The Welsh Christian Party are gearing up for the National Assembly of Wales Election in May 2011. There are 40 Constituencies and 20 Regional States and the Party is hoping to stand around 25 candidates across Wales. At present they have potentially 11 candidates and are looking for more.

So if you have a heart for the community and want to make a difference in the political arena then please contact Jeff Green the leader of the Welsh Christian Party on 01597 825151 today.

Anyone wanted to join the Christian Party you should join the region in which they live. The regions are:-

The Christian Party (England) 07973 270298 (temporary)
Welsh Christian Party  01597 825151
Scottish Christian Party  01698 536421

We will put a full list of Ward Christian Party leaders on the website once this has been established.

News in Brief

Boots to sell Morning-After Pill online

Boots are making plans to sell the morning-after pill over the internet, but critics have warned that the scheme is “grossly inappropriate”.
Boots is planning to sell the controversial drug, usually sold under the brand name Levonelle, through a new website which enables people to buy certain medications without the need for a prescription.

The morning-after pill can cause an early stage abortion, and Boots’ plan would allow anyone with access to a credit card to buy the drug.

 

TV Abortion Ad

The Marie Stopes abortion advertisements on 24th May 2010 were misleading as they never mentioned that Marie Stopes International is primarily an abortion provider, nor that they charge £80 for an initial consultation. In addition, the advertisements clearly breached the BCAP Code which does not permit advertisements for medical treatments available only on prescription, or for commercial services offering individual advice for personal problems. The advert is also of a political nature and could influence public opinion on a matter of public controversy, breaching section 321 of the Communications Act 2003.

Following this broadcasting the Advertising Standards Authority adjudication failed to uphold the many complaints that were received, the Christian Legal Centre, as a member of the Alive and Kicking Campaign, will be fully supporting any Judicial Review of the decision.

 

Foster mother reinstated after allowing Muslim girl to become a Christian

A Christian foster mother has won the right to be reinstated having been struck off after a Muslim girl in her care became a Christian. The Muslim girl in question was sixteen at the time and had decided by her own initiative to become a Christian. The foster mother said that she had put no pressure on the girl and had even tried to discourage her initial interest.

The foster mother, who had looked after more than 80 children in the last ten years and had an unblemished record, was removed by her local council who accused her of failing to preserve the girl’s religion and failing to prevent her from getting baptised.

The decision by Gateshead Council two years ago had forced the foster mother to move out of her home due to the loss of income from fostering. She said after the verdict: ‘In addition to losing the Muslim teenager, another girl I was looking after was taken back into care. And I lost the farmhouse I rented to look after vulnerable teenagers. Despite my experiences, I still hope to foster again in the future. I simply enjoy helping young people.’

 

Academies Bill - Further Action Needed

The Academies Bill had its second reading in the House of Commons on Monday the 19th of July and Committee stages on the 21st, 22nd and 26th of July.  The Bill is short, as the detail of what will be taught in Academies will be contained in future contractual obligations (either a model funding agreement or a grant agreement).

Provisions relating to religious education, collective worship and sex education need to be on the face of the Bill to make sure that important existing provisions on these issues will not be omitted from future contractual agreements with Academy Trusts. Important principles for sex education currently in the law  for maintained schools, such as moral considerations, age appropriate teaching and the need to have regard to the religious and cultural background of the pupils concerned, are missing from the model funding agreement. There is currently no model grant agreement available. It is important that these provisions are preserved for future Academies.

 

Shock decision against Council worker sacked for mentioning God

There is widespread shock following the news that Duke Amachree has lost his case, having been sacked for mentioning God in the workplace. An employment tribunal has ruled that it was reasonable for Wandsworth Council to dismiss Duke, after he was sacked for gross misconduct for suggesting to a client with an incurable illness not to give up hope and to try putting her faith in God. The tribunal also found that the Council had not discriminated against Mr Amachree on the basis of his religion. In addition, the tribunal took the view that Duke had breached confidentiality by publicising his case. The decision has come as a huge surprise to Duke and to his legal team.

Duke, backed by the Christian Legal Centre, took his case to the tribunal where it was argued that the Council’s decision to dismiss him was grossly disproportionate and unfair, and that they had discriminated against him on the basis of his religion.

Despite the evidence that was presented to the tribunal, they decided that the Council’s response was reasonable. Duke and his legal team intend to appeal the decision.

Homosexuals to get equal right to ‘marry’

The deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, Simon Hughes, has said that the Government will allow same-sex couples to have “civil marriage” with the same legal status as marriage between a man and a woman, before the next general election.

He commented: “It would be appropriate in Britain in 2010 to have civil marriage for straight people and gay people equally,” he said.

“The state ought to give equality. We’re halfway there. I think we ought to be able to get there in this Parliament.”

Simon Hughes comments follow those made by Lynne Featherstone, the Equalities Minister, who said that the Government was considering allowing homosexual couples to have religious elements to their civil partnership ceremonies.

The full equality that Simon Hughes advocated would go further than Lynne Featherstone’s suggestions.

During the election campaign, the Conservatives were the only main party to suggest that they would consider allowing full homosexual ‘marriage’.

Christians not allowed to be foster parents

A Christian couple from Blackburn, Lancashire, have had their application to be foster parents terminated by the Council because of their orthodox Christian beliefs on marriage and their belief that the best environment in which to raise a child is with a mother and a father. John Yallop and his wife Colette had told Lancashire Council that they were Christians but had been assured that they were still welcome to apply to be foster parents.

However, during the process, problems arose for John and Colette Yallop when the Council asked them whether they would have any objections to prospective homosexual adoptive parents coming into their home for the ‘handover process’ which normally involves a number of visits.  John and Colette Yallop proposed that any meetings with prospective homosexual adoptive parents should take place at a children’s centre rather than in their own home, as they were concerned that it may cause confusion to their two young children aged 5 and 7. As a result of this request, their application was terminated by the Council, causing John and Colette Yallop great distress.

Sources:
Christian Concern for Our Nation www.ccfon.org
The Christian Institute www.christian.org.uk
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