Latest news with #DannyKruger
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
MP meets volunteers supporting armed forces families
An MP has visited volunteers who provide "confidential support" for people in the armed forces. Danny Kruger, MP for East Wiltshire, visited the Salisbury Plain Community Serving Team (SCT) of SSAFA. SCTs provide financial, practical, and emotional support for reservists, serving personnel, and their families, and operate independently of the chain of command. In 2024, more than 4,800 people sought support from SCTs. Mr Kruger met with various members of the SCT, including volunteer Julia Coxon, who is a military spouse and mother-of-two. Ms Coxon shared insights on common challenges faced by military families, such as frequent relocations, isolation, employment challenges for spouses, and emotional and financial strains. She told the MP about the "incredible work" the SCT does for those living in the Salisbury Plain area, which includes Tidworth, Bulford, and Ludgershall. She said: "It was a pleasure to meet with Danny Kruger MP and talk through the incredible work our Serving Community Team delivers across Salisbury Plain, which ranges from practical and emotional assistance to hosting local events. "Together, we discussed the real-life challenges military personnel and their families currently face, from financial pressures to emotional hurdles, and discussed our ongoing efforts to strengthen our support throughout the area." READ MORE: MP: 'The uncertain future of our Ukrainian guests living in and around Salisbury' Charity calls on new minister to push for progress on promised renters bill Housing freedoms to be introduced for military families in South East Mr Kruger praised the efforts of the SCT. He said: "Many people will have heard of SSAFA, but won't be aware of the work they do on the ground in our communities to ensure military personnel and their families do not feel isolated or unsupported. "I was delighted to meet Julia from SSAFA's Salisbury Plain Serving Community Team to hear more about the excellent work they do. "Julia and her fellow volunteers offer support, from friendship and community outreach to practical help, for service families in our area. "I'm grateful to them for all they do, and am keen to work with them however I can." Salisbury Plain SCT, like all others around the country and overseas, is a vital part of its community and frequently hosts events and gatherings. Serving personnel and their families can learn more about SCTs by searching for "SSAFA SCT".
Spectator
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
Could Danny Kruger save the Conservatives?
I've seen signs of life in the Conservative party – unlikely I know, but true. I had thought it a dead thing, dripping its life-blood slowly into Reform. But ten days ago I saw on YouTube a speech that a Tory MP gave in the House of Commons and… I don't know. I felt hope. The MP was Danny Kruger, member for East Wiltshire, and as it happens he's a friend of mine. I'll say straight away then that this is absolutely not an attempt to promote him as next leader, though the post-Kemi era does seem to be approaching fast. For one thing, Kruger is a middle-aged white Etonian, cursed by association with the last two Etonian PMs. For another, from what I've seen of it, high office acts like high altitude on humans. The rarified air gets to them in the end. They go crackers for want of normality, and when they descend their brains have changed. Fundamentally decent men become deluded – Rishi. The others – Boris – live as high-functioning addicts, dreaming of the next power-fix. So it's not that I have ideas about party leadership. It's just that I'd clean forgotten it's even possible for a politician to stick their neck out in public – to state simply what they believe – and how powerful that is. Kruger's speech, addressed to his fellow MPs, made the point that this country is Christian in its bones and in its beginnings and that, like it or not, through the parish system, we are all members of the Church of England. If there's a crisis in this country, he said, which there indisputably is – an epidemic of anxiety and hopelessness in the young, among adults even talk of civil war – then it's to Christianity that we should turn. I know: sky fairies and invisible friends – perhaps you thought we'd outgrown them. There are two religions moving into the space from which Christianity has been ejected, said Kruger. One is Islam; the other is wokery, which has become competitive oppression – victim-signalling, you could call it. 