Daily Archives: January 1, 2020

Tuesday, 31 December 2019, 8:53 amPress Release: International Trade Union Confederation

On 27 December, the neo-liberal Cabinet of Ministers ofUkraine submitted to the Verkhovna Rada(UkrainianParliament) a new draft law on labour published earlier inthe month which will strip workers of legal protections, andunions of their ability to protect them. In doing so, theUkrainian government sided decisively with oligarchs andmultinational enterprises against its ownpeople.

Ukrainian trade unions believe the new draft lawwill result in:

1. easy dismissal of employees at anymoment, on employers whim;

2. short-term individuallabour contracts and zero hours contracts;

3. overtimebecoming the norm, paid at a fifth of current rates, withnormal working hours likely to exceed eight hours aday;

4. abolition of some social guarantees and reducedprotection for mothers with small children, making theirdismissal even easier;

5. the possibility to transfer anemployee to another workplace without their consent; and

6. no collective bargaining, excluding unions from theworkplace.

Further details can be found here: https://www.epsu.org/article/update-situation-ukraine

Thedraft law was introduced without consultation with tradeunions, and has been drafted to contain only 99 articles, sothat it receives only limited consideration in theParliament. The government has refused to seek theassistance of the International Labour Organisation, nodoubt because the draft law breaches several ILOconventions.

The Pan-European Regional Council of the ITUCadopted a resolution https://perc.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/statement_4th_perc_ga_on_ukraine_161219-2.pdfcondemning the proposals in mid-December, calling on thegovernment of Ukraine to withdraw the draft and seek ILOtechnical assistance. And just days later, the EuropeanTrade Union Confederation pledged https://www.etuc.org/en/node/18514 toraise the issue with the European Commission and Parliamenton the basis that the draft law contradicts the EU-UkraineAssociation Agreement.

ITUC General Secretary SharanBurrow said:

Ukraines government is siding witholigarchs and multinational corporates against workers, thepublic and unions. Global unions will stand shoulder toshoulder with our sisters and brothers in Ukraine. Theydeserve decent work, living wages and control over theirwork-life balance. We condemn the Ukrainian governmentsreckless breaches of its international obligations, whichrisk losing the country crucial support in Europe and theglobal community.

Read this article online

TheInternational Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) represents200 million members of 332 affiliates in 163 countries andterritories.

Follow us online, on Twitter and on Facebook

Scoop Media

Scoop Citizen Membership ScoopPro for Organisations

Go here to read the rest:

Ukraine's government puts oligarchs ahead of people - Scoop.co.nz

Since the overthrow of Omar al-Bashir in April last year, Sudan has seen months of constant upheaval and tumult. As expected, the overthrow of Bashirs regime did not simply signal the end of one era and the start of another. Instead, it left a void that the Transitional Military Council (TMC) scrambled to fill. Led by Lt-Gen Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman Burhan, and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo, or Hemeti as he is commonly known, what essentially followed Bashirs fall was a military coup. Protesters, organised by the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA), demanded a transfer of power to civilians. The response a massacre.

The massacre on June 3rd made it clear that this would not be a pain-free transition. The Rapid Support Forces are accused of brutal violence, with reports of rape, torture and the dumping of bodies in the Nile. But this group did not emerge from nowhere. Their leader is Hemeti, and they were established by Omar al-Bashir. Whilst he may have been overthrown, his suffocating grip on the country would not be easily removed. Eventually, the TMC bowed to international pressure and a constitutional declaration was signed. A few tense moments ensued, but now Sudan emerges, fragile, but intact, with new Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.

Why is all this background information necessary if we are to look at Sudans future? The answer is that the trajectory of Sudans most recent revolution is not only down to the commitment, resolve and patriotism of the civilian protesters, but also the forces they were battling, and not just the TMC or RSF. These same forces still lurk and will determine Sudans future.

Much mainstream media coverage of the events in Sudan rightly focused on the various domestic parties and their roles. However, the likes of Hemeti, a warlord and at one point Sudans most powerful general (he possibly still is), did not command the power they did without external support. The relationship between Hemeti and regional powers Saudi Arabia and the UAE goes back to Sudans gold rush of 2012 when Hemeti was keen to control Sudans gold sales. By 2017, the RSF, and Hemeti, had seized control of Sudans most profitable gold mines.

Whilst Dubai was at first just a location for Sudans gold legally or illegally acquired the nature of their contact changed when a deal was struck for Hemeti to provide units at the Saudi Arabian border with Yemen, with the UAE being provided with RSF fighters to fight in South Yemen. Hemeti is also reported to have sent child soldiers into the war zone.

From the moment Bashir fell and the TMC took power, Saudi Arabia was keen to support it, pledging a $3bn aid package to support the military generals. One thing should be clear Saudi Arabias interests do not lie with the Sudanese people, or their aspirations for a democratic country, but with their own self-preservation. Change, or any form of instability is not appreciated by the Saudis. This is not only true within the Kingdoms borders, but the surrounding region too.

But what of the other influencers? Whilst protesters did not receive official support from any government during the uprising, the Sudanese diaspora and fellow citizens around the world showed solidarity on social media and donations were made to help treat the wounded. However, there was still an absence of international action, with the US calling on Riyadh to end the military crackdown under the TMC, with no direct action itself. But perhaps this step makes a key point Sudans future is not simply its own, and the US plea with Riyadh shows who is pulling the strings. As we end one decade and start a new one, Sudan lingers in the middle of a complex geopolitical situation that it must navigate its way through.

The countrys protests a few months earlier may have been triggered by the price of bread, but the economic crisis in the country was a symptom of the disease that had paralysed it for 30 years under Bashirs rule. The corruption, exploitation and greed of a few individuals was aided by not only the support of other countries, but a shared belief that oppression was the price that had to be paid for stability. Hence the Sudanese population were not merely fighting to take back control from the leaders of their own land, but the powers beyond their borders too. But perhaps it is not surprising that Sudan fell into the hands of the autocrats when the US, leader of the free world, froze it out. Whilst economic and trade sanctions on Sudan were lifted in 2017, Sudan is still a designated State Sponsor of Terrorism. Meanwhile, the UK still subjects Sudan to financial sanctions.

