Women Bishops: Church Of England To Vote

Debate: The Vote On Women Bishops

Updated: 12:04pm UK, Tuesday 20 November 2012

Two members of the General Synod - both female - put the case for and against women bishops in the Church of England.

:: The Case Against

Lorna Ashworth, General Synod member from the Chichester Diocese

I am one of thousands of women who believe that the vote on women bishops should not go through today.

Is this because I am misogynist? Is that even possible? Rather, my three reasons to vote against the legislation are as follows:

First, through my study of scripture and in my desire to be obedient to God, I believe that leadership roles in the church are reserved for men.

This is not to say that women are not equal to men or that they do not have the skill or ability to do the job, but that in this sphere, the position of leadership is reserved for men whom God has called.

Secondly, the legislation on the table does not serve its intended purpose. Although it will make way for women bishops, which is the mind of the church, it offers no secure assurances that traditionalists, like myself, will have a future place in the church.

The measure relies on a code of practice (which has yet to be agreed upon) to offer a scheme of oversight for parishes that request it. This will vary from diocese to diocese depending on the interpretation of the code.

The measure does not stipulate that the male bishops providing oversight for the requesting parish needs to hold or have sympathy with their theological position. This removes any certainty that bishops holding traditional views will be selected in the future.

Finally, the proponents of women bishops are asking traditionalists to trust them; as if somehow desiring proper provision within legislation fosters mistrust.

Trusting the proponents is a big ask when circulated papers to General Synod members call my theological conviction a "non-gospel" theology and that in the future it would no longer be appropriate to select, train or ordain anyone who does not conform to this new position within the church.

How could I even consider a yes vote?

:: The Case In Favour

Christina Rees, General Synod member from the Chichester Diocese

I have been sent a range of emails about the debate on women bishops.

I am an elected representative on the Archbishops' Council, and someone who has been closely involved with the subject of women's ordination for a number of years.

Synod has been studying and thinking about the issue of having women as bishops since 2000, and since then has indicated its support for removing the legal obstacles to consecrating women and has also affirmed that having women as bishops is consonant with the faith of our Church.

A few years ago we rejected a range of options, but accepted having a statutory Code of Practice, to include arrangements for those who remain opposed to ordaining women.

For better or worse, we are the group of people, along with the members of the Houses of Clergy and Bishops, who will be voting on the Women Bishops Measure.

I believe we can have confidence that the measure will open the way to women bishops, and that those who in conscience cannot accept the ministry of ordained women will have a clear way of requesting an alternative bishop or priest.

The measure may not be perfect, but I know how carefully it has been drafted and I am confident it will deliver what all of us would like.

I have spoken with some of my friends who do not accept women's ordained ministry and they have agreed that it provides what they need.

The mantra of "not good enough" is simply not the case.

I realise there is a gap between where I am and where some others are on this issue, but I do not believe that gap can be filled with more legislation.

The only thing that can fill the gap is trust. I hope we will agree going forward and show the world that Christians have a way of disagreeing and yet still retaining our love for one another and our faith in God and the Holy Spirit to lead us in this process.

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'Mentor' For Every Inmate Released From Jail

Offenders should be "met at the prison gate" by mentors who can help them escape a life of crime, the Justice Secretary will say later.

Chris Grayling will set out plans for a major extension of mentoring provided by voluntary groups and private companies on a payment-by-results basis.

In a speech, he will call for an "enlightened" approach to dealing with criminals and decry the "tragedy" of inmates leaving jail with no idea how to get their lives back on track.

"Whether you are the hardest of hardliners on crime, or the most liberal observer, every single one of us has a vested interest in an enlightened approach to reducing reoffending," he will say.

"We can't just keep recycling people round and round the system."

David Cameron has called for a "rehabilitation revolution" under which virtually all prisoners get help breaking the cycle of reoffending.

Mr Grayling says offenders must be given every chance to reform

Currently only those who are jailed for more than a year are given rehabilitation, but the Prime Minister wants all but a small number of high-risk prisoners to receive support by the end of 2015.

Mr Grayling will say today that mentors - including reformed offenders, or "old lags" - can help prison leavers with issues like housing, getting a job and tackling drug and alcohol problems.

"When someone leaves prison, I want them already to have a mentor in place to help them get their lives back together," he will say.

"I want them to be met at the prison gate, to have a place to live sorted out, to have rehab or training lined up, and above all someone who knows where they are, what they are doing, and can be a wise friend to prevent them from reoffending.