'I don't think that 'woke' does justice to its seriousness,' said Kruger. 'It is a combination of ancient paganism, Christian heresies and the cult of modernism all mashed up into a deeply mistaken and deeply dangerous ideology of power that is hostile to the essential objects of our affections and our loyalties: families, communities and nations… It must simply be destroyed at least as a public doctrine. It must be banished from public life from schools and universities and from businesses in public services.' It was a Thursday afternoon, about 4 p.m. when Kruger addressed the House. Most MPs, having lunched, had drifted back to their constituencies, so you have to picture the MP for East Wiltshire delivering this tub-thumper to an almost entirely empty chamber: row upon row of plump green benches, punctuated with just the odd crumpled suit. 'The fact is that the strong gods are back, and we have to choose which god to worship,' said Kruger, undaunted. 'I suggest we worship the God who came in the weakest form, Jesus Christ.' The room may have been empty but more than three million people have now watched the footage online. The comments keep rolling in, thousands of them: 'Don't worry, we're listening, Danny.' 'We're here even though your colleagues aren't. Bravo!' It's the response, as much as the speech, that has given me hope. For decades now, the Conservative party has considered Christianity embarrassing. And Danny Kruger's faith has cost him. He converted at a time when the only acceptable form of Christian faith in the Conservative party was the David Cameron sort – a faint and flickering radio signal, low vol. Even the friends we share from university will usually preface talk of meeting with a little verbal dance designed to ward off stigma: 'I'm having dinner with Danny, I mean, I can't stand Christians but…' I've often wondered how they'd react if they heard this in the context of another religion: 'I'm off to meet Sadiq. Yeah, I can't stand Muslims but…' Three years ago Kruger gave another speech in the Commons, this one about the importance of not importing American culture wars over abortion. In it, he reminded his peers that 'in the case of abortion' a woman's 'absolute right to bodily autonomy… is qualified by the fact that another body is involved'. He wasn't advocating changing the law, just reminding everyone that somewhere along the journey towards birth the baby acquires rights of its own. It was fascinating to me that as a result of this reasonable speech, Danny became unacceptable to whole swaths of his constituents – and how instinctive their reaction was. Asking reasonable, ethical conservatives to engage with his argument was like asking snakes to wrap themselves around a hot pipe. They'd wince and flail, sidle off. Too embarrassing. Not what People Like Us say. But the point for the party perhaps is that it's People Like Us who are now old hat. The world has changed, young people have changed. It's not the 1990s any more. Look at the growing appetite for Jordan Peterson, who points to the Bible as a store of wisdom. Look at The Spectator's recent 'Recovering the Sacred' event. Damian Thompson, presenter of the Holy Smoke podcast, presided; the editor spoke alongside two priests and a Regius Professor of Divinity. The event was sold out. My Catholic priest friend who has a church in central London says that the size of his congregation has doubled, and it's young people from all over the world filling the pews. Orthodox Christianity is on the rise in America, Catholicism in France. And Danny's right, the old gods are back, too. In Silicon Valley, among the young tech lords who actually shape our future, the talk is about which of the biblical demons they are summoning as AI evolves. I'm serious about this. It's normal in the valley to discuss Moloch and Ba'al over sushi. There's an opportunity here, but only if the Conservatives have the courage to embrace this country's founding faith.
