Latest news with #StephenCottrell
The Guardian
23-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Dozens of former UK diplomats urge Starmer to recognise Palestinian state
Dozens of former UK ambassadors and diplomats have piled pressure on Keir Starmer to recognise a Palestinian state amid growing international revulsion at the harrowing scenes in Gaza. Their letter to the prime minister came as the archbishop of York condemned the dehumanisation of people in Gaza as 'depraved' and 'barbaric'. It was 'a stain on the conscience of the international community', and Israel's 'war of aggression' was a 'grave sin', said Stephen Cottrell, currently the de facto leader of the Church of England. The strength of the language used by Cottrell is a reflection of rapidly shifting opinion as images of starving children and accounts of civilians being killed as they try to secure food for their families emerge from Gaza. In Starmer's cabinet, there has been a growing sense of horror and despair in recent weeks over Israel's actions and scenes in Gaza. This week, Wes Streeting, the health secretary, publicly called for recognition while there was 'still a state of Palestine left to recognise' and condemned Israeli actions that went 'well beyond legitimate self-defence'. On Wednesday, Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, urged the UK government to recognise a Palestinian state immediately, saying the scenes in Gaza were 'absolutely harrowing'. In a statement on X, he wrote: 'The international community – including our own government – must do far more to pressure the Israeli government to stop this horrific, senseless killing and let vital, life-saving aid in. Nothing justifies the actions of the Israeli government.' The letter to Starmer, which was signed by more than 30 former UK ambassadors and 20 former senior British diplomats at the United Nations, said the status quo in Gaza could be broken by recognising the state of Palestine. 'The risks of inaction have profound, historic and catastrophic implications,' it said. The state of Israel 'cannot be secure from threats in the future if the question of Palestine is not taken forward to a political settlement'. It added: 'In the face of the current horror and impunity, words are not enough … A partial suspension of arms sales, delays on trade talks and limited sanctions are far from the full extent of the pressure the UK can bring to bear on Israel.' Recognising a Palestinian state would be a 'foundational first step towards breaking the deadly status quo', the letter said. Signatories included the former UK ambassadors to Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Syria and Turkey. The letter reflects deep concern among former diplomats that Starmer appears reluctant to engage with the Middle East crisis, or understand that ineffective action will do little to assuage British reputation in the region. One of the signatories said the letter reflected a strong current of opinion inside the Foreign Office over the recognition issue, but such a claim is hard to test. Cottrell's statement, issued on Wednesday, said: 'With each passing day in Gaza, the violence, starvation and dehumanisation being inflicted on the civilian population by the government of Israel becomes more depraved and unconscionable. Sign up to Headlines UK Get the day's headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion 'In the name of God, I cry out against this barbaric assault on human life and dignity. It is a stain on the conscience of the international community, and a flagrant breach of international humanitarian law.' He added: 'I have condemned many times the horrific Hamas attacks on 7 October, and I continue to call for the release of those still cruelly held hostage. We deplore every assault on the innocent. But … this war is now one of aggression – it is a grave sin and it must stop.' Cottrell called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages and captives and for the rebuilding of Gaza. Any policy 'that would amount to the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian population from Gaza' must be rejected, he said. Earlier on Wednesday, 111 aid organisations said 'mass starvation' was spreading in Gaza as a result of continued Israeli restrictions on how aid arrived and was distributed in the territory. The organisations, including Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Save the Children and Oxfam, said: 'Our colleagues and those we serve are wasting away.' Israel claims aid is being allowed to enter Gaza but it is being stolen by Hamas. There have been repeated incidents of civilians being shot while trying to access food from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an organisation backed by Israel that replaced the UN aid infrastructure in May. The UN says Israeli forces have since killed more than 1,000 Palestinians trying to get food. The UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, who said he felt 'appalled, sickened' by the scenes of starving Palestinians being shot as they sought food, said Britain would 'play its part' in reaching a two-state solution.
