Photo by Timur Weber on Pexels.com Yesterday, the Minister for Homelessness, Rushanara Ali resigned after media reports emerged that she evicted tenants from a property she owned and then sought to re-let the property with rents increased by £700 a month. She stood accused of profiteering off the backs of tenants - the very thing… Continue reading The kind of leadership needed to end homelessness
Category: Social commentary
The daddy of social problems: grace, truth & fatherhood
Photo by Juan Pablo Serrano on Pexels.com Every year, Father’s Day produces a dilemma for public conversations: how do you acknowledge the importance of fathers, without causing upset or distress to those who have had negative experiences? It’s a balance that churches grapple with every year on Father’s Day. We need to be both sensitive… Continue reading The daddy of social problems: grace, truth & fatherhood
“If good people don’t grip difficult issues, bad people do”
Over the last 25 years, Louise Casey has made a name for tackling the most difficult social issues. A succession of governments, Labour and Conservative, have turned to her to address the challenges of rough sleeping, anti-social behaviour, troubled families, football violence and and police conduct. This week she published her ‘audit’ into how gangs… Continue reading “If good people don’t grip difficult issues, bad people do”
The kindness of strangers
On Friday night my wife and I had a great evening out with a few beers and a meal with old friends from my university. We got the bus home but after we had got off at our stop, I realised that I did not have my phone with me. I knew immediately what I… Continue reading The kindness of strangers
‘What it’s got to do with you?’: noisy phones on public transport
A few years ago, I was on the top deck of London bus on my way to work and saw a school boy sitting across from me, furiously graffitiing the back of the seat in front of him. Without thinking too much, I instinctively said: ‘Don’t do that’ He glared back a look of venomous… Continue reading ‘What it’s got to do with you?’: noisy phones on public transport
‘Adolescence’ could be the ‘Cathy Come Home’ for our generation
Cathy Come Home was a BBC1 drama broadcast in 1966 which shocked the nation by its portrayal of a family’s descent into homelessness. It was watched by a quarter of the population and produced a storm of phone calls to the BBC, discussion in Parliament and inspired the start of the homeless charity Crisis. One… Continue reading ‘Adolescence’ could be the ‘Cathy Come Home’ for our generation
Who are the positive male role models?
Recently I went to a local friend’s birthday party. In amongst the usual chat and catch ups, my friend Ian, whose sons were in primary school with mine, raised a great question to a group of us standing at the bar: “There are so few good male role models these days. Who are my boys… Continue reading Who are the positive male role models?
The dehumanising denial of work
Photo by Andrew Neel on Pexels.com Scenario 1: Pete At our church drop-in meal recently, one of our regular guests Pete* was telling me about how he lost his job. He was a lorry driver and loved the work until the company was taken over by a bigger firm. In order to maximise profit, the… Continue reading The dehumanising denial of work
Reclaiming social justice from toxic identity politics
Last week I was at Kings Cross station in London waiting for a train when a middle-aged man called Martin approached me begging for cash. I explained that I did not give money but would be happy to buy him something to eat and drink. Martin accepted this offer and as we walked to a… Continue reading Reclaiming social justice from toxic identity politics
Applauded, booed & heckled: David Brooks’ masterclass in public theology
David Brooks addressing the ARC conference, London, 2025 In these polarizing times, what kind of voices do we most need to listen to? Those who simply affirm our own sense of righteousness? Or those who challenge our own blind-spots and urge us to think more deeply? This week the conservative journalist David Brooks gave a… Continue reading Applauded, booed & heckled: David Brooks’ masterclass in public theology
Grace + Truth 