Daily Record
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Record
DWP urged to review Motability scheme as part of new welfare reforms
Conservative MP Danny Kruger has urged the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to include a review of the Motability scheme as part of the UK Government's planned benefits reforms. The shadow minister put the suggestion to the senior DWP ministerial team on Monday during oral questions. The MP for East Wiltshire said: 'One area where the Government do not seem to be looking for savings is in the Motability scheme. It was supposed to help physically disabled people get around, but now we have 100,000 new people a year joining the scheme, many of them not physically disabled at all.' He highlighted how one in five of all new car purchases are bought through the Motability scheme which is 'costing taxpayers nearly £3 billion a year'. Mr Kruger added: 'I know that the Minister will blame us (Conservative party) for the system, but the fact is that the Government are not even looking at Motability. They have had a year, and it is their policy now. Will the Minister commit to a proper review of the Motability scheme, and if not, why not?' Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms, responded: 'I am not sure whether the shadow Minister wants me to go further or not so far - he seems to be facing both ways. He is right that we are not at this point proposing any changes to the Motability scheme.' The Motability Scheme enables people in receipt of a disability benefit, with an award for the higher or enhanced rate of the mobility component, to transfer some or all of the payment to lease a new car, wheelchair-accessible vehicle, scooter or powered wheelchair. As well as a new car, customers also benefit from insurance, breakdown assistance, servicing, maintenance, tyres and windscreen repairs as part of the package. The latest price list for leasing packages shows there are now more than 800 vehicles to choose from. It's important to be aware the DWP does not oversee the scheme, but instead facilitates a direct transfer to Motability of a claimant's payment - in part or full - if they elect to join the nationwide scheme. The higher rate of the mobility part of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is worth £77.05 each week, some £308.20 every four-week payment period. The latest figures from the charity behind the Motability Scheme (Motability Operations) show there are now 815,000 customers across the UK, including around 80,000 living in Scotland. The Motability Scheme, or Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme as it is known for those on devolved disability benefits such as Adult Disability Payment (ADP) or Child Disability Payment (CDP), offers an affordable way for disabled people to get around outside more easily. PIP reforms There are currently 3.7 million people across Great Britain in claim for PIP, however, the UK Government expects that figure to rise by a further 750,000 to 4m by the end of the decade and has proposed a raft of new measures to make the benefit sustainable for future generations. Proposed package of reforms to overhaul the welfare system, include: Ending reassessments for disabled people who will never be able to work and people with lifelong conditions to ensure they can live with dignity and security. Scrapping the Work Capability Assessment to end the process that drives people into dependency, delivering on the UK Government's manifesto commitment to reform or replace it. Providing improved employment support backed by £1 billion including new tailored support conversations for people on health and disability benefits to break down barriers and unlock work. Legislating to protect those on health and disability benefits from reassessment or losing their payments if they take a chance on work. To ensure the welfare system is available for those with the greatest needs now and in the future, the UK Government has made decisions to improve its sustainability and protect those who need it most. These include: Reintroducing reassessments for people on incapacity benefits who have the capability to work to ensure they have the right support and are not written off. Targeting PIP for those with higher needs by changing the eligibility requirement to a minimum score of four on at least one of the daily living activities to receive the daily living element of the benefit, in addition to the existing eligibility criteria. Rebalancing payment levels in Universal Credit to improve the Standard Allowance. Consulting on delaying access to the health element of Universal Credit until someone is aged 22 and reinvesting savings into work support and training opportunities through the Youth Guarantee. DWP also launched an online consultation on the new proposals to coincide with the publication of the Green paper. The consultation can be completed by anyone and is open until 11.59pm on Monday June 30, 2025 - you can find full details on here. It's important to be aware that the proposed reforms announced by the DWP will not affect people in Scotland claiming Adult Disability Payment. The Scottish Government announced earlier this week it has no plans to mirror the proposed changes to devolved disability benefits.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opponents of assisted dying vow to fight on as MPs back Bill
Opponents of assisted dying have urged the House of Lords to give Kim Leadbeater's Bill 'the scrutiny that it needs' after MPs narrowly backed the legislation. Ms Leadbeater's Bill passed what could be its final Commons hurdle by 23 votes, down from the majority of 55 it secured when MPs first voted on it in November. The Spen Valley MP declared 'thank goodness' after the result while Rebecca Wilcox, daughter of campaigner Dame Esther Rantzen, said it was 'wonderful' the result had come ahead of her mother's birthday. But opponents vowed to fight on against what they called a 'deeply flawed Bill'. A group of 27 Labour MPs who voted against the legislation said: 'We were elected to represent both of those groups and are still deeply concerned about the risks in this Bill of coercion of the old and discrimination against the disabled, people with anorexia and black, Asian and minority ethnic people, who we know do not receive equitable health care. 'As the Bill moves to the House of Lords it must receive the scrutiny that it needs. Not about the principles of assisted dying but its application in this deeply flawed Bill.' But Ms Leadbeater told the PA news agency she hoped there would be no 'funny games' in the Lords, as her Bill faces further tough hurdles in the upper chamber. She added: 'I would be upset to think that anybody was playing games with such an important and such an emotional issue.' Meanwhile, one of the leading opponents of the Bill, Conservative Danny Kruger, described its supporters as 'enemies', saying he felt 'like Evelyn Waugh at the time of the Nazi-Soviet Pact in 1939'. In a series of tweets on Friday night, the East Wiltshire MP accused assisted dying campaigners of being 'militant anti-Christians' who had failed to 'engage with the detail of the Bill'. He added: 'It's the revenge of the middle-aged against their dependents.' Ms Leadbeater's Terminally Ill Adults (End Of Life) Bill will now proceed to the House of Lords, where it will undergo further scrutiny before becoming law, should peers decide to back the legislation. But some peers have already spoken out against the legislation, with the Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Mullally, saying they 'must oppose' the Bill as 'unworkable and unsafe'.
