Water Aid's Loo Queue

It may be raining where you are but water shortages this year are causing considerable difficulties for farmers in parts of England yet they still have access to water for drinking and sanitation. As illustrated above, 40% of the world's population do not have access to adequate sanitation.

Water Aid and its partners 'use practical solutions to provide safe water, effective sanitation and hygiene education to the world’s poorest people'. They also seek to influence policy at national and international levels. Currently they are seeking 30,000 signatures for their petition to the UK Government 'to help lift 100 million people out of water and sanitation poverty by 2015'.

Residents in the UK are being asked to show solidarity with the millions of people who will be waiting a lifetime before they have a toilet. If you are prepared to help the world's poorest people you can sign the petitionhere - by 7 July please.

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That was 'The News' that was...

As the News of the World closes after publishing for 168 years, it says much for our electoral system, and even more for the electorate, that our leaders felt the need to suck up to a man such as this.

And he still expects to takeover BSkyB! Not if 38 Degrees can help it! You may care to sign their petition.

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Pensions plea

To lose one's hearing in old age is bad enough but to lose one's income through no fault of one's own is unfortunate. Many pensioners who lived frugally, putting aside what savings they could to provide that little bit extra in old age now find themselves sadly disappointed.

While bankers continue to reward themselves at taxpayers' expense with billions of pounds following their incompetence, savers have suffered a loss of £43 billion compared with their income before and after the Bank cut rates to 0.5%. In addition the value of investments is being eroded as markets fall.

Inflation is adding to their misery made worse by the Government's unilateral action tochange the measure of calculating pension increases from the Retail Price Index to the Consumer Price Index resulting in lower increases.

Last night I listen to complaints about the 50p tax rate payable by the top 1% of earners who receive over ?150,000 a year (ie, ten times that of the average pensioner based on ?29,000 for a couple). One man said he had had to work hard to achieve that. There are many who have worked very hard for much less. If they were to receive a bit extra they would be more likely to spend it.

An e-petition has been organised to protest against the unjust change in the method of calculating pension increases. Please sign it and ask others to do so. Thanks.

Update

E-mail received today (29/02/2012):

"The e-petition 'Public & Private Pension Increases - change from RPI to CPI' recently reached 109,392 signatures and a response has been made to it.

This e-petition has reached 100,000 signatures. The Government has notified the Backbench Business Committee in the House of Commons who will consider its suitability for debate when Parliament returns in September. This e-petition will remain live, and people will be able to continue adding their signatures. The Backbench Business Committe have announced that a debate relating to this e-petition will take place on Thursday 1 March 2012 in the Chamber of the House of Commons. Further information about the debate, and on the workings of the Backbench Business Committee, can be found on the Committee's website at http://www.parliament.uk/bbcom The Government will post a further response to this petition following the debate.

View the response to the e-petition."

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Water of life - and of death!

In Britain our weather is rarely far from our lips. When it's not a 'Nice day!' it is too hot, too cold, too dry or, more often, too wet.

We can't live without water while too much can cause misery and death. The tragedy that has struck Pakistan has brought this home even more forcefully but for some it is part of the on-going struggle to provide for others what we take for granted. 'Water Aid' is an international non governmental organisation. Their mission is to transform lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in the world's poorest communities.

Their current campaign "Dig toilets Not Graves" seeks to save the lives of 4,000 children who die every day through the lack of this basic amenity. There are "2.6 billion people worldwide still don't have access to clean, safe toilets – a basic human right.

This is more than an inconvenience. It's a killer. Diarrhoea kills more children than AIDS, malaria and measles combined.

The solution to the duduk perkara is simple - safe toilets will save thousands of lives. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg will be attending a Millennium Development Goals summit in New York to discuss dunia poverty targets and we are asking him to make building toilets a priority.

We call on our coalition Government to tackle this dunia crisis and prove their commitment by increasing aid to sanitation and water to ?600 million.

