Civil partnerships should have been called marriage, says top divorce lawyer – Daily Telegraph

“The debate over same-sex unions could have been avoided if civil partnerships had been described as marriage by the Government, a top divorce lawyer has said.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 18th June 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Gay marriage gets ministerial approval – The Guardian

Posted June 13th, 2012 in Church of England, consultations, homosexuality, marriage, news by sally

“Ministers have pledged to push through legislation to give same-sex couples equal rights to get married despite mounting opposition from within the Conservative party and the threat of a split with the Church of England.”

Full story

The Guardian, 12th June 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Will the European Court force churches to perform gay marriages? – UK Human Rights Blog

“The Government’s Consultation on Equal Civil Marriage ends on Thursday 14 June: you can fill in the brief online survey here if you haven’t already. In the meantime, the Church of England is on the front pages this morning with its own response, which amongst other things, warns that ‘it seems extremely doubtful’ that the European Court of Human Rights ‘would uphold the right of a state to retain gender inequality in civil partnerships once the state had legislated for equal marriage’.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 12th June 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

No 10 sides with gay couples over full marriage – The Independent

“Gay couples will finally win the right to marry, Downing Street insisted last night, despite an escalating campaign of opposition led by a former Archbishop of Canterbury and some Conservative MPs.”

Full story

The Independent, 21st February 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

St Paul’s protesters refused appeal – The Independent

Posted February 22nd, 2012 in appeals, Church of England, demonstrations, injunctions, news by sally

“Anti-capitalist protesters camping outside St Paul’s Cathedral were today refused permission by the Court of Appeal to challenge orders evicting them.”

Full story

The Independent, 22nd February 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

The Power of Prayer or the Power to Pray – Hardwicke Chambers

“Bideford Town Council is a parish council in Devon. Each month it holds full council meetings in public. At the start of each meeting there are communal prayers. Prayers are deliberately placed before apologies so that those who do not wish to attend are not marked as absent and can attend after prayers. The prayers are always Christian, led by a Minister from one of the town’s eight Christian Churches. A motion to end prayers was proposed by Mr Bone, a member of the council, and twice defeated, once by 9 votes to 6.”

Full story

Hardwicke Chambers, 10th February 2012

Source: www.hardwicke.co.uk

General Synod rejects women bishops compromise bid – BBC News

Posted February 10th, 2012 in Church of England, clergy, news, women by tracey

“Anglicans opposed to the ordination of women bishops have been refused concessions they say would secure their place in the Church of England. The General Synod defeated a bid to increase the autonomy of male bishops looking after traditionalist parishes.”

Full story

BBC News, 8th February 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

 

Vicar jailed after dozens of sham marriages – The Independent

Posted January 26th, 2012 in Church of England, conspiracy, fraud, marriage, news, sentencing, theft by sally

“A Church of England vicar was jailed for two and a half years today after carrying out dozens of sham marriages allowing illegal immigrants to live in the UK.”

Full story

The Independent, 26th January 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Call for inquiry over church child abuse ‘cover-up’ – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 26th, 2012 in child abuse, Church of England, inquiries, news by sally

“Child protection lawyers have called for a public inquiry into an alleged cover-up by churches of widespread sexual and physical abuse of children in England and Wales.”

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 26th January 2012

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Church of England calls assisted suicide plan morally unacceptable – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 5th, 2012 in assisted suicide, Church of England, news, reports by tracey

“The Rt Rev James Newcome, Bishop of Carlisle, said the best safeguard for vulnerable people would be to keep the existing law in place. He also claimed the Commission on Assisted Dying, a group of peers and academics chaired by the former Labour minister Lord Falconer, was a ‘self-appointed’ group that excluded anyone who objected to legalising assisted suicide.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 5th January 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Church of England bans hosting civil partnership ceremonies – BBC News

Posted December 5th, 2011 in Church of England, civil partnerships, news by sally

“The Church of England will not allow its churches to be used for civil partnership ceremonies unless the full General Synod gives consent, it says.”

Full story

BBC News, 3rd December 2011

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Vicar’s claim could make legal history – The Guardian

“A vicar who claims he was driven out of his picturesque rural parish is attempting to make legal history by having his complaints against the Church of England heard by an employment tribunal.”

Full story

The Guardian, 23rd November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

St Paul’s protests: how the legal land lies – The Guardian

“If it comes to a David v Goliath battle, the City has the big bludgeons, but Occupy London’s slings could still win the day.”

Full story

The Guardian, 2nd November 2011

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

St Paul’s suspends legal action against protesters – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 2nd, 2011 in Church of England, demonstrations, injunctions, news by michael

“St Paul’s Cathedral has suspended legal action against the protest camp on its doorstep following the resignation of two senior members of its clergy.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st November 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Rapist Gerald Greenwood cannot be buried with wife, church rules – BBC News

Posted October 21st, 2011 in burials and cremation, child abuse, Church of England, news by tracey

“A Lancashire man jailed for child sex offences cannot be buried alongside his wife, church authorities have ruled.”

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BBC News, 20th October 2011

Source: www.bc.co.uk

 

Doctors fear monitoring of private beliefs as ‘praying GP’ faces hearing – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 20th, 2011 in belief discrimination, Church of England, disciplinary procedures, doctors, news by tracey

“Doctors fear their private lives and personal beliefs will soon come under increasing scrutiny from regulators, as a Christian GP who prayed with a patient faces a formal hearing.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 17th September 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Inner Temple: Magna Carta dinner – Speech by Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, Master of the Rolls

Posted June 16th, 2011 in Church of England, constitutional history, London, speeches by sally

Inner Temple: Magna Carta dinner (PDF)

Speech by Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, Master of the Rolls

Judiciary of England and Wales, 14th June 2011

Source: www.judiciary.gov.uk

Church of England vicar jailed over sham marriages – UK Border Agency

Posted September 7th, 2010 in Church of England, fraud, immigration, marriage, press releases, sentencing by sally

“A Church of England vicar was today among 3 men jailed for staging hundreds of sham marriages in East Sussex. Reverend Alex Brown was found guilty of conspiring to facilitate breaches in immigration law in July alongside 2 other men, Ukrainian national Vladymyr Buchak and lawyer Michael Adelasoye, following an 8 week trial.”

Full press release

UK Border Agency, 6th September 2010

Source: www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk

Vicar jailed for sham marriages scam – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 6th, 2010 in Church of England, fraud, immigration, news, sentencing by sally

“A Church of England vicar has been jailed for four years for his part in Britain’s biggest sham marriage fraud to help hundreds of illegal immigrants stay in Britain.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 6th September 2010

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Two vicars held over suspected sham marriages – The Guardian

Posted August 4th, 2010 in Church of England, fraud, immigration, marriage, news by sally

“Two clergymen suspected of officiating over sham marriages were arrested by immigration officers today [3rd August].”

Full story

The Guardian, 3rd August 2010

Source: www.guardian.co.uk