The appointment of new Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok is no doubt a hugely positive step forward for the battered country. A wave of reforms have taken place, with the abolition of the Moral Policing Law, and the approval of a law to dismantle Omar al-Bashirs regime, including the dissolution of his party, and the seizure of its assets.

We should not, however, be blindsided by these sweeping reforms. They are no doubt indicative of the country that the Sudanese people crave, the future that the Sudanese youth 60 per cent of the population are under 24, and they were a key driving force behind the protests want and deserve. But lets not forget that the current government is the product of a power sharing deal between anti-Bashir groups and the TMC. There were grumbles from Bashirs old party when the law to dismantle it was announced. Hamdoks government was denounced as an illegal government.

Meanwhile, what has come of Hemeti? He is reportedly learning English and has hired a Canadian PR firm to help him polish his image. He is deputy chairman of Sudans Sovereign Council, representing the government in an official visit to South Sudan, with the RSF launching a PR campaign to project a statesmanlike image to the domestic population, and the international community. Despite being accused of massacres and genocide throughout its bloody existence, the RSF is promoting its apparent work in sorting out social and health services and public transport. In a matter of months this paramilitary group has gone from being a death squad to portraying itself as Sudans saviour.

Prime Minister Hamdok may be the countrys global spokesman, but the TMCs sinister leader and deputy are undertaking their own microcosmic campaign for public support. There isnt a suggestion that the RSF may at all be trying to regain full control, but at the very least they do not want to disappear from the publics consciousness, and this is not surprising. For years they have had it their way, stealing from the country they now claim to be protecting, and slaughtering the people they now grovel to.

This deal between the civilians and the TMC (and by default, the RSF), should not be overestimated. They perhaps tolerate each other more than collaborate. But I would argue that every last remnant of Bashirs brutal regime should be removed from positions of power. Those who inflicted decades of suffering on the people of Sudan should not be granted a say in its recovery from their ruthlessness. I do, however, understand that compromise for now allows for peace, and its certainly better for my grandmother to call me from Khartoum and say that there is nothing going on, its quiet.

That being said, Hamdoks words of warning should be heeded. Before flying to Washington to meet President Trump, the Prime Minister noted that the remaining US sanctions are accelerating Sudans collapse. Hamdok acknowledged what many regional players do too Sudan is key to the areas stability. The fate of nearby failed countries is a forceful reminder of one way in which Sudan could go if it is not embraced by the international community and supported in its attempt to reorganise and rebuild. Indeed, during the protests, many Arab social media users were not supportive of the efforts of the protesters, citing Libya and Syria as the consequences of rising up against your leaders.

Of course, Sudan is fragile and vulnerable right now, and whilst the shine of a new diverse cabinet including women and Christians sends a loud signal of the direction Sudan wants to go in healing its wounds, we come back to the point made at the start. Its not all in Sudans hands. Whilst Hamdok fights to get the country a fair chance at survival as he garners support and investment, Hemeti and the RSF position themselves as a credible replacement if he fails.

And what about that promised $3bn from Saudi Arabia and the UAE? The Sudanese finance minister has said Sudan has received half of it, with the remainder set to be paid by the end of this year. Its not yet clear if these two regional powers will fully get behind Hamdok. On his recent visit to Riyadh, Hamdok was accompanied by the one and only General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. Time will tell if the TMC duo are really accepting the will of civilian rule, or if they are simply making themselves seem more palatable as a possible alternative.

Away from the gulf, China and Russia have also long shown an interest in Sudan, and this has not wavered throughout the countrys recent upheaval. Even after Bashir was overthrown, his Russian allies continued operating in Sudan. Bashir said of a vast deal with Russia, including weapons, that it was giving keys to Africa in return for protection from aggressive US actions. And now, General Abdelfattah El Burhan has said that the economic and military cooperation with Russia will continue. Meanwhile, China has long been involved in projects throughout Sudan, including constructing the presidential palace, and has recently launched Sudans first satellite.

It would be reasonable to say that both China and Russia are interested in Sudan for purely economic reasons (part of a wider campaign to increase economic ties in the region), with the former operating on a non-interference policy. But, whilst they may not actively be hindering the countrys progress, their sales of arms could be troubling. After all, they didnt mind providing Bashirs regime with deadly force. Chinas non interference policy may refer to political matters, but under Bashirs regime violence and brutality were intertwined with his governance, so handing over weapons to him and his private armies renders the non interference policy somewhat redundant. It should also be noted that both Russia and China blocked an attempt by the UN Security Council to condemn the killing of civilians by the TMC, and call for an immediate end to the violence.

So Sudan is perhaps now in a precarious position. Its people have done their part. There is not a section of society that wasnt touched by these protests. It may have been mobilised by an organisation of middle-class professionals, but every part of society united. They stood up and they died for change. The Sudanese people should be praised for the remarkable restraint they showed in their fight, even when faced with the brutality of the RFS. Now they watch intently, and wait for the international community to extend a hand to them.

Sudan is full of bright young minds. It has doctors and lawyers, farmers and engineers, journalists and writers, musicians and artists. Its culture is rich and its people are some of the most hospitable you will find. The members of the vast diaspora scattered across the world wait with bated breath as the path of their beloved homeland is etched out. But for all it has to offer, there are vultures circling it. The countrys history cannot, unfortunately, simply be written out with the abolition of laws and a shiny new front. Whilst they are currently subservient, I cannot believe that the sinister characters from Sudans past will so easily let go of all the power and fortunes they have amassed, and that their power will dissipate as long as they have the support of some of the worlds most powerful. But I also know that Sudanese people everywhere love their country, and they will not be fooled, they will not give up.

Read the original post:

Will the international community help Sudan become free? - Shout Out UK

Genesis 38:9-10: But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his; so when he went in to his brothers wife he spilled the semen on the ground, lest he should give offspring to his brother. 10 And what he did was displeasing in the sight of the Lord, and he slew him also.