Please help us shout so loud the UK Government has to listen. There is no time to lose, so please put your name to our petition right now and together we can work to dig toilets, not graves."

Water Aid is asking for our support by signing a petition by 19 September 2010. You can do so here.

Postscript - Please forward this request to others who will be willing to sign the petition using the email facility below.

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Alan Turing's stamp of approval and petition for a pardon.

One of the greatest tragedies of all time is the avoidable death and consequent early loss to civilization of Alan Turing, the master codebreaker and visionary responsible for the computing technology we have today. The most gifted man of his generation, regarded by some amongst the most gifted in the history of the world, he committed suicide after being punished by the state for his homosexuality despite everything he had done to help win WW2, saving millions of lives in the process and giving birth to the computer age.

In November last year, Channel 4broadcast a moving TV documentary drama which I hope will be repeated for the benefit of anyone who missed it. Today the Guardian has details of stamps to be issued by the Royal Mail in February illustrating ten prominent people in their 'Britons of Distinction' series. Alan Turing is among them.

In 2009 Gordon Brown issued an unequivocal apology to Alan Turing, saying the country owed him a huge debt but that is not enough. He deserves a pardon. An e-petition has been been raised with a closing date of 23/11/2012. You can sign it here - but only because Alan Turing made it possible!

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Today's children tomorrow: Urgent PETITION

Since my previous blog on this subject there has been much criticism of Mr Gove's proposal to axe support for the School Sport Partnerships (SSPs).

There has been widespread anger in every walk of life including elite athletes and MP's with the Prime Minister being questionioned in the House.

Please sign the PETITION organised by the NUT to get this shabby treatment of our children reversed and encourage as many as you can to do the same.

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Into Lent

For many Christians Lent begins with the sign of the cross, in ashes, generally on the forehead. Less fortunate Christians around the world from Ethiopia to the Philippines have ashes all around them, their churches burned to the ground often with mosques built on the hallowed ground. There is a good review of the situation here.

I reflected on the horrors being inflicted on fellow Christians after the penitential rite when the celebrant read the commandment:

I am the Lord your God:

You shall have no other gods but me.

You shall love the Lord your God

With all you heart,

With all your soul,

With all your mind,

And with all your strength.

How can the perpetrators of these crimes believe in one God, the God of Abraham? There is a useful explanation in thisanalysis. So why are we forced to support the implied legitimacy of another god by being surreptitiously soldhalal food, even to Church of England schools? The barnabasfund is taking up this fight through its Operation Nehemiah.

Christians can make their mark to assert that there is no other god by signing thispetition.

Keep the faith, spread the Word and have a good Lent.

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To be a girl

From Water Aid

?I want to live in a world where girls are free from the burden of walking for water, where they and their families have the dignity of somewhere safe and private to go the toilet ? A world where everyone, everywhere has taps and toilets by 2030.

I believe world leaders meeting at the UN should prioritise water, sanitation and hygiene for a healthier, fairer and more sustainable world.?

This September, world leaders are meeting in New York to discuss a set of international development priorities for the next 15 years.

The last time they did this, in the year 2000, they failed to prioritise water and sanitation. That?S partly why today millions of people still don?T have taps or toilets, and millions of girls still spend hours that they could be in school making long walks to collect water for their families.

This year, we need to make sure that water and sanitation make their shortlist.

Taps and toilets can be key to a future where girls like Ze are educated equally and are free to fulfil their potential.

If you agree, sign the petition here and help get to 100,000 before September.

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Worldwide Persecution of Christians

A Guardian article sourced by data from Open Doors in July 2015 reported that "Converts from Islam have faced persecution in Egypt for many years, but until recently the indigenous Coptic Christians have largely been left alone. After the overthrow of the Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, however, there was a sharp increase in attacks, with 65 churches, convents, Christian bookshops and schools attacked. There are fears these attacks will increase as radical Islamist groups gain power in the region."

Yesterday it was reported in Christian Daily that "Orthodox Coptic Christians thought that they would experience less discrimination from Muslims after the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak five years ago, but the post-Arab Spring years have only seen the attacks against them rise."

