore up a pre-arranged Government political line to sour relations with Russia.)
Scripture says the Lord expects us all to deal with each other honestly:
Lev 19:15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
Points for Prayer
Pray the truth comes out in this matter. Remind the Lord of his word:
Proverbs 10:9 He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known.
Luke 12:2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
And do pray for peace between the nations. This may be a millennial prophecy, but it shows that the Almighty regards peace between nations as a good thing:
Isaiah 2:4 And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people. And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Also at Micah 4:3)
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Male police officers posing as women (‘trans-women’) are now permitted to strip-search female suspects, according to research into force policies.
Of the 43 forces in England and Wales, at least 34 have either implemented the policy or intend to, a report from the Women’s Rights Network revealed.
The feminist group’s founder, Heather Binning, said the guidelines would lead to ‘state-sanctioned sexual assault’, and police leaders had failed the public by pandering to vocal lobbyists.
‘Self-identification is not UK law and women should not be paying the price for policing beyond the law,’ she said.
‘Police chiefs have failed us again. This is not reasonable or lawful and we do not consent. It is state-sanctioned sexual assault, and it must not be tolerated.’
The Bible says, Proverbs 31:25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
In December 2021, the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) endorsed a policy document suggesting that officers should have the authority to conduct strip and intimate searches on suspects of the opposite sex, provided the officer identifies themselves with the same “gender” as the individual being searched.
This policy has been adopted and is currently being enforced by the majority of police forces nationwide, without explicitly addressing the protected characteristic of sex.
Part of the document reads: ‘Chief Officers are advised to recognise the status of transgender colleagues from the moment they transition, considered being the point at which they present in the gender with which they identify.
‘Thus, once a transgender colleague has transitioned, they will search persons of the same gender as their own lived gender.’
The last few years have seen men attempt to take on female roles in sports, media, adverts, and other leadership positions.
UN Women charity appoints a man to represent British women
A United Nations Women’s charity has been criticised for nominating a man to represent UK women’s champion.
In November, the charity committee appointed a male who presents a highly sexualised stereotype of womanhood as an ambassador for women.
At least 17 campaign groups have signed a letter opposing the appointment of Ian Bergdorf who now goes by the name “Munroe Bergdorf” as the first ‘UK champion’ for UN Women UK.
The groups voiced their ‘dismay and disappointment’ following the decision to select the 36-year-old former DJ turn model and broadcaster to take on the role.
The organisations include Fair Play For Women, Sex Matters, Transgender Trend, and the Women’s Rights Network.
Group statement
The groups in their joint letter wrote: ‘We wish to register our dismay and disappointment at the appointment of Munroe Bergdorf as a UN Women UK champion. Munroe Bergdorf is unsuitable in every regard.
‘Munroe Bergdorf’s well-publicised activism is not pro-women. This person has objected to women making references to our female bodies.’
Munroe Bergdorf
Munroe Bergdorf was fired by L’Oreal in 2017 due to provocative remarks on race, sparking controversy that later entangled pop star and fellow cosmetic ambassador Cheryl Tweedy.
The activist, who is also broadcaster and contributing editor at British Vogue, faced a backlash over his online post responding to the violence of white supremacists in Charlottesville, in which he said all white people were racist.
In it, Bergdorf wrote: ‘Honestly I don’t have energy to talk about the racial violence of white people any more. Yes ALL white people.’
‘Because most of ya’ll don’t even realise or refuse to acknowledge that your existence, privilege and success as a race is built on the backs, blood and death of people of colour,’ Bergdorf reportedly wrote in the post, which was later deleted. “Your entire existence is drenched in racism.’
Following further public scrutiny, Bergdorf issued an apology for past social media messages, including derogatory comments made in 2012 and offensive remarks about suffragettes.
Mr Bergdorf, who once enjoyed posing for pictures with ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, stood down from his role on the party’s LGBT+ advisory board following the media storm over his comments.
Social reactions
An X user known as WhatHappened.com@JohnBla27209136 wrote: ‘UN Women appoints biological male Munroe Bergdorf as its “UK Champion.” In order to signal wokeness, trans women are even preferred over biological women, not only erasing women from their own spaces, but appointing males to be the literal ‘representatives’ of women.’
