What's CARE achieved over the last parliamentary year?

The current Westminster Parliamentary Session has now ended, and a Queen’s Speech, formally opening the new session of parliament, has been announced for 10 May. It’s a fantastic opportunity to take stock, reflect on the faithfulness and goodness of God, and acknowledge some of the challenges we anticipate in the coming year.

If I were to summarise the last 12 months of legislation from CARE’s perspective, I’d say there have been immense challenges and frustrations. Such is the nature of faithful, Christian advocacy in a fallen world. But we’ve also seen God’s goodness and help, and I wanted to highlight some of the encouragements in our advocacy and public affairs work. I hope you’ll forgive a longer than normal email, but the following information is crucial to help us prepare and pray.

We’ve been involved in stopping dangerous proposals that threaten human life, including:

• A Bill introduced by Baroness Meacher to introduce assisted suicide.

• A cynical assisted suicide amendment to the Health and Care Bill.

• Multiple attempts to drastically change and further liberalise the law on abortion in England and Wales.

We’ve helped see positive changes begin their journey to becoming law, including:

• A vital amendment giving people in England a legal right to access specialist palliative care.

• A Government commitment to age checks on all pornographic websites AND on social media platforms as well

• A landmark Down Syndrome Bill that will ensure local authorities provide specific support

We’ve led progress on another key CARE campaign:

• The Government committed to giving confirmed modern slavery victims at least 12 months support for the first time ever!

And thanks to your support, we were also instrumental in:

• Publishing another hard-hitting report raising awareness of inequalities in the tax system, especially how they treat families.

• Speaking to the Government about protecting church freedoms in any conversion therapy ban.

• Making the case for robust new laws to protect people from gambling related harms.

CARE’s also been speaking out in the media, providing comment from a Christian perspective:

• I wrote for The Times on the need for urgent reforms to our gambling laws

• Our Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation Officer, Lauren, discussed prostitution on a Channel 4 programme

• James appeared on GB News to talk about the incredible impact of Christianity

• Our Scotland Team wrote numerous articles for The Scotsman, like this one on the risks of legalising assisted suicide.

That’s not to mention all the publications we’ve produced or the work we’ve done to inspire the church of Jesus Christ to be light and salt.

Of course, we must be realistic about the challenges we’re seeing too. From ongoing pressure to legalise assisted suicide, to upcoming government legislation to ban conversion therapy which, if poorly drafted, could impact on religious freedom for churches.

The upcoming Queen’s Speech is where the UK Government will set out its legislative agenda for the next parliamentary session. We’re fully expecting legislation that it will require our diligent, faithful advocacy – whether preventing bad laws from passing, or ensuring good laws get on to the statute book. We’re expecting Government Bills which our opponents will seek to hijack to advance their agenda and we’ll be vigilant to watch out for such moves.

Here's some legislation to look out for on Tuesday 10 May:

• Modern slavery legislation
• Continued stages of Online Safety Bill
• Conversion therapy
• Gene editing

As well as possible opportunities and threats from the Members Bill ballots in both Houses.

Please pray with us that:

• Give God thanks that we live in a democracy where we have freedom to vote and express our views.
• The Government will propose laws that respect the God-given dignity of all human beings.
• The plans of those who would undermine this dignity would be thwarted.
• For God's people in parliament to be given courage and wisdom.