It is an historical fact that no Christian communion sanctioned contraception until the Anglican Lambeth Conference in 1930. Protestant historian Roland Bainton states casually that the Church very early forbade contraception (Early Christianity, 56). According toThe Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, many Christian moralists . . . repudiate all methods of family limitation (Cross, 889). Ronald Knox eloquently recounted how Christians used to detest contraception:

Practices hitherto connected with the unmentioned underworld have found their way into the home . . . it is not merely a Christian principle that has been thrown overboard . . . Ovid and Juvenal, with no flicker of Christian revelation to guide them, branded the practices in question with the protest of heathen satire. It is not Christian morality, but natural morality as hitherto conceived, that has been outraged by the change of standard.(Knox, 31-32)

Christianity (Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and Protestantism alike) had always opposed contraception as gravely sinful. When I first learned of this in 1990 (as an inquiring evangelical pro-life activist curious about the odd and inexplicable Catholic prohibition) it was a shocking revelation to me and the first step on my road to conversion to Catholicism.

Today, probably upwards of 90% of Protestants and 80% of Catholics use contraceptives. It is a mortal sin in Catholicism, and used to always be considered an extremely serious sin in Protestant circles. How things change. The great Anglican apologist C. S. Lewis, for example, opposed contraception:

As regards contraceptives, there is a paradoxical, negative sense in which all possible future generations are the patients or subjects of a power wielded by those already alive. By contraception simply, they are denied existence; by contraception used as a means of selective breeding, they are, without their concurring voice, made to be what one generation, for its own reasons, may choose to prefer. From this point of view, what we call Mans power over Nature turns out to be a power exercised by some men over other men with Nature as its instrument.(The Abolition of Man, 68-69)

Genesis 38:9-10 (about Onan) has been one of the main prooftexts traditionally used to oppose contraception. Observe how Martin Luther interpreted this biblical passage:

Onan must have been a malicious and incorrigible scoundrel. This is a most disgraceful sin. It is far more atrocious than incest and adultery. We call it unchastity, yes, a Sodomitic sin. For Onan goes in to her; that is, he lies with her and copulates, and when it comes to the point of insemination, spills the semen, lest the woman conceive. Surely at such a time the order of nature established by God in procreation should be followed . . . He was inflamed with the basest spite and hatred . . . Consequently, he deserved to be killed by God. He committed an evil deed. Therefore God punished him . . . That worthless fellow . . . preferred polluting himself with a most disgraceful sin to raising up offspring for his brother.(Lectures on Genesis: Chapters 38-44; 1544; LW, 7, 20-21)

John Calvin, in hisCommentary on Genesisis no less vehemently opposed to the practice (what would he think if he knew about the vast majority of Calvinists today who regularly contracept?):

I will contend myself with briefly mentioning this, as far as the sense of shame allows to discuss it. It is a horrible thing to pour out seed besides the intercourse of man and woman. Deliberately avoiding the intercourse, so that the seed drops on the ground, is double horrible. For this means that one quenches the hope of his family, and kills the son, which could be expected, before he is born. This wickedness is now as severely as is possible condemned by the Spirit, through Moses, that Onan, as it were, through a violent and untimely birth, tore away the seed of his brother out the womb, and as cruel as shamefully has thrown on the earth. Moreover he thus has, as much as was in his power, tried to destroy a part of the human race. When a woman in some way drives away the seed out the womb, through aids, then this is rightly seen as an unforgivable crime. Onan was guilty of a similar crime, by defiling the earth with his seed, so that Tamar would not receive a future inheritor.

The New Bible Dictionaryconcludes, on the other hand, this verse does not pass any judgment on birth control as such (Douglas, 789). The reasoning often used to overcome the force of the verse is that Onan was punished by God (with death) for disobeying the levirate law, whereby a brother of a dead husband was to take his sister-in-law as his wife and have children with her (Deuteronomy 25:5-10).

But that cant apply in this case (or any other) because the same work informs us that the law allows the brother the option of refusing. Thus we find in Deuteronomy 25:9 that a sister-in-law so refused should spit in his face, but there is no mention of any death penalty or the wrath of God.

How then, can theNew Bible Dictionarybe so sure that the slaying of Onan by God had no relation to contraception? God didnt command Onan in this case another argument sometimes heard , so he wasnt directly disobeying God (it was his father Judah who asked him to do what he didnt want to do: Gen 38:8).

Whatever was displeasing to God couldnt have been disobedience regarding the levirate law, since He allowed people to disobey it and recommended that they suffer only public humiliation, not death, which is not nearly as serious as being wicked the reason God slew Onans brother Er (Gen 38:7).

Moreover, the passage which teaches about the levirate law (Deuteronomy 25:5-10) is from God, as part of the covenant and the Law received by Moses on Mt. Sinai, and proclaimed by Him to all of Israel (see Deut 5:1-5, 29:1, 12).

If God Himself did not say that the punishment for disobeying the levirate law was death (in the place where it would be expected if it were true), how can modern commentators know this? Can it be that their knowledge exists in order to avoid uncomfortable implications concerning a prohibition of contraception? Might there be a little bit of bias at play?

Yet the article on Onan in the same dictionary (the earlier comment was in the article, Marriage), written by the editor, J. D. Douglas, states:

Onan . . . took steps to avoid a full consummation of the union, thus displeasing the Lord, who slew him.(Douglas, 910)

Douglas appears to contend that Onan was killed for the contraceptive act, not disobedience to the levirate law. If so, his opinion contradicts the view expressed in the other article by J. S. Wright and J. A. Thompson.The Eerdmans Bible Dictionaryconcurs:

. . . whenever Onan and Tamar had intercourse he would spill his sperm on the ground to prevent her from conceiving; for this the Lord slew him.

Onans tactic of withdrawing before ejaculation . . . costs him his life.(Myers, 781, 653)

In its article on Levirate Law, we are also informed that the brother had the option of refusing to take his sister-in-law in levirate marriage (652). The logic is apparent: if refusal alone was not grounds to be killed by God or by capital punishment issued by his fellows, then there must have been something in the way Onan refused which was the cause. This was the withdrawal method, a form of contraception (probably the one most used throughout history). Therefore, Onan was killed for doing that, which in turn means that God didnt approve of it.

One might still retort as follows: it is not contraception per se that was wrong in Onans case, but the fact that he wanted to have sex with the woman but not to have children. He had the right to refuse the levirate marriage, but once he agreed to it he was obligated to produce the children which was the purpose of it.