Persecution of Christians is widespread in Muslim countries (details here) which makes it all the more extraordinary that Islam is being allowed to extend its influence in the Western World with shocking consequences for the victims of a culture which regards women as second class along with non-Muslims, or kafir. Worries have been expressed over the Government's desire to make the UK the centre for 'Sharia compliant' Islamic finance even though it is 'inherently discriminatory' against women and non-Muslims and about BBC plans to increase Muslim influence at the expense of Christianity, the foundation of British law and our culture.

With friends yesterday I found myself in conversation about the BBC's plans to downgrade Christian programming in favour of increased coverage for Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh faiths. The Director-General of the BBC, Lord Hall of Birkenhead, is reported to have said that he will increase the coverage of other faiths and could broadcast Friday prayers from a mosque along the lines of Songs of Praise because there have been complaints that the Corporation was ‘too Christian’. One can imagine how such complaints originate whendifferent values are in evidence.

It was put to me by a nominal Christian that the BBC should allow Friday prayers to be broadcast because 'Imams in the UK have explained that Islam means peace and love of others'. This is a well usedtactic to hoodwink the ill-informed. If the BBC were to increase their coverage by taking a critical look at a religious ideology which encourages such deception while bringing death and destruction around the world, people would be better informed about Islamic ambitions for world dominance under Sharia.

The Open Doors Watch List consistently reports persecution, repression, killing Christians and destruction of their churches along with persecution of others such as the Yazidis, greatly adding to the refugee crisis. In some countries such as Saudi Arabia Christians must keep their faith completely secret. If not executed by the state, they risk becoming the victim of an honour killing by a family member because leaving Islam is regarded as a great disgrace.

Islam is Islam. Many Muslims live peacefully, ignoring what is done in their name but the essential difference in the attitude of devout Muslims to non-Muslims is if they are in a minority rather than a majority.

While Islam is allowed to flourish and more mosques are built in Britain and Europe, often financed through the Saudi Connection, Christianity is being systematically destroyed in the Middle East with attempts to obliterate all evidence of ancient pre-Islamic civilisations such as the Assyrians.

The persecution of Christians must be stopped. You can help by signing a petition against the BBC proposals here.

Postscript [18.11.2016]

"Donald Trump’s Pick For National Security Adviser Loves To Stoke Islamophobia" - Huffington Post:

Army Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, Donald Trump?S pick for national security adviser, has stoked Islamophobia by calling Islam a ?Cancer? And saying fear of it was ?Justified?. In August, Flynn said that Islam, which has around 1.6 billion followers around the world, was a ?Political ideology? That ?Hides behind being a religion.? He also described it as a ?Cancer? Because terrorist groups instructed followers to ?Get into the bloodstream of the opposition.? He has tweeted that fearing Muslims is ?Rational.?

Doubters should look at the map. Non-Muslims living in Muslim countries know what fear is. The evidence speaks for itself. Are they are guilty of Islamophobia?

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Religion and the BBC

From Voice for Justice UK

The Perfidy and Contempt of the BBC

In November last year, following complaints of unacceptable Muslim bias and the deliberate marginalization of Christianity by its Muslim Head of Religion and Ethics, Aaqil Ahmed, the BBC announced that it was axing both the role of Head and the department of religion, bringing all religious programming and coverage under the remit of former Labour MP James Purnell, the head of radio and education.

However, on February 25, the BBC quietly announced that it had appointed another Muslim, Fatima Salaria, as its new Head of Religious Programming.

It would seem therefore that, in clear disregard of their earlier statement, the BBC has not only resurrected this role, but appears to be operating a policy of Islamic prioritization, once again ignoring the pleas of all other religious groups in the UK for proportionate and fair representation.

