Cohabitation disadvantages children

"44 per cent of babies are now born to unmarried parents"

A new in-depth study has added to mounting evidence that being born outside of marriage damages children.

The report, compiled by researchers at the University of Essex, says that 44 per cent of babies are now born to unmarried parents. Cohabitees are estimated to make up three-quarters of those parents.

But the researchers say that since these unmarried unions are far more likely to break up, an increasing number of children are living in single parent families.

They say that children brought up by lone parents do worse at school, are less likely to get good jobs and suffer more health problems.

John Ermisch, Professor of Economics at the University of Essex, said: “The rise in births outside marriage is a real cause for concern.

“It is primarily attributable to the increase in people’s tendency to cohabit in their first partnership and to have children within these unions.

“The instability of these unions means, however, that more British children will spend significant parts of their childhood in families with only one parent - and this appears to have long-term negative consequences.”

Gay Labour

As we have watched the progress of successive Labour governments, so we have witnessed the increasing pressure on British people to embrace the Gay Lifestyle - or is it the Gay Religion?

Deputy Labour Leader Harriet Harman is reported to have said that the Government has “sleeper” ministers in various departments monitoring gay rights. While another Government Minister, Angela Eagle, promised that “deeper rights” for homosexuals would be included in the Equality Bill, which is expected to place new requirements on public bodies to promote equality.

Miss Eagle, displaying a lack of respect for the process of law, also said that the decision of an employment tribunal to uphold Lillian Ladele’s right to be exempt from performing civil partnerships “does not seem to be equal access to me”.

The two ministers were speaking at a fringe meeting of the Labour Party conference, organised by LGBT Labour (a group of lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender Labour supporters).

Miss Harman also said that the upcoming Equality Bill could present problems for faith schools, but insisted that “cultural views” must not be allowed to cut across “absolute rights”.

The Christian Institute has raised concerns about how the Bill may impact religious liberty.

When challenged from the floor, Miss Harman failed to give a defence for the appointment of Joel Edwards, the outgoing head of the Evangelical Alliance (EA), to the board of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The appointment has been criticised because of EA’s activities in campaigning for Christian freedoms to be protected from the impact of recent gay rights legislation.

It was left to a Government spokeswoman to later defended Mr Edwards’ appointment to the Commission.

Author "refused" BBC appearance

A successful Christian children’s author says he was refused appearances on the BBC because it couldn’t be “seen to be promoting Jesus”.

G P Taylor’s first novel, Shadowmancer, spent 15 weeks at the top of the British book charts in 2003. His second book, Wormwood, sold 22,000 copies in one day.

Yet the author claims that invitations for appearances on the BBC stopped once producers found out he was a Christian.

“I had good relations with them until they realised that there were religious allegories in my stories,” he told The Sunday Telegraph.

“Once they had decided that I was promoting Christianity in my books I found the door firmly shut.”

Mr Taylor said his faith meant that he was not welcome on children’s programmes like Blue Peter.

He said: “A BBC producer told me ‘off the record’ that it was a matter of my faith and the fact that I was an Anglican priest. ‘We can’t be seen to be promoting Jesus’, he said with a laugh.”
A spokesman for the BBC denied the allegations. “Programme makers make their own editorial decisions about which guests to have on their shows. There is no truth in the claim that there is a BBC ban on G P Taylor.”

However, Mr Taylor said: “They weren’t turning me down because I was a bad guest, but because of who I am.

“I’m an Anglican priest and sadly while it’s OK to be the next Philip Pullman, it’s not all right to be a Christian writer.
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Christmas and Easter banned in Scarborough college

A college in Yorkshire has removed Christmas and Easter from its staff calendar for fear of offending ethnic minorities.

Instead, the holidays will be referred to as “end of term breaks” in order to “increase inclusion and diversity”, say senior managers at Yorkshire Coast College in Scarborough, North Yorkshire.
A spokesman said: “All employees at Yorkshire Coast College are encouraged to closely follow guidelines set out by Ofsted for the promotion of equality and diversity. We constantly review the ways we communicate to ensure we do not discriminate.”

But the move has been branded “barmy” by Conservative MP for Scarborough and Whitby, Robert Goodwill.

“We are a Christian country and, to be honest, religious tolerance in this country is about respecting other people’s religious beliefs. We live in a country where there is a mutual respect for religious beliefs,” said Mr Goodwill.

He added that people are “petrified that they offend the minority but what they are actually doing is offending the majority. It’s political correctness gone mad and I am disappointed that it’s from an edict from Ofsted.”

Information about this, what could be seen as discriminatory decision, appeared in the Scarborough Evening News.

One comment which was placed on that newspaper's website read like this:-

"I now live in Turkey - a predominantly Muslim country.
As I sit here and type this, I can hear the local mosque calling the faithful to prayer. Oh yes - my local paper is open at the page advertising dozens of places open for Christmas Day lunch. Must be a message there."

Another example of Bonkers Britain!