I would agree with this hypothetical objection prima facie, but (upon closer inspection) I would add that it actually confirms the central moral point on which the moral objection to contraception is based: the evil of separating sex from procreation. It is precisely because the central purpose of marriage is procreation, that the levirate law was present in the first place. If one married, they were to have sexual relations, which was (foremost) for the purpose of having children.

If a husband died with no children, it was so important for children to be born that God commanded the mans brother to take his wife after he died. But Onan tried to separate sex from procreation. He wanted all the pleasure but not the responsibility of fatherhood or to help perpetuate his brothers family. He possessed the contraceptive mentality which is rampant today, even among otherwise traditional, committed Christians.

This is what is evil: an unnatural separation of what God intended to be together. If Onan didnt want children, he shouldnt have agreed to the levirate marriage. Once married, he should have agreed to having children. But he tried the middle way of having sex but willfully separating procreation from it. This was the sin, and this is why God killed him. Martin Luther understood the fundamental evil of contraception and the anti-child mindset:

Today you find many people who do not want to have children. Moreover, this callousness and inhuman attitude, which is worse than barbarous, is met with chiefly among the nobility and princes, who often refrain from marriage for this one single reason, that they might have no offspring. It is even more disgraceful that you find princes who allow themselves to be forced not to marry, for fear that the members of their house would increase beyond a definite limit. Surely such men deserve that their memory be blotted out from the land of the living. Who is there who would not detest these swinish monsters? But these facts, too, serve to emphasize original sin. Otherwise we would marvel at procreation as the greatest work of God, and as a most outstanding gift we would honor it with the praises it deserves.(Lectures on Genesis: Chapters 1-5, 1536; LW, I, 118; commentary on Genesis 2:18)

The rest of the populace is more wicked than even the heathen themselves. For most married people do not desire offspring. Indeed, they turn away from it and consider it better to live without children, because they are poor and do not have the means with which to support a household. . . . But the purpose of marriage is not to have pleasure and to be idle but to procreate and bring up children, to support a household. . . . Those who have no love for children are swine, stocks, and logs unworthy of being called men and women; for they despise the blessing of God, the Creator and Author of marriage.(Lectures on Genesis: Chapters 26-30; LW, V, 325-328; vol. 28, 279; commentary on the birth of Joseph to Jacob and Rachel; cf. LW, vol. 45, 39-40)

You will find many to whom a large number of children is unwelcome, as though marriage had been instituted only for bestial pleasures and not also for the very valuable work by which we serve God and men when we train and educate the children whom God has given us. They do not appreciate the most pleasant feature of marriage. For what exceeds the love of children?(In Plass, II, #2834)

Lets examine more traditional Protestant commentary on Genesis 38:8-9. Matthew Henry decries the great abuse of his own body and sins that dishonour the body and defile it which are very displeasing to God and evidences of vile affections. John Wesley actually quotes Henry, adds that Onan was abusing his wife, and concludes with this powerful condemnation:

Observe, the thing which he did displeased the Lord And it is to be feared, thousands, especially of single persons, by this very thing, still displease the Lord, and destroy their own souls.

Sources

Bainton, Roland H.,Early Christianity, New York: D. Van Nostrand Company, 1960.

Calvin, John,Calvins Commentaries, 22 volumes, translated and edited by John Owen; originally printed for the Calvin Translation Society, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1853; reprinted by Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan: 1979. Available online:http://www.ccel.org/c/calvin/comment2/

Cross, F. L. and E. A. Livingstone, editors,The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, 1983.

Douglas, J. D., editor,The New Bible Dictionary, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1962.

Henry, Matthew [Presbyterian],Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible, 1706. Available online:http://www.studylight.org/com/mhc-com/http://www.ccel.org/ccel/henry/mhc.html

Knox, Ronald,The Belief of Catholics, Garden City, New York: Doubleday Image, 1927; reprinted in 1958.

Lewis, C. S.,The Abolition of Man, New York: Macmillan, 1947.

Luther, Martin,Luthers Works(LW), American edition, edited by Jaroslav Pelikan (volumes 1-30) and Helmut T. Lehmann (volumes 31-55), St. Louis: Concordia Pub. House (volumes 1-30); Philadelphia: Fortress Press (volumes 31-55), 1955.

Myers, Allen C., editor,The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1987; English revision ofBijbelse Encyclopedie, edited by W. H. Gispen, Kampen, Netherlands: J. H. Kok, revised edition, 1975; translated by Raymond C. Togtman and Ralph W. Vunderink.

Plass, Ewald M.,What Luther Says, an Anthology, two volumes, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959.

Wesley, John [founder of Methodism],Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, 1765. Available (online):https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/wesleys-explanatory-notes/

* * * * *

From my book:The Catholic Verses: 95 Bible Passages That Confound Protestants(published in 2004 by Sophia Institute Press)

For further fascinating exegesis of the Onan passage, see Fr. Brian Harrisons comments:The Sin of Onanism Revisited.

***

Related Reading:

Dialogue: Why Did God Kill Onan? (Contraception)[2-13-04]

Onan, Contraception, & Two Protestant Bible Dictionaries[2-21-04]

Biblical Data Against Contraception: Onans Sin and Punishment: a Concise Catholic Argument [3-7-14]

Bible vs. Contraception: Onans Sin and Punishment[National Catholic Register, 5-30-17]

Dialogue w Several Non-Catholics on Contraception[1996 and 1998]

Contraception: Early Church Teaching(William Klimon) [1998]

Dialogue:Contraceptionvs. NFP: CrucialEthical Distinctions[2-16-01]

Luther and Calvin Opposed Contraception and Fewer Children is Better Thinking[2-21-04; published atNational Catholic Register, 9-13-17]

Biblical Evidence Against Contraception[5-3-06]

Dialogue: Contraception & Natural Family Planning (NFP)[5-16-06]

Divine Family Planning (Unlimited Children / Anti-NFP): Critique[9-20-08]

Bible onthe Blessing of [Many] Children[3-9-09]

Natural Family Planning (NFP) &Contraceptive Intent[8-28-13]

Contraception and Anti-Procreation vs. Scripture[National Catholic Register, 6-6-18]

A Defense of Natural Family Planning[National Catholic Register, 5-25-19]

***

*

*

*

***

(originally 2-9-04)

Photo credit:Judah and Tamar(anon., Italian, 17th c.)[public domain /Wikimedia Commons]

***

Read the original here:

Why Did God Kill Onan? (Bible and Contraception) - Patheos

While theres never been a shortage of compelling dramas set on death row Dead Man Walking and The Green Mile come immediately to mind its rare to have two in cinemas at the same time. So, while this review mainly considers Clemency, its inevitable that some compare/contrast will be made to Just Mercy, too.