"Often it will be the former offender gone straight who is best placed to steer the young prisoner back onto the straight and narrow - the former gang member best placed to prevent younger members from rushing straight back to rejoin the gang on the streets.

"There are some really good examples out there of organisations making good use of the old lags in stopping the new ones. We need more of that for the future."

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Hovis Owner Premier Foods To Cut 900 Jobs

The owner of Hovis has announced plans to cut 900 jobs in its struggling bread business as profits become harder to come by.

In a statement, Premier Foods said it was to close two bakeries and reform its delivery network.

The biggest impact will be felt in Birmingham, where 511 jobs are to be lost with the closure of a factory and distribution operation.

Hovis operations at Greenford in west London will also shut costing 196 jobs while Premier said it was also preparing to close distribution sites at Plymouth and Mendlesham in Suffolk resulting in 95 job cuts.

The closures are subject to consultation with employees but are scheduled to take place during the course of 2013.

St Albans-based Premier, which also makes Mr Kipling cakes and Bisto gravy, has seen its Hovis division hit by intense competition in the bread market and a surge in wheat price inflation caused by poor weather.

As a result it is set to lose a £75m-a-year contract with a major grocery chain from the middle of next year after Premier was unable to agree a new deal on sufficiently attractive terms.

It is cutting 130 distribution routes and closing the supply centres to take into account the expected reduction in volumes.

Premier chief executive Michael Clarke said: "We recognise the impact these actions will have for our employees at the sites affected.

"Decisions will not be taken lightly but they are necessary if we are to build a strong and successful future for the bread division and those who remain with our business."

Sky's City Editor Mark Kleinman revealed last month how the business had recruited Goldman Sachs to find a buyer for Hovis.

Premier has offloaded several well-known brands in recent times, including Sun-Pat Peanut Butter and Branston Pickle, as it looks to concentrate on a portfolio of what it sees as core brands.

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Child Sex Gang Suspects Held In Police Raids

Police have arrested eight suspected members of a child sex gang during a series of dawn raids on several homes in Buckinghamshire.

The men, aged between 21 and 28, were held on suspicion of committing sexual offences against a girl.

Thames Valley Police said the girl, who is under 18, reported being abused between 2007 and 2012, but investigators believe other victims may have fallen prey to the same group and urged them to come forward.

"We believe that it is likely that there are more victims who have not yet spoken to the police and would like to encourage anyone who is a victim to come forward," said Detective Chief Inspector Vince Grey.

"Our number one priority is to protect the victims, both their identities and well-being in such cases."

The abuse of the girl began in 2007 when she was 12 years old, reports said.

Mr Grey praised the girl for speaking to the police, saying she had been "extremely brave and courageous".

"Obviously we can't imagine what she and other victims have gone through," Mr Grey said.

"She's come forward and she's indicated what offending has happened to her, who's been involved in that, and over what time period."

He added that the girl did not go into "great details in terms of other persons, but we believe in terms of what she told us that there will be other victims".

The arrests were part of an investigation lasting several months and some 100 police officers raided 10 homes in High Wycombe in the operation.

Police believe girls may have been groomed - when abusers make friends with potential victims - by members of the gang.

Mr Grey said grooming, which is a specific offence, can then turn "into an abusive relationship of some sort, which can lead to much more damaging exploitation and sexual offences taking place".

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Payday Lenders Face Regulator Inquiry

Several payday lending firms are facing a formal investigation over aggressive debt collection tactics amid concerns about poor practice in the wider industry.

The announcement was made by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) which said it was taking several actions in the wake of a progress report on the sector during its continuing compliance review.

The OFT said it was unable to name the specific companies at the heart of its inquiry into debt collection but David Fisher, its director of consumer credit, said: "We have uncovered evidence that some payday lenders are acting in ways that are so serious that we have already opened formal investigations against them.

"It is also clear that, across the sector, lenders need to improve their business practices or risk enforcement action."

The OFT said it was writing to all 240 lenders in the market to outline its concerns but expects to warn the majority of 50 firms it has inspected that they risk enforcement action if they do not improve their standards.

Mr Fisher continued: "Our report shows that a large number of payday loans are not repaid on time. I would urge anyone thinking about taking out a payday loan to make sure they fully understand the costs involved so they can be sure they can afford to repay it."

Payday loans are products designed to cover a person's costs until a salary is paid but have stiff penalties if repayments are missed with some imposing annual interest rates of more than 4,000%.

Recent research from Which? suggested 57% of customers had incurred penalties while 20% who took part in the survey complained about being hit by unexpected charges.