Another user, Marina van Zyl@marinavanzyl wrote: ‘UN Women National Committee UK” has appointed Munroe Bergdorf as their first women’s champion. He is a 36-year-old “trans-identified” man, who underwent a series of procedures including shaving the bones in his face, packing his chest with silicone.’
What is united about the UN Women’s move?
According to UN Women UK, their goal is to transform the lives of women and girls along with “empowerment of women equality globally within civil society, government, and the corporate sector”.
The move to appoint a male to fill a female position by the UN Women has raised concerns regarding the charity’s credibility.
Campaign group, Fair Play for Women said: ‘UN Women has made a point of demonstrating that it considers males can become women. It’s disappointing to see the UK committee go so far as to select a male to represent women.
READ: Deut 30:19; Psalm 111:10; Prov 15:33; Eccl 12:13; Isa 1:10; Micah 6:8; Mark 12:30-31; John 14:15; Rom 12:2; Eph 5:25. PRAY: for the repeal of woke laws in the UK.
Pray for the wisdom of God upon our leaders
Pray for Christians women accross the UK
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The artwork was met with backlash from Jewish community groups | X: ZOE STRIMPEL
An art exhibition has sparked outrage after featuring grotesque imagery depicting jews eating babies, yet authorities have declined to investigate, ruling the work neither abusive nor criminal.
The exhibition, titled “Drawings Against Genocide,” which took place at an art gallery in Margate, Kent has been defended as political commentary. But to many, it represents something far more troubling: the normalisation of deeply offensive and dehumanising imagery under the banner of “art.”
Jewish community groups have condemned the display as not only “sickening” but dangerous, warning that such portrayals echo some of history’s darkest propaganda.
Isaiah 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil.
Kent Police concluded that the artwork did not meet the threshold for a hate crime or even a non-crime hate incident. Their reasoning: the images targeted the Israeli state, not Jewish people directly.
This distinction has raised serious concerns. Because when imagery historically used to demonise Jews, such as blood libel tropes, reappears in modern form, that intent becomes secondary to impact. The question is no longer what is said explicitly, but what is unmistakably implied.
Exodus 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness
Among the pieces displayed were drawings of figures consuming babies and depictions of Israelis as horned devils proclaiming “we love death.” Another portrayed a soldier standing on a skull under the slogan “New Order Forever Now.”
The artist, Matthew Collings, denied that the images represented Jews, insisting they were critiques of Zionism and the Israeli state.
Such imagery cannot be separated from centuries-old antisemitic narratives. The visual language used is not neutral, it is historically loaded, inflammatory, and deeply provocative.
1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
Community Fears Ignored
Labour Against Antisemitism has called for the case to be reopened, warning that the decision reflects a failure to grasp the realities of modern antisemitism.
In a letter to Kent’s chief constable Tim Smith, the group highlighted rising threats against Jewish communities, arguing that such exhibitions contribute to a climate of hostility.
The letter said: “It lacks any real understanding of contemporary antisemitism and empathy for a community experiencing record levels of anti-Jewish racism that include a deadly attack at a Manchester synagogue, and now the burning of Jewish ambulances.
“A number of terror plots aimed at the Jewish community have been uncovered only recently. These do not happen in a vacuum.
“Exhibitions such as Matthew Collings’ incite hatred towards our community. They increase community tensions and create a hostile environment for Jewish people.”
They warned that incidents of violence and intimidation do not occur in isolation—but are fuelled by narratives that dehumanise and vilify.
Psalm 82:3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticised the decision by Kent Police
Criticism has also come from political figures, including Chris Philp, Shadow Home Secretary who questioned Kent Police’s decision, saying: “Freedom of expression should of course be protected, but these pictures are clearly full of sickening antisemitic tropes.
“It is exactly this kind of appalling imagery that leads to attacks on our Jewish communities like the events in Golders Green.
“Our forces must step up efforts to protect the Jewish community from vile hate crimes. Kent should reopen this investigation immediately.”
He argued that while freedom of expression must be protected, it should not become a shield for what he described as vile and dangerous content.
The tension between free speech and public harm now sits at the centre of the debate.
Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
Freedom Without Responsibility?
In defending its position, Kent Police maintained that the artwork falls under protected political expression, with no evidence of intent to incite hatred.