If you like more hope in your films, youll probably prefer Just Mercy, which centers on the lifework of attorney superhero Bryan Stevenson (played with earnest gravity by Michael B. Jordan), and his early career battle to spring a wrongly accused Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx, terrific as usual) from death row. By contrast, Clemency is a grimmer fictional work that focuses most intently on the people who make a living off death row.

However, writer/director Chinonye Chukyu put in a lot of effort to make her film look and feel authentic. Spurred by a Georgia execution in 2011, Chukyu spent what sounds like hundreds of hours with defense attorneys, death row inmates, wardens, and guards. The result is an empathic portrait of people who are usually villainized in prison movies.

Thats not to say that Chukyu lets the warden, guards, and chaplain off the hook. In its own way, Clemency is just as strongly against capital punishment as Just Mercy. Though we never see a prisoner beaten or abused by a guard, Chukyus film implicitly condemns her protagonists for officiously doing their jobs in an immoral system.

Near the start of Clemency, its main character, Warden Bernadine Williams (Alfre Woodard), asks a prisoner strapped to a gurney for a lethal injection if she can get him anything. Bernadines deadpan face doesnt register the cruel absurdity of her question. Later, as another prisoner is prepared for execution, the chaplain clearly unaware of the irony tells him, The love of God is everywhere around you.

After a squirmingly detailed prologue, in which Bernadine presides over a botched execution, the bulk of Clemencys narrative deals with the prisons preparation for their next, hopefully un-botched, lethal injection. The next victim is to be Anthony Woods (Aldis Hodge), an accused cop killer who steadfastly maintains his innocence. We observe Anthonys torment as his execution date draws closer, while his frazzled but caring attorney Marty (Richard Schiff) presses for clemency from the unnamed states governor.

Bernadine is also facing attrition by her loyal troops at the prison. A traumatized guard requests a transfer, her deputy and friend Thomas has applied for a warden position at a jail without a death row, and the warmhearted chaplain is retiring. Clemency generates suspense both through Anthonys appeal to the governor, and in observing Bernadines psyche: will she crumble, quit, or perpetuate the status quo?

Alfre Woodard excellently conveys Bernadines numbed emotional state, only laughing when three sheets to the wind, only expressing affection when Jonathan threatens divorce. Her footsteps through the prison, where she still is dutiful and responsible, are slow and leaden. The color scheme of the film suitably reflects her headspace, beaten down by the sickly institutional paint job and deadening fluorescent lighting at work. Even at home, the soothing browns and reds stay in the dark, the blinds constantly drawn, prison-like.

I do wish that Wendell Pierce, so great in TV series like The Wire and Treme, had been given more to do. As a high school English teacher nearing the end of his career, we see that compassion fatigue is not only for prison workers. Sadly, the film doesnt run far with this comparison.

Aldis Hodge (solid in Straight Outta Compton) didnt convince me as Anthony. He looks too unweathered for a man 15 years on death row, his suffering skin-deep. By contrast, the actors playing death row denizens in Just Mercy wrung more sympathy from me; besides Jamie Foxx, Rob Morgan is powerfully tragic as a Nam vet tormented by both his stateside guilt and wartime PTSD.

Nonetheless, these two films complement each other effectively. Just Mercy argues for the abolition of the death penalty, due to human error, institutional racism, and malfeasance in policing and courtrooms. Clemency shows how death rows crush spirits on both sides of the prison bars. And if anyone doubts the evergreen timeliness of these films, one should read the news a little more: my own state electrocuted a blind man earlier this month, while Florida may well execute an innocent man in the coming year.

(Image credit for star rating:Yasir72.multanCC BY-SA 3.0)

Read the original post:

Clemency Is Hard to Find, on Both Sides of the Prison Bars - Patheos

A number of laws will be changing in 2020 and many will affect your daily lives.

The changes in legislation will have an impact on pensions, workers rights, holiday pay and even life-saving organ donations.

More new laws are likely to be added as the year progresses and with the General Election having just taken place and with Brexit looming, some laws may change.

Here are some of the new laws, regulations and changes which will come into force this year:

State pension rates are undergoing their biggest change in years in 2020.

They are set to rise by 3.9 per cent which will see those receiving the old state pension receive a boost of 5.05 a week to 134.25.

Those who are receiving the new state pension will see a bigger increase of 6.60 a week resulting in 175.20.

The old state pension refers to those who reached pension age by April 6 2016 and the new state pension goes to those who reached state pension age after April 6 2016.

In September 2018, a new workplace right for paid leave to be given to bereaved parents was officially enshrined in law.

The first of its kind in the UK, the Parental Bereavement Leave and Pay Act 2018 is expected to come into force in April 2020 and will give employed parents the right to two weeks leave if they lost a child under the age of 18 or suffer a stillbirth from 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Employed parents will also be able to claim pay for this period, subject to meeting eligibility criteria.

Agency workers rights are also changing in 2020.

From April 6 2020, the following things will apply:

Abolition of the Swedish Derogation: This may also be known as the 'pay between assignments' contracts which would previously see agency workers agree a contract that would remove their rights to equal pay with permanent counterparts after 12 weeks working at the same assignment. From April 6, these will no longer be permissible and agency workers who have been in their employment for 12 weeks will be entitled to the same pay as those on permanent contracts.

All agency workers will be entitled to a key information document that more clearly sets out their employment relationships and terms and conditions with their agency.

Agency workers who are considered to be employees will be protected from unfair dismissal or suffering a detriment if the reasons are related to asserting rights associated with The Agency Worker Regulations.

From 6 April 2020, the reference period to calculate a 'week's pay' for holiday pay purposes will be extended from the previous 12 weeks of work to the previous 52 weeks.

In England, people currently have a choice as to whether they sign up to be an organ donor.

But from spring 2020, organ donation will become an 'opt-out' system for those over 18.