Among the OFT's biggest concerns was the adequacy of checks made by some lenders on whether loans will be affordable for borrowers and the proportion of loans that are not repaid on time.

The industry has previously insisted it has high customer satisfaction levels.

In reaction to today's report the UK's biggest payday lender Wonga said: "We welcome the on-going OFT review of payday and short-term lending, which seeks to provide further protection for consumers and clamp down on unscrupulous lenders.

"We provide a valued, transparent service to more than a million customers and want to see rogue practices rooted out across all financial services.

"Consumers are crying out for clear pricing, more control and fair treatment, while robust credit checks are essential to ensure appropriate lending."

The regulator had cited concerns in its interim report that lenders' advertising often appears to target people who are already in financial difficulty and encourage them to roll over loans.

Around a third of payday lending websites looked at by the OFT included statements such as "no credit checks", "loan extension guaranteed" and "extend loans up to four or five times".

The OFT said it would publish in the New Year a full report setting out further findings on compliance, including whether wider action is needed to tackle problems in the sector.

The regulator has also updated its Debt Collection Guidance, focusing on the continuous payment authority mechanism commonly used by payday lenders to collect repayments.

According to the OFT, it makes clear the minimum standards expected of traders.

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Energy Bills: Shake Up Could Push Up Cost

Families could end up paying more after a shake-up in energy prices because cheaper deals will be axed, experts have warned.

New Government plans are expected to force companies to offer just four tariffs per fuel and make them automatically shift customers onto the cheapest.

The tariffs would have to include a standard variable rate and a fixed price for a fixed term, then firms would be able to decide on another two.

Suppliers would be forced to offer one price for each of the options, although they could still offer discounts for dual fuel bills or those paying by direct debit.

The move is aimed to address long-standing concerns about soaring gas and electricity prices and fears the current array of tariffs means many people pay too much.

Energy Secretary Ed Davey

A consultation has now been launched and will run until January, with the Government aiming to have all customers on the cheapest deal by summer 2014 at the latest.

Details of the proposal come weeks after Prime Minister David Cameron sparked confusion by vowing in the Commons that firms would be forced to charge customers the lowest price.

Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: "For too long, people have been stuck on the wrong type of energy tariff, paying more than they need to.

"Our new proposals will make things much clearer and easier to understand so that bill payers can get the best deal and feel the benefits in their pockets."

The Prime Minister added via Twitter: "My promise to ensure energy customers get the lowest tariff is being delivered, despite Labour saying it couldn't be done."

It has been suggested the changes could save families hundreds of pounds a year, but industry figures say some may have to pay more.

They warn a simplification would lead to some of the cheapest offers currently available being axed, because firms will be far more limited.

Energy UK chief executive Angela Knight, representing the energy companies, admitted the shake-up would create a simpler system where people could switch provider more easily.

But she also told Sky News: "Some of the choices will reduce because you can't have a variety of choice, including tariffs that offer you a particularly low rate for a particular time."

Guy Newey, head of energy and environment at centre-right thinktank Policy Exchange, added: "Cutting the number of tariffs and forcing energy companies to put households on the 'best' rate could end cheap deals.

"This risks punishing families who do the right thing and shop around. There is a danger this move could see fewer people switching, reduce competition and therefore push up bills in the long term."

Corin Taylor, an adviser at the Institute of Directors, claimed the reforms "miss the point" because firms would just increase their lowest tariff to compensate.

He argued: "Instead, the Government should be promoting competition and making it easier for new companies to enter the energy market."

Mr Davey, speaking to Sky News, admitted he could not "guarantee" lower energy prices because they were dictated by the world gas market.

But he added: "What I can do is the very best for consumers by making sure we have simpler bills, more competition and help people save energy."

The coalition's plans follow a spate of price hikes among the UK's "big six" power firms, who control 99% of the domestic energy supply.

In October, SSE prices rose by 9%, then British Gas and Npower went up by 6% and around 9% respectively this month.

In December, Scottish Power will hike its bills by 7% and EDF by 10.8%. Meanwhile, German-owned E.ON has denied reports it is planning a 11% increase.

The firms all blame rising wholesale prices, which they say are out of their control.

One firm, Co-operative Energy, has bucked the trend by unveiling plans to slash its electricity charges by 2% from December 21.

Shadow energy and climate change secretary Caroline Flint said: "The cheapest deal in an uncompetitive market will still not be a good deal.

"Unless David Cameron stands up to vested interests in the energy market and creates a tough new watchdog with powers to force energy companies to pass on price cuts, his warm words will be cold comfort to people worried about paying their fuel bill this winter."

