News
Find news about Quakers, our press releases and press contact, as well as our internal publications.
Press contact: Cato Pedder | Tel: 020 7663 1138 | Mob: 07958 009703 | Email: media@quaker.org.uk | @MediaQuaker
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White Feather Day marks centenary
2 March 2016
One hundred years ago today conscription and conscientious objection became law. In the midst of World War I, Quaker MPs worked in parliament to ensure the recognition of the right to refuse to kill.
This was the first time in history that legal objection to military service for an individual had been granted.
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Sentenced for following conscience in Plane Stupid action
24 February 2016
Quaker activist Sam Sender of Ealing Quaker Meeting said he had been following his conscience when he protested against the expansion of Heathrow Airport.
He was given a six weeks sentence, suspended for 12 months, plus 120 hours' community service, at Willesden Magistrates Court on Wednesday 24 February. He is one of thirteen activists found guilty of aggravated trespass and entering a security restricted area at Heathrow airport during an action carried out by members of the independent grassroots pressure group, Plane Stupid.
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Ban on ethical choice undemocratic
16 February 2016
Government plans to ban local councils from making ethical choices in their pension investments and procurements are undemocratic, say Quakers in Britain.
Minister for the Cabinet Office, Matthew Hancock, is currently visiting Israel. During his visit, he is expected to announce full details of changes to the procurement guidance for all publicly funded institutions, including local councils and universities.
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Quakers urge government to back peer mediation
10 February 2016
The Peer Mediation Network today called on Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Education, to take steps to promote the comprehensive provision of conflict resolution education in schools.
The Network, which includes Quakers in Britain, wrote an open letter. It said, “Funding and government support for mediation and restorative approaches in schools has been variable, making provision haphazard. It is time for this to change."
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Quakers press for housing justice
5 February 2016
Soaring house prices, welfare cuts and loss of social housing have sparked a housing crisis. For Quakers at Yearly Meeting it was a hot topic and now they are questioning peers who are beginning a line by line examination of The Housing and Planning Bill in the House of Lords.
Quakers in Britain say this Bill is a missed opportunity for the government to reduce inequality in the housing system. Instead it will increase inequality between those who are home-owners and those who are not.
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Conscientious objection: 100 years on
23 January 2016
In the midst of World War I, as conscription came into force, Quakers worked with parliament to ensure men had the right to refuse to kill.
In 1916, with the Military Service Act, Britain became the first country to give legal recognition to individual conscience, now enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.