News Briefing: Britain and Ireland

Brexit warning
Faith leaders including Cardinal Vincent Nichols (pictured) and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, have signed a letter condemning the rise in racist attacks in Britain since the country voted to leave the European Union. In a letter to The Times the Christian leaders, along with the Chief Rabbi and the president of the Muslim organisation Majlis-e-Ulama Shia Europe, said fear must not be allowed to breed mistrust of “the other”.

Writing on Friday they said: “Today we call upon every citizen of our great country to recognise personal accountability for their every action, rather than avoiding that responsibility by looking for scapegoats, and to challenge racial and communal prejudice wherever it is found and thus ensure that we are, more than ever, a country united.”

BBC petition for Christianity
More than 11,000 people have signed a petition calling on the BBC to fire its head of Religion and Ethics and reject his proposals to reduce Christian programming.

In May Aaqil Ahmed, a Muslim, said in a report that the broadcaster’s religious output was disproportionately Christian and it should air more Muslim, Hindu and Sikh programmes. The Christian organisation Voice for Justice UK said the UK was a Christian country shaped by Christian values. “It is entirely right therefore that Christianity be given more airtime than the beliefs of minority groups, and that it should be treated with respect. In particular, Islam should not be singled out for special interest,” it said in a statement. A BBC spokeswoman said any suggestions that Mr Ahmed was biased against Christianity or showed pro-Islamic bias were “ludicrous and unfounded”.

Soper extradition fails
A judge in Kosovo has rejected an application to extradite Laurence Soper, the fugitive former abbot of Ealing Abbey in west London, because the crimes he is accused of have expired in the Balkan state.

The Metropolitan Police will appeal the decision to bring Laurence Soper back to the UK for trial. Soper, 72, is wanted in connection with historic child sex abuse cases in England. The former monk, who is no longer a member of the Ealing community, taught at the abbey school, St Benedict’s, in the 1970s and 1980s.

A judge in Peja, the western district of Kosovo where Soper was arrested last month, rejected the extradition request this week because the alleged crimes had overrun the 30-year statute of limitations. The Met will appeal and another hearing is expected to take place imminently at the appeal court in the capital, Pristina.

Clarke knighted
Former Scottish Labour MP Tom Clarke, known for his campaigns for rights for the disabled, has been awarded a papal knighthood. Mr Clarke, 75, served as an MP for more than 30 years until losing his seat of Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill to the SNP in the general election last year. He will receive the honour from the Bishop of Motherwell Joseph Toal at a ceremony in St Augustine’s, Coatbridge, on 1 September. Bishop Toal said: “Throughout his time Tom Clarke sought inspiration from his devout Catholic faith on how he should vote on a wide variety of parliamentary issues especially disability rights, overseas development and the pro-life cause.”

The Church of England added a last-minute motion about Brexit to the agenda of its forthcoming General Synod, due to take place from 8-12 July in York. The Church of England’s governing body was expected to debate a motion yesterday endorsing the call by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York for all to unite in the task of building a generous and forward-looking country contributing to human flourishing around the world. While the Church of England officially remained impartial during the referendum, both archbishops stated a desire for the UK to remain in the EU.

Four colleagues accused of taking part in the mock crucifixion of a teenage Catholic apprentice have been cleared of faith crimes by a jury. Andrew Addison, 30, Joseph Rose, 21, Christopher Jackson, 22, and Alex Puchir, 37, were found not guilty of religiously aggravated assault after a trial at York Crown Court. It was alleged the men had tied the teenager to a wooden cross and suspended it above the ground. Addison, from Selby, North Yorkshire, was found guilty of assault by beating, and Rose, of Bubwith in the East Riding, of putting a person in fear of violence by harassment. Judge Paul Batty said: “You have been convicted of a very unpleasant offence. Each of you should have known better.”

The Bishop of Salford, John Arnold, led nearly 2,000 Italian Catholics and their supporters in a procession through Manchester city centre (pictured). The Lord Mayor, Carl Austin-Behan; Greater Manchester’s police and crime commissioner Tony Lloyd; and former Manchester United footballing star Paddy Crerand also joined the 127th and annual Madonna Del Rosario procession on Sunday 3 July.

Lord (Alf) Dubs, who was brought to the UK as a child on the Kindertransporten at the outbreak of the Second World War, told attendees at a breakfast briefing organised by the Cardinal Hume Centre that “refugee” has become “a dirty word”. Lord Dubs, who successfully campaigned for an amendment to the Immigration Bill that would compel the Government to relocate unaccompanied refugee children from Europe, spoke of his concern for those thousands who have disappeared. The Cardinal Hume Centre, which is based in London, houses nine unaccompanied children from Syria, Eritrea, Albania and Afghanistan in its hostel.

Exploring the common good
The National Justice and Peace Network is due to hold its annual conference on 15-17 July on “How can democracy work for the Common Good?” Labour MP Jon Cruddas and Jenny Sinclair, of Together for the Common Good, are to address the gathering at Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, in Derbyshire. Workshops will include empowering women and responding to the refugee crisis.

A ninth woman bishop has been consecrated in the Church of England. Janet Elizabeth McFarlane was made bishop for Derbyshire and East Midlands at Canterbury Cathedral on 29 June. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, led the service. Bishop McFarlane said: “It’s difficult to put into words just what an awe-inspiring and emotional service we had in the beautiful, historic cathedral.”

Complied by Liz Dodd