But this raises a deeper question: when does expression cross into provocation? And who decides when a line has been crossed?
As society wrestles with these questions, one reality remains clear—when deeply offensive imagery is dismissed as acceptable, the consequences may extend far beyond the gallery walls.
What is tolerated today shapes what is normalised tomorrow.
Hosea 8:7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind.</b
READ: Isa 26:2; 1Sam 13:14; Judges 10:13; Psa 9:17; Numb 32:23; Jer 26:13; 2Chr 7:14.
PRAY: Pray that truth and righteousness will prevail in society, and that what is evil will no longer be disguised, justified, or celebrated as acceptable.
Pray that God will protect vulnerable communities from hatred, falsehood, and harm, and that justice will not be compromised by cultural or political pressure.
Pray for wisdom and discernment for leaders, authorities, and institutions, that they will uphold justice without bias and stand firmly against all forms of injustice.
Let us know what YOU think in the comments below.
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The Coronation Chair containing the Stone of Scone
The Coronation Chair containing the Stone of Scone
The Archbishop of Canterbury has at last published the Order of Service for the Coronation of King Charles III. The coronation will take place tomorrow, Saturday 6th May 2023.
We shall be holding our monthly prayer meeting at Canning Road, West Ham, London E15 3ND, from 10.30aqm to 12.30pm. Find full details HERE. Come if you can, but best bring an umbrella.
On the other hand, you may be watching the Coronation on TV. If so, I hope this very brief article will bless you and inspire you to pray and proclaim ‘the lively oracles of God’.
How does it compare?
So how does the service compare to the Order of Service, one month short of seventy years ago, for her late majesty, Queen Elizabeth II? In what particulars is it the same? And where does it differ?
Last month Christian Voice published a Coronation Special newsletter. We went through the 1953 Order of Service. In particular we set out the form of the Coronation Oath and carried out a Biblical exposition of the four main scriptures.
You will find links to the 2023 Order of Service and a downloadable PDF of our Coronation Special Newsletter below to compare for yourself. (All links open on a laptop in a new tab.)
The presentation and acceptance of the monarch remains. It will however be repeated four times. The Moderator of the Church of Scotland will present the Bible to the king. His prayer is unchanged: ‘Sir: to keep you ever mindful of the law and the Gospel of God as the Rule for the whole life and government of Christian Princes, receive this Book, the most valuable thing that this world affords. Here is Wisdom; This is the royal Law; These are the lively Oracles of God.
The Coronation Oath remains the same. That is because it is set in statute law. It will be introduced by the Archbishop. His spin will be that it is rather more to do with the Church and freedom of religion than affairs of state. However, in case anyone is tempted to meddle with it, he will say it has ‘stood for centuries’ and is ‘enshrined in law’.
The most holy part of the service, the anointing of the king to rule under God, remains.
The prayer as the king receives the sword is still based on Rom. 13:1-7. The king will still receive the regalia.
What has changed?
You will see a different form of words on the presentation of the Orb, but one which still declares Christ rules over all earthly dominions. Why the change? Answers please in the comments below!
The readings from Scripture are different. In 1953 we heard 1Pet. 2:13-17 as the Epistle and Matt 22:15-22 as the Gospel. Remember the service is an Anglican communion rite.
The I Peter text urges submission to the governing authorities and liberty under the law. The Matthew text places the earthly governments of ‘Caesar’ firmly under God.
In 2023 for the Anglican Epistle reading we have Colossians 1:9-17. The Authorised or King James version will be used. Rishi Sunak is due to read it. The Gospel is Luke 4:16-21. There is a ‘sung Alleluia’ either side of the Gospel, from Psalm 47:1-2 & Psalm 47:6-7.
The Colossians reading concludes by stating that creation was founded by and is sustained by Christ Jesus. It includes: ‘thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.’
The Luke reading is the account of our Lord in the synagogue in Nazareth. In it, the Lord proclaimed himself as Messiah. We shall see what the Archbishop will make of it when he gives his sermon.
Prayers of blessing
The king wanted leaders of non-Christian faiths to be involved in the service. That will not happen. People of other faiths will present him with regalia. ‘Faith leaders’ will process in and take their seats. Neither carries the same spiritual significance as participation in the liturgy, in my view. Some may take exception to our Hindu Prime Minister reading the Epistle, but all sorts reading the Bible is allowed under Canon Law.