This means that all adults in England will be seen to have agreed to be an organ donor when they die unless they have specifically recorded a decision not to donate or are considered to be in one of the excluded groups - which includes those under 18 and people who lack the mental capacity to understand the new arrangements and take the necessary action

The new system may also be referred to as Max and Keira's law.

Max Johnson was given the gift of life by a young girl called Keira Ball, who tragically passed away aged 9 years old.

Keira's parents made the incredibly difficult and selfless decision to help others.

Max and his family have also continued to campaign and raise awareness around organ donation and it was Max who wanted Kiera's name added to the new law.

The NHS are asking everyone to record their organ donation decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register and tell their family and friends what decision has been made.

A new law being introduced in April will see a clampdown on 'cruel' puppy farms and dealers.

Lucy's Law will ban the sale of puppies and kittens from third parties, making buyers deal directly with breeders or rehoming centres.

When it comes into force in spring, the new legislation requires puppies and kittens in England to be born and reared in a safe environment, kept with their mother and only sold from their place of birth, instead of a pet shop or commercial animal dealer.

The law was named after Lucy, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who died in 2016 after being poorly treated on a Welsh puppy farm.

Continue reading here:

These are the new laws coming in during 2020 - ExaminerLive

WITH the year fast drawing to a close, Higher ED looks back at the highlights and events that have shaped and influenced the tertiary education space.

This year, Malaysia took great strides to provide inclusivity and quality education to various levels of the society.

Increased pathways were created for access into education at various higher education institutions (HEIs). There was a keen focus on making tertiary education provide graduates with relevant skills and knowledge that would fit both industry demands and society needs as well as push further the pursuit of knowledge.

These were all drawn up via a clear framework stipulated in the Education Ministers 2019 Mandate that was unveiled in January where four key directions were cited for higher education quality, autonomy, collaboration and internationalisation that aimed to bring back credibility to universities.

To achieve quality higher education, research from universities should be aimed at solving societys problems.NSTP/SHARUL HAFIZ ZAM

Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik advocated increasing the visibility of academics works and nurturing a discourse culture in universities to solve societys problems and develop the nation as a means to achieve quality higher education.

Ethics and integrity were given emphasis where university publication should reflect the mastery of academicians and be regarded as universal references.

The quality of research grants should be increased to ensure knowledge transfer and translation of great works.

Maszlee announced that student empowerment woud be emphasised through efforts like the abolition of Section 15(1)(c) of the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971.

Students Unions would be established to increase students decision-making roles. International Islamic University Malaysia was selected as the first university to be the pioneer.

In preparing students to become societys troubleshooters, universities must create collaborations with various parties, such as schools, polytechnics and vocational colleges.

To help local communities, public universities could provide training to improve the quality of the teaching and learning process in schools.

To make Malaysia an international education hub, Maszlee said there must be an increase in international students and local universities must establish more campuses abroad through the satellite university method.

For Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the ministry would continue to improve its institutional capabilities to be on par with other educational pathways.

A harmonised accreditation system with quality assurance would be established to enable student mobility in TVET institutions.

The quality and delivery of TVET programmes would be increased to improve the skills of graduates through an industry-led approach, removing duplication of programmes and resources, increasing cost effectiveness and expanding TVET funding.

Disabled students are among the priority groups given special routes for entry into public universities.. NSTP/AZHAR RAMLI

HAPPENINGS in the tertiary education gradually ramped up from early March prior to the release of SPM and STPM results.

Plans on access, wider pathways for furthering education, autonomy and quality education were generally made good on as the year progressed.

SPECIAL ROUTES

The Education Ministry announced special pathways to public universities for four groups, namely, people with disabilities, athletes, Orang Asli and those in the B40 group in early March.

Students from these priority groups do not have to compete with the mainstream group to pursue their tertiary studies.

In line with the ministrys Education for All concept, this initiative follows in the footsteps of developed countries in prioritising the admission of athletes into varsities.

Some 51,191 students from B40 group benefited from the special routes to public universities and special training institutes, of which 32,282 made it into public universities.

STUDENT-RUN ELECTION

Also in March, Universiti Malaya made history when its campus election became the first in 50 years to be independently run by students.

It is a testament to students capability to uphold democracy and be responsible citizens.

The electoral process was organised by the Campus Election Committee 2019 comprising 19 student leaders who were given the mandate by UMs vice-chancellor last year with full autonomy.

Improvisations were carried out to benefit students such as coalitions were allowed to be formed and contest under one logo.

The election was conducted in the second semester to familiarise new students with the university environment and their student leaders.

Campus elections at all public universities this year were independently run by students.NSTP/AZIAH AZMEE

PROGRESS ON UEC

Decision on whether to recognise the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) continues to be a hot issue.

On April 3, Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that only the government could make the decision to recognise the UEC.

The UEC is the unified examination for Independent Chinese Secondary Schools which does not follow the national education system.

The Unified Examination Certificate Task Force, an independent three-man panel appointed by Education Ministry in 2018, updated the NST that it was actively gathering views on this matter from various stakeholders, individuals and entities including associations, political parties, scholars and parents.

As of last month, the task force was reported to be in the midst of finalising the report.

MORE SEATS FOR MATRICULATION

In April, the Education Ministry announced that it was increasing the student intake into the matriculation programme to 40,000 from the present 25,000.

While the quota system, which allocates 90 per cent of seats to Bumiputeras continue to be in place, seats for non-Bumiputeras increased proportionally to 4,000.

Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said the system is in line with the matriculation programmes vision to encourage more Bumiputeras involvement in the sciences.

HEIGHTENED FOCUS ON TVET

To formulate more relevant policies to implement the TVET agenda according to industry needs, the TVET Empowerment Committee named Maszlee chairperson in May.

Later in August, the committee (JKKPTVET) was formed in line with the governments hopes to make TVET a mainstream choice, instead of an alternative. The move is expected to help create a skilled workforce by 2030.

GOING UP THE RANKINGS

Twenty Malaysian universities were featured in the QS World University Rankings 2020 released in June.

Produced by global higher education consultancy Quacquarelli Symonds, the list ranks the worlds top 1000 universities.

In its second consecutive year in the top 100, Universiti Malaya made Malaysia proud by climbing up to the 70th position from 87th globally.