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SAS Sniper's Case Review 'Inappropriate'

Attorney General Dominic Grieve has said it would be "inappropriate" for him to review the decision to prosecute an SAS sergeant for illegal possession of a weapon.

Defence Secretary Philip Hammond wrote to Mr Grieve asking him to examine if proper consideration had been given to whether a prosecution of Sgt Danny Nightingale was in the public interest before the case was brought to court martial.

Sgt Nightingale is serving an 18-month sentence in military detention after pleading guilty to having a prohibited firearm and ammunition.

The father of two, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, suffers medical problems which affect his memory and says he did not remember having the weapon, which was a gift from Iraqi soldiers he had been training.

A spokesman for the Attorney General's office said: "It would be inappropriate for the Attorney General to review either the decision to prosecute or comment on the appropriateness of the sentence.

"That is a matter for the Court Martial Appeal Court, in due course."

MPs will be able to raise concerns about the case with Solicitor General Oliver Heald later today after Canterbury MP Julian Brazier secured a debate in the House of Commons.

SAS veterans have been outraged by the case, and four special forces veterans, including the former commanding officer of the SAS, have written an open letter to Prime Minister David Cameron, claiming Sgt Nightingale was "the victim of a monstrous miscarriage of justice".

Sgt Nightingale pleaded guilty to illegally possessing a 9mm Glock pistol which had been packed up and returned to him by colleagues after he had to leave Iraq in a hurry to help organise the funeral of two friends killed in action.

He also admitted possessing ammunition.

Sgt Nightingale's father Humphrey has told Sky News his son was bullied into pleading guilty at the court martial.

Humphrey Nightingale said: "We knew Danny was not guilty but the judge made it quite clear that if he did not plead guilty he would be sent to a civilian jail for a minimum of five years.

"Our hands were tied and we had no other option - Danny has a lovely wife and a young family. We expected a lenient sentence - maybe suspended - but instead he was sentenced to 18 months."

Lawyers for Sgt Nightingale plan to lodge an appeal against his conviction and sentence later this week, as well as applying for bail.

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UBS Rogue Trader Adoboli Jailed Over Fraud

A rogue trader who lost £1.4bn in bad deals that nearly brought down Swiss bank UBS has been jailed for seven years for fraud.

At one point, former rising star City trader Kweku Adoboli had stood to run up losses of £7.5bn for his employer.

The 32-year-old admitted to the bad trades, but denied any wrongdoing.

He was convicted of two counts of fraud by abuse of position linked to the £1.4bn loss, but jurors cleared him of four counts of false accounting between October 2008 and September last year.

Judge Mr Justice Keith, sentencing, told Adoboli: "There is a strong streak of the gambler in you. You were arrogant to think the bank's rules for traders did not apply to you."

"The fact is you are profoundly unselfconscious of your own failings."

He sentenced the trader to seven years for one count of fraud and four years for the other, to be served concurrently.

Adoboli will serve half of that term in prison before being released on licence, the judge added.

The trader wiped away tears as he listened to the sentencing.

A judge told Adoboli his fall from grace was "spectacular"

In a statement, UBS said: "We are glad that the criminal proceedings have reached a conclusion and thank the police and the UK authorities for their professional handling of this case."

Adoboli maintained during the two-month trial that senior managers had been fully aware of his activities and had encouraged him to take risks to make profits for UBS.

He wept as he gave evidence for the first time last month, saying everything he had done was aimed at benefiting the bank, where he viewed his colleagues as "family".

Adoboli also said the multi-billion-dollar deals happened at a time when he was suffering from burnout and had "lost control" of his trading.

But prosecutors painted a different picture, saying Adoboli had exceeded his trading limits, failed to hedge trades and faked records to cover his tracks in a bid to boost his status and ego.

They said he saw himself as having a "magic touch" as a trader.

Prosecution lawyer Sasha Wass told jurors he was "a gamble or two away from destroying Switzerland's largest bank for his own gain".

"Mr Adoboli's motive for this behaviour was to increase his bonus, his status within the bank, his job prospects and, of course, his ego," she said.

Ghanaian-born former public schoolboy Adoboli joined UBS as a graduate trainee in 2003 and, at the time of the fraud, was a senior trader on the Exchange Traded Funds desk at UBS' investment banking arm in London.

He was arrested in September 2011 after he confessed his losses in an email to colleagues.

The Crown Prosecution Service said, behind all the technical jargon heard during the trial, the case ultimately rested on whether Adoboli had acted dishonestly.