Ms Salaria’s most notable achievement since joining the BBC in 2015 would appear to have been to commission the TV reality show Muslims like Us, described in the press as ‘Muslim Big Brother’.  It may be remembered that in this programme, among the ten Muslim housemates - chosen to reflect the diverse views of Muslims in the UK - was included Abdul Haqq, a Muslim convert, former boxing champion, convicted fraudster … and member of the inner circle of jailed radical cleric Anjem Choudary.   But it gets worse, because Mr Haqq reportedly not only supported banned terror group Al-Muhajiroun, but was arrested in 2014 in Dover, and later charged with plotting to go to Syria to fight with Islamic State after spreading terrorist material online.

His inclusion, put forward without comment as merely one view among many, can only have served to ?Normalise? Extremism, and is an affront to all - including moderate Muslims honestly striving to integrate into British culture.

Do we really want someone who commissions programmes like this as head of religion for the BBC?   Do we trust her to give proportionate and fair representation to all religious groups?  Do we trust the BBC?  Or do we share the view of Professor Anthony Glees of the Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies, who told The Mail: “If a BBC executive makes a programme that is notorious and then the BBC promotes them, it tells me that the BBC has in that area lost its moral compass.”  (http://www.breitbart.com/london/2017/02/25/new-bbc-head-religion-gave-islamist-extremists-platform/).

Ms Salaria is on record as saying the BBC needs to give greater voice to Muslims.  It is a view that seems to have been swallowed hook, line, and sinker by dementedly ‘diverse’ Auntie, who seemingly takes every opportunity to undermine and pour derision on those who espouse the traditional Christian beliefs and values upon which our nation is founded.   But exactly what voice does Ms Salaria class as authentically ‘Muslim’ and wish to be heard?  After all, from the example of Abdul Haqq, she appears to have no problem supporting what the rest of us call extremism,

It goes without saying that there is religious diversity in this country, and all faiths should receive proportionate coverage.   But Christianity remains the established faith of the UK and, despite declining church attendance, according to the 2011 census Christians still make up 59.5% of the population (https://faithsurvey.co.uk/uk-christianity.html): a clear majority.   Given therefore that Christianity is the main faith of this country, surely the head of religious programming should be Christian - or at the very least, as advocated by Conservative MP Bill Cash, the post should be rotated between the different faiths.  Which should include Judaism, Hinduism and Sikkhism … as well as Islam.

As it is, this new appointment seems deliberately insulting both to Christians and to followers of other belief systems, and part of an orchestrated attempt to Islamise the UK.  Such an attitude displays not just contempt, but is a betrayal of the principles and values on which the UK is founded.  For these reasons VfJUK joins those who argue that the BBC is no longer fit for purpose.  We call for urgent investigation into the Corporation’s governance and purpose, and for review of the licence fee.

Please sign our new petition to the Rt Hon Karen Bradley MP, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, calling for urgent investigation into the BBC's governance and leadership.

Sign here.

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Royal College of Midwives Must Not Betray the Profession of Midwifery

PETITION

From Citizen GO

Royal College of Midwives Campaigns for Abortion Up Until Birth for Any Reason: Not In Our Name!

On 9 February 2016, the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) announced their support for a campaign run by abortion provider the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) calling for the legalisation of abortion up-to-birth for any reason. On 6 May 2016, the Royal College issued a position statement that explicitly supported the aims of this campaign, the limitation of conscience rights for midwives, and the extension of the Abortion Act 1967 to Northern Ireland.

Full details HERE.

Update [21.05.2016]

Far from backtracking on her call to abolish the 24-week legal limit for terminating pregnancy, the Chief Executive of the RCM says "Midwives should see abortion as part of their job". Had her mother exercised a choice to abort her foetus immediately before drawing breath, Prof Cathy Warwick, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Midwives would not be around to make such a preposterous claim without even consulting the midwives she represents.

Her excuse? "The role of the midwife is to support women in relation to their reproduction and to care for women." She denied there was any conflict between her role as Chief Executive of the RCM and her position as Chair of the board of trustees of the country’s biggest abortion provider the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, BPAS.

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