A departure from 1953, perhaps the only possible nod to the king’s request, is the leaders of two of the UK’s non-Protestant denominations giving prayers of blessing. They will be the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster and the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Thyateira & Great Britain.
Charles wanted to be ‘defender of faith’. But the Archbishop in his promise of homage will address him firmly as ‘Defender of the Faith’, that title bestowed on King Henry VIII by the pope of his time.
Lastly, the king will declare himself ‘solemnly and sincerely in the presence of God’ … ‘that I am a faithful Protestant, and that I will, according to the true intent of the enactments which secure the Protestant succession to the Throne, uphold and maintain the said enactments to the best of my powers according to law.’
Make of that what you will, but remember in the comments below to be generous and to call no man a liar.
Prayers
The Coronation Ritual is the most solemn and rare moment of our national life. Pray this United Kingdom will remain a nation under God. May he use the Coronation to bring many to faith in our risen, ascended, glorified Lord Jesus, and to revive us as a Christian nation again.
Read our previous article on why publication of the Order of Service was delayed :
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Ambassadors of eleven nations held a press conference to condemn the ICPD25 Nairobi Summit and UNFPA
Ambassadors of eleven nations held a press conference to condemn the ICPD25 Nairobi Summit and UNFPA
A joint statement by eleven nations on the last day of the UNFPA Summit in Nairobi condemned UNFPA without mentioning the UN population agency by name.
The UN’s Fund for Population activities had hoped the jamboree would pass off without controversy. They wanted to counter ‘the push-back’ against homosexuality and abortion in the developing world. They would be disappointed.
(All our links open automatically in a new tab, on desktops & laptops, anyway.)
Press conference
Firstly, the United States, flanked by ambassadors from Brazil, Belarus, Egypt, Haiti, Hungary, Libya, Poland, Senegal, St. Lucia, and Uganda, held a press conference on 14th November 2019.
The US Special Representative for Global Women’s Health, Valerie Huber read a Statement. This reminded ‘both those gathered and those watching’ of the original aims of ICPD. The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) was held in Cairo in 1994. Its stated objectives and actions seem dated now. They saw ‘critical challenges and interrelationships between population and sustained economic growth’. They placed it ‘in the context of sustainable development.’
Before the Statement, the Press Conference heard from Kenyan MPs Hon Chris Wamalwa, and Hon Jennifer Shamalla. Although Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy William Rutu steered clear of abortion and homosexuality when opening and closing the Summit respectively, these two MPs gave the press corps both barrels.
Parallel Conference
Secondly, Kenya Christian Professionals organised their own conference and also issued a statement. International ambassadors also addressed one session.
According to C-Fam, ‘The parallel conference included a high-level intergovernmental event with government representatives of the United States, Hungary, Poland, Brazil, Kenya and the Holy See Nuncio. They affirmed their governments commitment to policy that foster strong families and protects unborn life and criticized UNFPA for going beyond the mandate established at the ICPD 25 years ago.
The concern of the Eleven was that UNFPA and the Scandinavian nations behind the 2019 Nairobi Summit were taking the 1994 Cairo Declaration too far.
A pre-summit document from UNFPA spoke of an ‘ambition’. This was ‘how countries can move towards universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights’. That would be ‘an essential part of universal health coverage’.
‘Sexual rights’ is shorthand for liberalising laws against homosexuality, while ‘reproductive rights’ refers to abortion.
1994 Cairo Declaration
Helpfully, UNFPA itself carries the original 1994 Cairo Declaration on its website. There are three mentions of ‘reproductive health’. All are in the context of family planning. But national governments must respect ‘their own national and cultural identity, values and tradition’.
There is no mention of ‘reproductive rights’, ‘sexual health’ or ‘sexual rights’ in the Cairo Declaration at all. Consequently there is no ‘reproductive right’ to abortion’. However the Declaration was not explicitly pro-life. It called upon national Governments ‘to reduce the need for abortion by providing universal access to family planning information and services.’
Contraception increases abortion
The Declaration blithely assumes that ‘access to family planning information and services’ reduces ‘the need for abortion’. However, that is simply not true.
