Children being ‘used as guinea pigs’ in puberty blockers experiment
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 23 Jan 2026
Health Secretary Wes Streeting is allowing a trial of puberty blockers for children to go ahead despite confessing to being “uncomfortable” about the risks involved and receiving strong and widespread opposition.
The Pathways trial, recommended by the Cass Review (which examined NHS gender identity services for children and young people) was set to start in January. Concerns regarding the impact of the drugs include issues related to brain development, fertility, and bone density, as well as the subject of whether young children are capable of giving consent.
NHS trust 'violated dignity' of Darlington nurses
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 16 Jan 2026
A group of Darlington nurses had their dignity "violated" by an NHS trust, a tribunal said today.
Newcastle Employment Tribunal said that "complaints of indirect sex discrimination" against County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust "are well founded and succeed" after the nurses were required to share a female-only changing room with a biological male who identifies as a woman.
Seven-year Bernard Randall case ends in settlement
Lydia Houghton
Date posted: 9 Jul 2026
Evangelicals are celebrating after it was today announced that Church of England (CofE) chaplain Bernard Randall's seven-year ordeal has reached a settlement.
In 2019, Randall was referred to Prevent (the UK's counter-radicalisation programme, part of the Government's wider counterterrorism strategy), treated as a safeguarding risk, and effectively shut out of ministry for preaching a sermon rooted in CofE doctrine.
Scotland & Wales: Dr Q & LGBTQI+ pose challenges
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 21 May 2026
Scotland and Wales have elected their newest parliamentary representatives, which could pose some concerns for evangelical Christians in each country, says The Christian Institute.
Scotland saw the Scottish National Party (SNP) get the most votes for the fifth time, along with the most seats in parliament, although less than the last election. Labour and Reform UK came in joint second, with Reform making strides since the last election and winning its first seats in Holyrood.
Q’s conversion ban bid
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 29 Jun 2026
Q Manivannan, one of the first transgender MSPs to be elected to the Scottish Parliament, has put forward a motion in Holyrood calling for a ban on “conversion practices”.
“Legislation in this area is not about outlawing genuine abuse – since that is already illegal,” said Joanna Timm, Senior Public Affairs Office at the Christian Institute.
Top scientist axed over gender views
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 24 Mar 2026
A top scientific officer whose concerns about puberty blockers led to the pausing of a national trial has now been removed from involvement with it due to concerns about his “gender-critical” views.
Professor Jacob George was appointed as the first Chief Medical and Scientific Officer for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) late last year.
news in brief
‘Turn the Battle’
A number of Christian organisations in the UK have been seeking to mobilise people to pray and fast for three days.
The “Turn the Battle” campaign has been aiming to see “the whole body humbling itself under God’s mighty hand and a committing to three days of contending prayer and fasting” from 21 to 23 January.
Puberty blockers trial challenged
Emily Pollok
Date posted: 22 Feb 2026
A group of concerned parties are pursuing legal proceedings in the High Court to stop a trial of puberty blockers for children from going ahead.
The trial, which is costing the taxpayer £11 million, should never have been approved and comprises government-funded experimentation on young children, the claimants say.
news in brief
400 women gather
The Norfolk Gospel Partnership Women’s Conference 2026 saw 400 women from across the region gather together for a day of worship, inspirational Bible teaching and encouragement.
Women from more than 75 different churches attended and this year’s theme was “Greater – running the race because of Jesus”. The speaker was Lizzy Smallwood.