Two rings with the word equality on each

Religious civil partnerships: almost law

Although the legislation allowing civil partnerships to take place on religious premises is due to come into force on Monday 5/12/2011, the law is not yet entirely safe from being annulled. The change in the law allowing civil partnerships to take place on religious partnerships is part of the Equality Act 2010 but it is…

Two rings with the word equality on each

Baroness aiming to stop religious civil partnerships

The progression of allowing civil partnerships in religious premises could be abruptly stopped by Conservative peer Detta O’Cathain after she lodged a prayer to annul in opposition of the legislation. According to peer Elaine Murphy, “this weird wording means a debate raised to protest against a negative statutory instrument (SI). Under the standard negative procedure,…

Quaker worship on the steps of saint Paul's cathedral. Photo: Martin Kunz.

Nayler signs up to Christian solidarity with Occupy London

by Jez Smith The following statement has been published by an alliance of Christian groups in support of the Occupy London movement, which includes some Quakers and has been supported in worship by Quakers on the steps of saint Paul’s cathedral. The Occupy London movement reveals a little shimmer of light shining to say that…

Constitutional review: an opportunity for influence

by Murray Short Paper presented by the Treaty Relationships Group to the Yearly Meeting of the Aotearoa/ New Zealand Society of Friends on 20 May 2011  Introduction  Constitutional review is on the political agenda in Aotearoa *1 thanks to the agreement on confidence and supply between the Māori Party *2 and the National *3 led Government.  It…

A diagram

The constitutional system in New Zealand

The Constitutional System in New Zealand l  We follow the British tradition, very unusual among nations, of not having a written constitution. In fact our constitution is based heavily on the British one, so it is a mix of ancient documents (Magna Carta, the 1688 Bill of Rights, etc) and “constitutional conventions” (the way things…

Symon Hill crouched by a sign for Pilgrim Street

The walk of repentance

  An interview by Jay Clark This June, Symon Hill will undertake a walk of repentance for homophobia, walking from Birmingham to London and arriving on Friday 01/07/2011, the day before London Pride. He will be speaking at churches on the way, and passing through every town and city in which he has lived for…

People gathered for Meeting for Worship with banners

On seeking justice

Notes and observations from the day of the March for the Alternative by Jez Smith For passers-by it was an unusual sight. A crowd of over a hundred people were standing on the pavement and spilled out onto the road outside 52 St Martins Lane, London WC2N. A police helicopter hovered overhead and not long…

A sea tide in Cornwall at sunset

Swimming against the tide

Swimming against the tide A review of the Quakers in Criminal Justice (QICJ) conference – Woodbrooke 25-27/02/2011 by Ronan Falsey As someone who had only relatively recently started attending Quaker Meetings nine months ago, and as it was my first visit to Woodbrooke, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect! (Although, I had heard the…

The Ford Transit mobile library van belonging to Quaker Homeless Action

The van

 “I haven’t bought any books for ten years. You can’t keep a bookcase in a doorway.” It is a few minutes before two o’clock on a Saturday afternoon. I’m loitering by a church in central London, waiting for the volunteers from the Quaker Homeless Action mobile library to turn up and begin the afternoon shift.…

A lego soldier up to his waist in mud

Britain’s child soldiers

by Michael Bartlet Sixteen-year-olds are too young to drive a car, buy a drink in the pub, or place a bet in Britain.  They are too young to have civil contracts enforced against them. They cannot vote. Yet they are old enough to join the army where, in the event of hostilities, they may become…