In the 200 rank are Universiti Putra Malaysia from 202 to 159; Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 184 to 160; and Universiti Sains Malaysia from 207 to 165.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia climbed from 228 to 217.

UCSI University went from 481 to 442, the highest for a private university in the country.

According to Quacquarelli Symonds, Malaysias progressive performance was due to improving results in two key surveys Academic Reputation and Employer Reputation.

However, Malaysian universities research impact has room for improvement. Only five of Malaysias 20 entrants improved their performance in Quacquarelli Symonds Citations per Faculty indicator.

UNIVERSITY AUTONOMY

The Education Ministry announced that a new Act would be created to abolish and replace several higher education-related Acts, including the Universities and University Colleges (AUKU) Act 1971 and Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996 (Act 555).

According to the ministry, the move was aimed at having a more efficient and sustainable governance and financing structure in efforts to support universities academic freedom and autonomy.

Chaired by Maszlee, a meeting was held on June 22 to discuss the policy framework and findings of studies by independent academic researchers.

The abolition of the Acts was in line with the governments promise to bring back credibility to local universities.

ALTERNATIVE POSTGRAD PATHWAYS

In July, the Malaysian Qualifications Agency revealed that there would soon be alternative pathways to provide opportunities for working adults and undergraduates to have a PhD qualification.

MQA chief executive officer Datuk Dr Rahmah Mohamed said the agency was carrying out an implementation study of the next phase of the Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) programme where work experience could be translated into a masters or doctoral degree, or speed up the process of getting a PhD.

Defined as a systematic process involving identification, documentation and assessment of prior experiential learning, the programme thus far has created access to certificate, diploma, bachelors degree and masters degree study programmes to individuals with working experience but lack or are without proper academic qualifications.

MQA targeted to introduce APEL T-8 and APEL Q next year that would give access to PhD level qualifications. APEL T-8 is an extension of APEL A, which provides higher education opportunities based on a persons working experience.

APEL Q awards masters and doctoral level academic qualifications without class attendance.

The purpose of the various initiatives is to ensure there is a growth in the number of postgraduate degree holders, in line with the countrys aspiration of becoming a high-income nation.

REASSESSING COURSES

In September, the Higher Education department shared that it had instructed all universities to identify and reshape their academic programmes to enhance students job opportunities and be in line with industry needs.

This led to a confusion among students currently pursuing certain courses and their parents were particularly anxious about the status of the said programmes that would no longer be offered by public universities in the country.

The then Higher Education department director general Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir highlighted that the idea behind the move was essentially to revise strategically and systematically courses currently offered at universities to keep abreast of change and market developments or risk stagnation.

International Islamic University Malaysia was selected as the first university to establish a Students Union to increase students decision-making role.NSTP/SALHANI IBRAHIM

BUDGET 2020

To level up human capital in the country, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, when tabling Budget 2020 in Parliament in October, announced an allocation of RM64.1 billion in 2020 for education reflecting the governments commitment to provide quality education at different stages of life for the rakyat.

From the sum, a whopping RM5.9 billion is dedicated to mainstreaming TVET which include, among others, funding to strengthen the synergies between the public and private sectors through increased allocation for State Skills Development Centres and Public Skills Training Institutions as well as expanding pathways for TVET graduates to pursue further studies and secure jobs.

To encourage adult learning, Lim said the Employees Provident Fund will be allowed to facilitate the withdrawal for qualifications attained at certificate level, especially for accredited programmes that are in line with the nations IR4.0 aspirations.

The withdrawal scheme will include members parents and spouse.

A RM20 million allocation will be made available to be matched by another RM20 million from the Human Resource Development Fund towards having working adults take up professional certification examinations in fields relating to IR4.0.

Emphasis on learning opportunities under MARA and Yayasan Peneraju Pendidikan Bumiputera for low-income and rural bumiputeras through education institutions such as Kolej GIATMARA and Universiti Kuala Lumpur will be continued with an allocation of RM1.3 billion for education institutions under MARA for 2020, with a further RM2 billion allocated for student loans, benefiting 50,000 students. In addition, RM192 million is also allocated for professional certification programmes under Yayasan Peneraju.

To drive economic growth in the digital era, the government encourages the provision of technology scholarships, training and upskilling for digital skills for communities in need through the concept of Digital Social Responsibility (DSR).

DSR is the commitment by businesses to contribute to digital economic development while improving the digital skills of the future workforce.

Enhancing the research and development framework was also cited as a key strategy to drive economic growth in the new economy.

For that, Lim announced that the government will allocate RM30 million for R&D matching grants for collaborations with industry and academia to develop higher value-added downstream use of palm oil, specifically tocotrienol in pharmaceuticals and bio-jet fuel.

To promote commercialisation of R&D from the public sector, research universities, beginning with UM, will establish a one-stop Innovation Office to transform intellectual property into commercially exploitable opportunities, said Lim.

STUDY PATHWAYS

In November, the Education Ministry announced the replacement of the science/arts streaming system in upper secondary into a system where students can choose from 89 elective subjects grouped in two packages: STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), and Arts and Humanities under the new Secondary Schools Standard Curriculum (Upper Secondary) or KSSM Menengah Atas.

This will give students a taste of what they might pursue at tertiary education level and maybe even get a headstart in their desired future careers.

In a briefing, Education Ministry deputy director-general (policies and development) Dr Habibah Abdul Rahim advised students to pick their subjects wisely because it paves the way for their future.

She added that the students can change subjects midway through schooling but noted that it will not be an easy feat because there will be a lot of catching up to do.

Continue reading here:

A year of great strides - New Straits Times

THE UK has had nearly a decade ofConservativegovernment, bringing the misery of austerity, benefit cuts, food banks and a low-wageeconomy.

Now the General Election result has ushered in five more years of Tory rule and the question of what will be in store under Boris Johnson as Prime Minister.

The plans unveiled in the first days have already set alarm bells ringing.

Fears have been raised over the prospect of a No-Deal Brexit, a rollback of workers rights and reform of Parliament and courts which some interpret as revenge for hampering his efforts to force through Brexit.

Leaving the EU will still dominate the headlines for months to come, with the deadline for departure looming on January 31 next year.

However, its far from the only issue facing Johnson, who now has to turn vague pre-election promises into political reality.