The Guardian
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Church of England should rethink automatic secrecy of misconduct hearings, say MPs
Church of England proposals for church courts to automatically be held in secret should be reconsidered, a parliamentary committee has warned. The clergy conduct measure is intended to propose the existing clergy disciplinary measure, which has been extensively criticised for failing to tackle allegations of serious or sexual misconduct against clergy. Under the terms of the new measure, when an allegation of misconduct is made against clergy 'the tribunal or court is to sit in private except in a case where' certain conditions are met, such as a public hearing being requested by the defendant. MPs and peers sitting on the ecclesiastical committee told church representatives on Tuesday that members of the public had expressed concern to them about the new proposals. Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, the chair of the committee and a former head of the courts, urged the witnesses 'to look at sitting in public, because that's an issue which a number of people have raised, and I share the concern. It is fair to say family courts sit in private, but we do try to sit in public when we can.' Al Pinkerton, the Liberal Democrat MP for Surrey Heath, said that 'the fact that it is private by default and public by exception certainly has raised more than one eyebrow'. He continued: 'The fact that I've had as much correspondence as I have suggests that you have perhaps got this the wrong way round.' Danny Kruger, the Conservative MP for East Wiltshire, said that the measure would leave the Church of England out of step with other disciplinary systems. 'My understanding is that most comparable tribunals in the secular space – whether that's in respect of medical practitioners, even police misconduct hearings, the bar, military court service – the default setting in those cases is that the proceedings will be public,' he said. Edward Dobson, the church's legal adviser, disputed the characterisation of the measure. 'These are not secret hearings,' he said. 'These are private hearings, where the evidence is taken in private, and it is important to distinguish between those two concepts.' He said the General Synod, the Church of England's legislative assembly, had rejected an amendment for hearings to ordinarily be public. 'It was felt very strongly that the interests of children in particular, vulnerable adults, those giving evidence, were best met, and evidence was achieved best, with a broad confidentiality,' he said. Clive Scowen, who moved the amendment, said: 'My view is that, because of the genuine public interest in the conduct of the clergy of the established church and the current climate of openness and transparency concerning judicial proceedings generally, hearings should be in public unless the tribunal finds there is a good reason for them to be in private.' He said that even though his amendment had been rejected, 'the new measure as a whole is a great improvement on the current legislation' and he hoped parliament would approve it. According to minutes of the proceedings where Scowen's amendment was rejected, a committee of the General Synod discussed how 'other professional tribunals, such as General Medical Council hearings, sit in private due to the confidentiality of patient information'. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion However, a spokesperson for the GMC said that this was wrong, and that the GMC did not hold hearings. The spokesperson said that when the GMC had concerns about doctors, it presented evidence to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, and that such hearings were ordinarily public. A spokesperson for House of Survivors, a campaign group for victims of clerical abuse, said: 'Secrecy as a starting point is not a good look. There are situations and times where private hearings may be called for. But that should be much better judged in each situation, rather than a blanket approach.' The spokesperson stressed that the group believed the Church of England should be subject to the Freedom of Information Act, from which it is immune. 'The Church of England has gotten away with far too much secrecy. A lot of problems are to do with a lack of transparency, a lack of accountability, at a very senior level,' he said. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support for rape and sexual abuse on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at