The Guardian
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Church must ‘turn back' public opinion on assisted dying, says archbishop
Members of the Church of England should work to 'withstand and even turn back' the forces of public opinion 'that risk making … assisted dying a reality in our national life', the archbishop of York has said. Speaking to the church's General Synod on Friday, Stephen Cottrell said permitting assisted dying would 'change forever the contract between doctor and patient, pressurising the vulnerable and assuming an authority over death that belongs to God alone'. MPs voted last month to pass a bill giving some terminally ill adults in England and Wales the legal right to be assisted to end their lives. It will now pass to the House of Lords, where 26 Anglican bishops sit by right, for further scrutiny. As archbishop of York, Cottrell is the second most senior cleric in the Anglican church and currently its de facto leader after the resignation of Justin Welby as archbishop of Canterbury last year. Addressing the church's governing body on Friday in York, Cottrell thanked the bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, and the other Lords Spiritual 'for their principled and persistent opposition to the assisted dying bill in parliament, which we now have a chance to debate as well'. He said his view of 'the dignity and value of every life and every moment of life' came from his Christian faith. 'Although we may take for granted the Christian roots of our shared values and legal system in this country, it would be wise to remember that other philosophies and worldviews teach different things and may not uphold the dignity and value of life in the same way,' he said. He added: 'When we lose something as foundational as decisions over life and death, we are in danger of losing other safeguards and provisions as well.' Referring obliquely to Welby's resignation, which followed the publication of a damning report on his handling of one of the CofE's worst abuse cases, Cottrell said the church had been 'humbled' over the past year. 'God has humbled us in so many ways this year,' he said. 'It has not been easy, but if it has made us more penitent, more determined to put victims and survivors first, more resolved to sort out all sorts of things to do with clergy discipline and accountability, terms of service, independent safeguarding, and other things besides, then … God the Redeemer who believes in the church is at work among us.' The archbishop previously told the Guardian that the report's publication and Welby's resignation had led to an 'unprecedented crisis' in the church. Eight months after Welby's resignation in November, the church is still far from deciding on his successor – a process that is expected to take up to a year. Cottrell said he wanted the organisation to become 'a simpler and a humbler and a bolder church'. 'Despite our failings, the people of this land have not given up on the gospel of Jesus Christ,' he said.
The Independent
11-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Authority over death belongs to God alone, Church of England leader warns
Authority over death belongs to God only, the Church of England's parliament has been told as its current highest-ranking bishop spoke out against assisted dying. Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell praised a colleague and member of the House of Lords for her 'principled and persistent opposition' to proposed legislation being considered at Westminster. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill cleared the House of Commons last month in a historic vote, bringing assisted dying closer to becoming law in England and Wales. It has now moved to the House of Lords where it will undergo further debate and scrutiny. In the immediate aftermath of the June vote, Bishop of London Dame Sarah Mullally, who sits in the House of Lords, said peers 'must oppose' the Bill when it reaches them due to the 'mounting evidence that it is unworkable and unsafe'. She is among those opposed who have called for more work to improve funding and access to 'desperately needed' palliative care services instead. Addressing the Church of England General Synod – also known as the Church's parliament – on Friday, Mr Cottrell voiced his staunch opposition to the Bill. He said there was a 'compelling narrative of what it means to be human – and in all our glorious diversity, made in the image of God, and living Jesus-shaped lives – that will enable us to withstand, and even turn back, those utilitarian tides of opinion that risk making, for instance, assisted dying a reality in our national life, changing forever the contract between doctor and patient, pressurising the vulnerable, and assuming an authority over death that belongs to God alone'. Mr Cottrell – who is the temporary leading religious voice of the Church while the appointment of a new Archbishop of Canterbury is awaited – thanked Dame Sarah and 'other Lords Spiritual for their principled and persistent opposition to the assisted dying Bill in Parliament'. It is expected Synod members will engage in a debate on assisted dying during this five-day session. Making the case for assisted dying ahead of last month's vote, a terminally ill Christian preacher criticised the 'nonsensical' religious argument against assisted dying that suffering must be part of life. Church of England lay preacher Pamela Fisher, who is terminally ill with cancer, made an impassioned speech against the religious arguments made by some who oppose assisted dying. Speaking to reporters in June, she said: 'I completely reject the assumption that the sanctity of life requires terminally ill people to undergo a distressing and painful death against their will. 'I disagree with those that say it is God alone who decides how and when we die. 'Yes, life is a gift from God to be honoured but it's nonsensical to say that assisted dying is wrong because suffering is part of God's plan for us.' The proposed legislation would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. Elsewhere in his opening address to Synod, Mr Cottrell acknowledged, in an apparent reference to controversy around the handling of abuse scandals over the years, that the Church of England had been 'humbled' of late. He said: 'God has humbled us in so many ways this year. 'It has not been easy, but if it has made us more penitent, more determined to put victims and survivors first, more resolved to sort out all sorts of things to do with clergy discipline and accountability, terms of service, independent safeguarding, and other things besides, then, Synod, God the Redeemer, who believes in his Church, is at work among us.'