Eighteen years before Cairo, British abortionist Dr Judith Bury, of Brook Advisory Centres, let the cat out of the bag. In 1981 she said “…women…have come to request [abortions] when contraception fails. There is overwhelming evidence that, contrary to what you might expect, the provision of contraception leads to an increase in the abortion rate.”
Comprehensive Sexuality Education
The Nairobi Summit was also promoting what is termed ‘Comprehensive Sexuality Education’ or CSE. This assault on the innocence of children figures nowhere in the Cairo Declaration.
Indeed, education in the Declaration had one single purpose. It was set solely in the context of increasing the wellbeing of women and girls. It would do that by bettering their health-care and developing their opportunities. Yes, it spoke of the feminist mantra of ‘women’s empowerment’. But ‘sex education’ of any kind was not there.
ICPD Program of Action
The UNFPA draw heavily on the ICPD Program of Action. This document, parallel to the Cairo Declaration, runs to 296 pages. It does contain references to ‘reproductive rights’ but these are nowhere defined, let alone to include a supposed ‘right’ to abortion. Indeed, the Government of Honduras entered a reservation in the document to clarify matters. It said the terms “‘reproductive rights’ and ‘sexual rights'” … “do not include ‘abortion’ or ‘termination of pregnancy’.”
There is no reference to ‘legalisation of abortion’ or ‘legal abortion’. Indeed, the Programme states:
‘7.24 Governments should take appropriate steps to help women avoid abortion, which in no case should be promoted as a method of family planning, and in all cases provide for the humane treatment and counselling of women who have had recourse to abortion.’
Consensus
The Program of Action was passed by consensus. It was then ‘endorsed by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in its resolution 49/128 of December 19, 1994.’ ‘Consensus’ is important in interantional law. If enough nations agree on something it begins to have a certain standing.
Therefore the 2019 Statement of the Eleven nations clarifies this point. ‘UN Member States were able to join consensus because the ICPD Program of Action preamble paragraph 1.15 made clear that the conference did not create any new international human rights, and that “the implementation of the recommendations contained in the Programme of Action is the sovereign right of each country, consistent with national laws and development priorities, with full respect for the various religious and ethical values and cultural backgrounds of its people, and in conformity with universally recognized international human rights”.’
Ambiguous terms
When it came to the ‘rights’ element in the context of ‘consensus’ the Eleven did not hold back. ‘We are also concerned about the content of some of the key priorities of this Summit. We do not support references in international documents to ambiguous terms and expressions, such as sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), which do not enjoy international consensus, nor contemplates the reservations and caveats incorporated into the Cairo outcome.
‘In addition, the use of the term SRHR may be used to actively promote practices like abortion. There is no international right to abortion; in fact, international law clearly states that “[e]veryone has the right to life” (e.g. Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights). ‘
No transparency
The 2019 Statement also condemned the Nairobi Summit for lack of transparency and inclusiveness. Cairo ‘was negotiated and implemented with and by the entire UN General Assembly membership’. In contrast, ‘only a small handful of governments were consulted on the planning and modalities of the 2019 Nairobi Summit’. (Mostly it was the Scandinavians.)
It follows, ‘outcomes from this summit are not intergovernmentally negotiated, nor are they the result of a consensus process. As a result, they should not be considered normative, nor should they appear in future documents as intergovernmentally-agreed language.’
Pro-family and pro-life nations will no doubt be on the alert for any sign of UNFPA language creeping in international documents. UNFPA will never bring its works to the light of the full UN. The Statement of the Eleven is clear. Without such universal acceptance, ‘no ICPD follow-on document has consensual weight or standing amongst governments.’
The value of Trump
It is worth saying that such a statement would never have been possible if Hilary Clinton had been elected President of the United States in 2016, the Statement of the Eleven would never have happened. It is only because of the staunch pro-life stand of the Trump administration that the 2019 Nairobi Summit was so roundly condemned.
So Almighty God plays a long game, and we should praise his name for all he did during the Summit. We were able to give out around 2,000 pro-life leaflets peacefully to delegates queuing for the Summit. Most were distributed on the opening day, Tuesday. And when we do the little things, we can leave it to the Lord to work miracles. The Statement of the Eleven is one of those things only God can organise.
Just remember, there is all to pray for as the US elections 2020 come ever closer.
Dan 2:21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
