On 12 August, the Cabinet Office published the independent report (*the Report”) of Sir Eric Pickles, former Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Sir Eric had been asked by the previous government to consider what further changes were needed to make the electoral system more secure in light of the 2015 Tower Hamlets election court judgment and the consequent disqualification of the elected mayor for a number of corrupt and illegal practices. The Report, Securing the Ballot, includes recommendations about how the government can prevent such crimes in the UK.
In the News
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August 30th, 2016
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August 30th, 2016
"The law and not religion should be the basis of justice for citizens. We are calling for an impartial judge-led inquiry that places human rights, not theology, at the heart of the investigation." — Maryam Namazie, head of One Law For All.
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August 30th, 2016
We have reached Chapter 5 in the great Anglican sexuality saga: ‘Church of England parishes consider first step to break away over sexuality’. It isn't clear what the dénouement shall be, but the same-sex marriage/blessing plot thickens: ‘shadow synod'; ‘alternative Anglican church in England'; ’embryonic structures'; 'church within a church'...
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August 30th, 2016
GAFCON UK warmly commends the initiative of Rev Dr Peter Sanlon and others from a number of parishes in the Home Counties to set up a ‘shadow synod’ as stated in John Bingham’s article ‘Parishes begin Church split’.
This is a grass-roots initiative by local congregations which is representative of the views of many across the country, and is in line with the concerns of Anglicans from the GAFCON movement worldwide as expressed in the Jerusalem Declaration of 2008 and subsequently.
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August 30th, 2016
A "traditional Islamic wife" was made to kiss her mother-in-law's feet after raising concerns about her husband's family's behaviour, a family court judge has heard.
The woman, who has not been named, told Mr Justice Newton that she had been "brought to heel" and "made to toe the party line".
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August 26th, 2016
SHOULD it be considered a violation of the law, and of fair electoral practice, if religious leaders use their influence to convince voters that they will be risking their salvation unless they opt for a particular party or candidate? Sir Eric Pickles (above), an anti-corruption fighter for the British government, apparently thinks so. This point came out in a report he published this month on how to reduce the risk of electoral fraud and manipulation. The report was prompted by the case of Lutfur Rahman, a politician who was removed last year from his post as mayor of Tower Hamlets, an area of east London with a large Muslim population, after an electoral court found evidence of corrupt and illegal practices.
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August 26th, 2016
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August 26th, 2016
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August 25th, 2016
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August 25th, 2016