Politics

Primary school children should have compulsory sex education lessons, MPs said today [26/8/08]. A cross-party group of MPs is calling on the government to make advice on sexual health and relationships mandatory in all schools. The group, led by Chris Bryant, a parliamentary aide to Harriet Harman, the Labour deputy leader, says that giving children more information would help reduce teenage pregnancy rates, abortion and sexually transmitted diseases.

Christianity is and always has been antithetical to women's freedom and equality, but it's certainly not alone in this. Whether it's one of the world's major faiths or an off-the-wall cult, religion means one thing and one thing only for those women unfortunate enough to get caught up in it: oppression.

When Labour cabinet members were asked about their religious allegiances last December, following Tony Blair's official conversion to Roman Catholicism, it turned out that more than half of them are not believers. The least equivocal about their atheism were the health secretary, Alan Johnson, and foreign secretary David Miliband.

The fact that Miliband is an atheist is a matter of special interest given the likelihood that he may one day, and perhaps soon, occupy No 10.

FaithNetEast is an information and learning hub for faith communities in the East of England region. Funded by the Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund in the Home Office, it is hosted by the East of England Faiths Council (EEFC) and is an initiative run in partnership with Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge.

Stretches of Britain's coastline are doomed and plans will soon have to be drawn up to evacuate people from the most threatened areas, the new head of the Environment Agency warns today [18/8/08].

Billed as the first joint appearance by both presidential hopefuls, it was tightly controlled to avoid clashes. John McCain and Barak Obama hug each other. This was not a debate. It was a "civil forum" organised by Saddleback Church, a huge and hugely influential ministry run by Pastor Rick Warren, a multi-million selling author. He arrived on stage with smiles and to great applause.

“We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to reprimand MP Iris Robinson on her recent comments about Homosexuality.”

Details of Petition:

“MP for Strangford has recently suggested that all homosexuals should receive psychiatric treatment to help ‘cure’ them. These comments are not fitting of a MLA let alone an MP. They show narrow minded views and the belief that in Northern Ireland that bigotry is acceptable.”