The NW NJPN Justice and Peace E Bulletin for October 2022 looks at the recent Conservative Party Conference under the leadership of the new Prime Minister, Liz Truss.  Elected by a handful of Tory Party members and not the first choice for the majority of her fellow MPs, she has had a shaky start with economic policies that have spooked the financial markets and resulted in a dramatic rise in interest rates. The decision to cut the 45% tax rate for the rich has now been reversed but, alas, the damage is done and, as usual, it is the poorest in our society who will suffer. It now seems likely that another humiliating U-turn is imminent, this time on benefit changes. The new government’s apparent lack of interest in stemming the tide of climate change is a concern for us all as George Monbiot’s hard-hitting opinion piece demonstrates. In the run-up to COP27 there are action ideas plus an invitation to a Heating & Energy workshop organised by Faiths4Change.  Current reports feature the growing rebellion by schoolgirls in Iran; the war in Ukraine; ideas from Church Action on Poverty for Challenge Poverty Week and the award of a Nobel Peace Prize to human rights advocates from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine.

Please read and pass on.

Best wishes

Anne O’Connor

NW NJPN Justice and Peace E Bulletin October 2022