"He did so, by breaking the rules, covering up and lying," said Andrew Penhale, deputy head of fraud at CPS.

"At the heart of any complex fraud is a simple notion of dishonesty which is something that we can all understand."

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Brooks And Coulson To Face New Charges

By Martin Brunt, Crime Correspondent

Former Tory spin doctor Andy Coulson and ex-News International chief Rebekah Brooks face new criminal charges over bungs to public officials in return for stories used in the News Of The World and The Sun.

Coulson, who was editor of the NOTW at the time, and the paper's former royal correspondent Clive Goodman are charged with conspiring to pay for information about the royal family, including an internal phone directory known as the Green Book.

Brooks, who edited The Sun, and the paper's chief reporter John Kay are charged with conspiracy to pay Ministry of Defence employee Bettina Jordan Barber £100,000 for information that led to a series of stories in the newspaper.

Ms Barber faces the same charge.

Kay attended a north London police station on Tuesday morning and was charged with conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. He was bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on November 29.

Solicitor Henri Brandman, who is representing Kay, said: "Neither my client nor I will be making any comment in respect of the matter at the present time."

Coulson pledged to fight the allegations that he is facing and said: "I am extremely disappointed by this latest CPS decision. I deny the allegations made against me and will fight the charges in court."

The charges follow Scotland Yard investigation Operation Elveden, which began in July last year and is likely to continue for many months.

So far, 52 people have been arrested, including 21 journalists from The Sun, armed forces staff and a prison official.

Before today, the only charge brought was against Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Inspector April Casburn, accused of leaking information to the NOTW, which was closed by owner Rupert Murdoch 16 months ago in the wake of the phone-hacking scandal.

DCI Casburn has denied the charge.

Two arrested suspects, an ex-police officer and a former journalist, were told recently that they would not face prosecution.

The five charged today are expected to appear in court in the next few weeks. The formal charge against them is conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, which could mean jail if convicted.

Coulson, Brooks and others have already been charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, over allegations they tried to cover up evidence of phone hacking.

In a news conference during a visit to Northern Ireland, Prime Minister David Cameron was queried on his judgment in both hiring Coulson and becoming a close friend to Brooks.

He said: "I've made it clear on many occasions about this issue and I've also said very clearly we should allow the police and prosecuting authorities to follow the evidence wherever it leads, and I think that is very, very important.

"But I think that, particularly as we get to a situation with pending court cases, that probably we should leave it at that."

Pushed further, and asked if it was embarrassing for him, Mr Cameron said: "I think, as I said, with impending court cases we should probably leave it at that."

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On-The-Run James Allen Guilty Of Two Murders

A robber who killed twice while on the run has been found guilty of two counts of murder and jailed for 37 years.

James Allen, 36, savagely attacked 81-year-old Colin Dunford in his Middlesbrough terrace home, then three days later stabbed to death Julie Davison, 50 at her flat in Whitby, North Yorkshire.

The double killing sparked a huge manhunt which ended in Leeds when an off-duty police officer spotted him.

Allen, who had a history of violent crime, attacked Mr Dunford while hiding at a friend's house after being accused of a serious crime in April. Mr Dunford died from serious head injuries.

Allen ransacked the pensioner's home and tried but failed to use Mr Dunford's bank card at a nearby cash machine. The next night, friends of Mr Dunford became worried after he failed to turn up at his local club for a drink and they found him dead in his home in Leven Street.

By then, Allen had disposed of his bloody clothes and cycled 30 miles to Whitby and then on to Scarborough, North Yorkshire, where he sold a stolen gold ring.

A day later he was back in Whitby and was seen hanging around the communal hallway of the Edwardian terrace home, which was divided into flats, where Ms Davison lived.

Allen was caught on CCTV in Scarborough selling stolen ring

Police believe he talked his way into her home, then launched a merciless attack on her before wrecking her home while looking for things to steal.

Ms Davison, the mother of a 28-year-old son in Preston, had epilepsy and when her body was found by her brother-in-law, she had suffered serious head and neck injuries.

Investigators linked the two killings and a major manhunt was launched. Allen had walked out of Ms Davison's flat wearing some of her clothes, then bought a new outfit at a sports shop and caught a bus to Leeds.

It was there that he is thought to have sold her laptop to a market trader, lying low by talking his way into staying with other people on the margins of society.

The manhunt drew national publicity and ended at 7.20am on April 29, when an off-duty officer on Crown Point Road in south Leeds, who was travelling to work, saw a man fitting the Allen's description. 

More follows...

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