Latest News
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Quakers assist election in Congo
Quakers from Kinshasa Monthly Meeting have acted as election observers in the presidential election, held on November 28, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. -
Quaker statement on Occupy movement
British Quakers have formally expressed their support for the ‘Occupy’ movement as controversy continues over the protest camp outside St Paul’s Cathedral. The decision follows strong support for the movement from individual Friends, and several calls for Quakers to give their backing at a national level. A statement from Quakers… -
Quaker school best in Northern Ireland
Friends School, Lisburn, has been named the top secondary school in Northern Ireland in the prestigious Sunday Times Schools’ Guide. It was founded in 1774 and has grown from a boarding school for thirty Quaker children to a thriving state grammar school with 980 students in the senior school and… -
Census boycotters in court
Prosecutions have begun against people who boycotted this year’s census in protest against the arms industry. Boycotters in England and Wales are angry that the census contract was awarded to multinational arms company Lockheed Martin. In Scotland and Northern Ireland there was opposition over the role of arms firm CACI…
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Baptist Times set to close
One of Britain’s most prominent religious publications is set to close down after more than 150 years. The Baptist Times will cease publication in December. The paper’s directors attributed the decision to ‘falling circulation and difficulties of selling advertising space’. Due to financial problems, the paper has relied for several… -
Work begins on Stockport Hydro site
Construction work has begun at Otterspool Weir, Marple, site of Stockport’s first community-owned hydro electricity plant. The plant is supported by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (see ‘Water power rising’, 1 April). The plant will generate enough electricity for around fifty homes for the next forty years or more. -
The people’s security service
The world has its ‘first civil society intelligence agency’. That’s how the founders describe Open Briefing, an organisation set up with Quaker support. Open Briefing aims to provide comments and research on intelligence, defence and security. There is likely to be a focus on long-term approaches to the root causes… -
UK sends arms mission to Libya
Ministers are planning a trade mission to sell arms to the new Libyan government. The decision has been described as ‘shameless’ by the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT). UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), a unit of the Department for Business, is planning a trade delegation in March on behalf of… -
Chancellor closes loophole
British Quakers are celebrating a campaign success following the government’s decision to close a loophole that has allowed corporations to avoid millions of pounds in tax. The chancellor of the exchequer, George Osborne, made the announcement only weeks after being lobbied on the issue by Friends and other Christian-based groups… -
Roy Prockter case going to the European Court of Human Rights
A Quaker is to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) after being convicted of withholding income tax. Roy Prockter, of Clacton-on-Sea Meeting, has refused to hand over money that could be used for war. A judge last week refused him leave to appeal within English…
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