BBC News
07-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Archbishop praises 'living tradition' of Tynwald Day ceremony
The Archbishop of York has said he is "honoured" to be taking part in the "living traditions" of the Tynwald Day Reverend Stephen Cottrell will be delivering the blessing at the end of the church service in the Royal Chapel of St John's before the annual open-air sitting of the parliament on Tynwald Hill. Mr Cottrell said: "I'll be fascinated to witness it, but very honoured to take a small part in it."He said he had been told about the ceremony on previous visits to the island so was "very much looking forward to being part of those celebrations". "I'm a member of the House of Lords in England myself, so I'm not unfamiliar with ancient parliaments and their traditions," he said."I think what I'm impressed about is it's not a historic pageant, Tynwald Day, it is a living tradition. It's part of who you are on this island today."And I think those living traditions are very important, they demonstrate our continuity with those who went before us."But they're also a way of reasserting in a good way our identity. This is who we are, this is how we do things." The archbishop has been visiting the island as part of his Lord's Prayer tour around the northern parish of the Church of included a service at Cathedral Isle of Man, in Peel, on Sunday Cottrell said the purpose of the tour was "to teach people about the Lord's Prayer, which is not just a prayer, it's a way of thinking about how we live out live"."Some of us say it so often - if we're honest rattle it off - that [we] don't stop to think about what it means," he added. He said he was particularly keen to highlight the line "give us today our daily bread" because it offered a chance for people to reflect on how much they the Lord's Prayer tour is about thinking about the Lord's Prayer, what it means, and how it might change your life, how it might actually change the world."It's easy for me to say it because I somebody who does have more than enough."But, he added, "I know there are many people living here on the Isle of Man and indeed across the world who don't have enough".He said the "answer is for us to learn how to share more equitably". Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
The Independent
22-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Do we actually need a new Archbishop of Canterbury?
Here's a tale of two versions of the Church of England. This past week, I've been talking to some of the churchwardens, parochial church council secretaries and treasurers, curates and vicars, who not only put on services and keep food banks and lunch clubs going, but are responsible for repairing the roofs and rebuilding the buttresses. And then there's the other Church of England – the one that is represented by its high-ups, that I usually come into contact with at this time of year when the Archbishop of Canterbury hosts his summer party at his Lambeth Palace home. But this year, there is no clinking of glasses and the Archbishop's apartment lies empty. Justin Welby, who dramatically resigned in November, days after a report into a prolific child abuser associated with the Church of England, finally moved out earlier this summer. If that departure took a long time, then finding his replacement is taking even longer, and is now predicted to last until the end of the year – 12 months on from his resignation. As my conversations with the people who attend and run Anglican churches highlighted, for them it is business as usual – regardless of Welby quitting just before Christmas. Meanwhile, Stephen Cottrell, who has the CofE's number two job as Archbishop of York, can sign off any urgent institutional business, while he offers spiritual leadership by way of his current tour of the north, talking about the Lord's Prayer. So, if the Church of England has carried on regardless, might it not just give up on the protracted process of finding a replacement for Welby? Well, it might not affect Matins in Maidstone or Evensong in Evesham, but it's a certainly a problem for the established Anglican Church. The Archbishop of Canterbury is always one of the 26 Anglican bishops in the House of Lords, and Welby's speeches were frequently reported on (including his final one, viewed as tone-deaf). Now there's a void. Then there's the order of precedence; the Archbishop of Canterbury is always first after the Royal Family in this country, so when Donald Trump makes his state visit to Britain in the autumn, there will be an ecclesiastical-shaped hole at the state banquet (unless Cottrell returns from his tour of the north to play stand-in). Welby's most prominent moment, of course, as part of Establishment Britain, came with his crowning of the King at the Coronation. But there's more to the relationship than that. Meetings may not be as frequent as the weekly audience of the prime minister, but the private talks between the archbishop and the regal Supreme Governor of the Church of England do happen. It is this aspect of the Church of England – being the established church – that is causing the problem with finding a successor to Welby. A 20-strong Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) headed by former MI5 boss Lord Jonathan Evans with representatives of the Church of England and the Crown is wading through paperwork, studying comments sent in by the public and assessing candidates. A quarter of the CNC represents the global Anglican Communion. One can imagine the hours of discussion about hot-button topics such as same-sex blessings and whether the Archbishop might be a woman this time. And after that, the chosen name must be submitted to the prime minister and approved by the King. There is, of course, a simpler way of choosing a church leader. I know, as a Roman Catholic, that I will seem parti-pris, and this will send Henry VIII spinning his grave (no bad thing), but the Vatican knows how to make people focus on the task in hand. So, Church of England: stick all the members of the CNC in a locked room and only let them out when they've made a decision. It worked for Rome. The conclave took just two days to elect Pope Leo XIV. Why not have an Anglican conclave, put everyone out of their misery and send up some white smoke?