Dr Victoria Honeyman, lecturer in British politics at the University of Leeds, said pledges on the NHS, investment in the north of England and immigration policy would be priorities on his domestic agenda.

She added: Perhaps the biggest issue will be in relation to Scotland and Northern Ireland. Can they get Stormont working again?

Can they resist the increasing calls from the SNP for another independence referendum, particularly if they do well in the 2021 Scottish Parliamentary elections?

One benefit they currently have is that the Labour Party and the LibDems are in the midst of re-evaluating themselves after the election and finding new leaders, so there is less focus on the Conservative government, but the media and the voters will be watching.

Many of those new Conservative MPs will need real tangible benefits to take back to their communities if they want to win their seat next time.

Johnson has insisted he wont agree to an extension of talks with the EU on a new trade deal a vow which renewed fears of a No-Deal Brexit if negotiations fail by the end of December 2020.

Meanwhile the new EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill, which has passed its second reading in the House of Commons, has stripped out protections on workers rights and unaccompanied refugee children.

In the run-up to the election, concerns were raised that the NHS would be on the table in trade negotiations with the US an idea that was denied by the Prime Minister.

READ MORE:What now for Brexit? The challenges and deadlines facing the UK

A clause which would have given MPs oversight of negotiations for trade deals has also now been ditched.

Despite Johnsons combative approach, Honeyman said the UK would be the underdog in talks with global powers.

She said: The most significant trade deals will be with the big economies the US, China, the EU, India, Brazil.

In all these negotiations, Britain may be economically stronger than its geographical size suggests, but it will still be the underdog.

These nations will demand their pound of flesh, and more, and Britain will be in a very difficult position, as it has few options other than to accept concessions to secure its economic markets.

She said it was impossible to know what the UK might look like in five years time.

But she added: The expectation is that Britain will be dealing with the fallout from Brexit, whatever that is.

It is possible that the Labour Party might have resurrected itself but that is dependent on it offering the electorate what they want, not what some in the party think they want.

The impact of Brexit on the UK economy could also hamper the Governments plans to spend more on public services.

While the Conservative manifesto promised Scotland 3.3 billion in Barnett consequentials, this will be dependent on delivering commitments the party has made.

An analysis carried out by the think-tank Institute for Government has suggested promised spending increases will only be enough to maintain standards in the English NHS, not raise them.

Researcher Sarah Nickson said: If the Government wants to increase spending on other public services, it will need to loosen or break its fiscal rules or raise more revenue from taxes.

The latter could be tricky as the Government has also promised not to increase rates of VAT, National Insurance or income tax.

The Queens Speech, which outlined the Governments plans, did not mention Scotland by name with only a reference to the integrity and prosperity of the UK as being of the utmost importance to the UK Government.

Jonathan Carr-West, chief executive of think tank Local Government Information Unit, said the big question was whether the new UK Government would represent continuity or radical change.

He said: In Scotland, interest is likely to focus on the broader issues addressed in the Queens Speech, Brexit, climate change and a commitment to a constitutional review. Across all these areas, the stage seems set for a constitutional showdown between Westminster and Holyrood.

It is clear that we are heading for a difficult period with a UK civil service that is trying to work with trust and integrity for two very different governments.

The key rub will be how the Barnett consequential monies for the NHS and other services are used and applied. And where will that leave local government funding.

Johnsons plans for reform of the UKs constitution consist of setting up of a Constitution, Democracy and Human Rights Commission.

The abolition of the fixed-term parliaments legislation introduced by David Cameron is also in his sights, along with plans to introduce voter ID and reform postal voting which critics say will make it easier for the Tories to win elections.

Details of the commission have yet to be revealed, but it has been viewed as potential retaliation to the Supreme Court, which ruled Johnsons prorogation of Parliament in September was illegal in a case led by SNP MP Joanna Cherry.

READ MORE:The long game for indyref2 and Scottish sovereignty

Naomi Smith chief executive of Best for Britain, a campaign group which was set up to stop Brexit said: Johnsons proposed constitution, democracy and rights commission should set alarm bells ringing for anyone who believes that Parliament must be able to act as a brake on a runaway government.

We must be hyper-vigilant to any chipping away of the checks and balances that keep our democracy functioning. We have already seen that Johnson is prepared to bend the law to his will further subversion by stealth cannot be allowed.

Meanwhile Johnson has also pledged an immigration shake-up, promoting an Australian-style points-based system.

Once again, the details are thin on the ground and with a deadline of January 2021 set by the Conservatives to deliver it, what this will look like is still far from clear.

There are concerns about the impact on Scotland, which relies more heavily on immigration than other parts of the UK for population growth.

Andrew McRae, policy chair for the Federation of Small Business Scotland, has warned any new immigration system must be sufficiently flexible to work for Scotland.

He said: An expensive, bureaucratic system could see a decline in Scotlands working age population with a devastating impact on growth and tax revenue.

Johnson is expected to shuffle his Cabinet in the New Year, with major changes to come under the guidance of chief adviser Dominic Cummings.

In the meantime, the PM has made much of focusing on healing the nation. On the day the EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill passed its second reading in the Commons, he said: This is the time when we move on and discard the old labels of Leave and Remain.

In fact, the very words seem tired to me as defunct as Big-enders and Little-enders, or Montagues and Capulets at the end of the play.

Now is the time to act together as one reinvigorated nation, one United Kingdom, filled with renewed confidence in our national destiny and determined at last to take advantage of the opportunities that lie before us.

But Ken Rotenberg, professor in psychology at Keele University, said the healing of the nation is likely to be a difficult process.

The concern we have is that in a recent very brief poll Boris Johnson was not regarded as trustworthy and there has been an entire array of all the allegations of misconduct through the course of this election, he said.

The people in the poll rated Johnson less trustworthy than they did Corbyn so that leaves us with a potential predicament, where we might have a government which is not particularly trusted but which is in power, and power perhaps for more popular reasons.

Any resolution of this is going to take a substantial amount of time, if only because if people are distrusting, it is extremely difficult to change that perception.

It is a difficult process to renew or re-establish trust once it has been broken. I am not sure how the Government is going to mend it.

It is going to take a considerable amount of time to heal the UK after this election.

Original post:

Boris Johnson's Britain: Experts have their say on the PM's plans - The National