Judge hits out at 24-hour drinking
A judge has blasted 24-hour licensing laws after sentencing yet another troublemaker for a late night drunken brawl. Supermarkets have also been slammed this week for slashing the price of a pint to 40p ahead of the World Cup. Judge Christopher Harvey Clark QC is calling for a review of 24-hour licensing laws after becoming frustrated at dealing with cases of drunken violence ‘almost on a daily basis’. This latest case involved a 31-year-old former soldier from Bournemouth, who attacked his victim after he flicked a kebab in his face during a night out. Judge Harvey Clark said: ‘Speaking as someone who has to deal with such violence, almost on a daily basis, there is far too much violence and drunkenness on the streets of Bournemouth late at night. It may, in part, be due to the relaxation of the licensing laws. I would hope that relaxation is reviewed in the foreseeable future.’
Pray: that the 24-hour drinking law will be reviewed in the near future. (Joel.1:5)
More: http://www.christian.org.uk/news/judge-hits-out-at-24-hour-drinking/
Ban council's Christian prayers, say secularists
A secular campaign group is trying to use the courts to ban a North Devon Council from starting its meetings with Christian prayers. Bideford Town Council has had prayers at its meetings since the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, but now the National Secular Society (NSS) says the practice infringes on the human rights of non-believers. Mike Judge, head of communications at The Christian Institute, said: ‘It’s a tradition that’s gone on for hundreds of years. This is really a move by aggressive atheism trying to shove Christianity out of public life.’ Reports say Bideford Council won’t be able to afford top lawyers to fight the case. But Mr Judge said: ‘The council shouldn’t back down. It isn’t in breach of human rights law. Parliament has prayers, is Parliament illegal?’ A survey by the Daily Mail of 181 councils in England and Wales found 118 start their meetings with a prayer – of which nearly all were Christian.
Pray: For Bideford Council as they defend their right to start meetings with prayer. (1Ti.2:8)