People travelling between the UK and the Irish Republic face fresh delays and tighter immigration controls after the government rejected a House of Lords' amendment to the Borders, Citizenship and immigration Bill.
Local residents came together recently as Spotland Community Centre held an open day exhibition. Residents were invited down to get information on a wide range of issues including welfare rights, how to cut crime and the local environment.
Rochdale MP Paul Rowen has urged the Government to act on recommendations published this week by the 'Digital Britain Report' which suggest that part of the television licence fee should be used to fund regional television broadcasting. The report, which was announced this week in the Parliament, was launched last October to set out a number of recommendations to the Government as Britain switches over to digital.
Barnoldswick Liberal Democrat councillor, Cllr Marjorie Adams, has become the latest Mayor to break with convention and opt for a secular celebration instead of the traditional church service that is part of the traditional ceremony in Pendle. She has also declined to appoint a religious chaplain. LDHS congratulates the Mayor of Pendle for the principled position she has taken and hopes it will encourage other civic office holders to follow her example.
While it is welcomed in principle the new equality bill preserves too much religious privilege. It imports the exemptions that exist in the current legislation that allow employment discrimination by religious groups (for example in church schools). With more and more public services being contracted-out to a variety of organisations there is increasing concern that where these are religious in nature they are able to discriminate against those who receive the services that they provide.
Letter to Shropshire Star sent 16th June 2009