The Critic Magazine

The Church of England must change course | Katie Lam | The Critic Magazine

In our world of rainbow lanyards and microaggression sensitivity training, it’s hard to say which British institution is the most unbearably self...

In our world of rainbow lanyards and microaggression sensitivity training, it’s hard to say which British institution is the most unbearably self-righteous. The Church of England, though, must surely be on the podium. Its determination to plough on with its ill-conceived slavery reparations project — dubbed “Project Spire” — is remarkable. The plan to give away £100 million of parish money to its vanity project was a mess from the beginning, and the problems are mounting up. New polling released over the weekend shows that 80 per cent of Anglicans say they expect the Church of England to support local churches, rather than spend money on what it sees as past wrongs. The gulf between those who sit at the top of this institution and those who fill its pews could scarcely be wider. Just before Christmas, I joined a group of parliamentarians in writing to the incoming Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, urging her to put a stop to these egregious plans.

the Guardian

Circumcision kits found on sale on Amazon UK as concerns grow over harm to baby boys

Exclusive: Discovery comes amid growing concern over lax regulation and children being put at risk by rogue operators

Circumcision kits have been found on sale on Amazon UK, highlighting lax regulation as concerns grow about deaths and serious harm to baby boys. In December, a UK coroner issued warnings about insufficient circumcision regulation after the death in 2023 of a six-month-old boy, Mohamed Abdisamad, from a streptococcus infection. In a prevention of future deaths report, Dr Anton van Dellen, assistant coroner for west London, highlighted how “any individual may conduct a non-therapeutic male circumcision (NTMC) without any prior training”, with “no requirement for any infection control measures [and] no requirements for any aftercare”, adding that “action should be taken to prevent future deaths”. The Department of Health and Social Care has until the end of February to respond. The Guardian found “Plastibell” kits, in various sizes, on sale for £200 on Amazon in January. A listing on the site promised “a circumcision procedure which requires no special post-operative care or dressing [which] means a significant saving in both time and money”. It added: “The disposable PlastiBell circumcision device eliminates the need for the repetitive and costly sterilisation required for stainless steel clamps … No special dressings required.” Similar devices were on sale on eBay.

MSN

The first incident took place on October 29, 2025, when one victim returned to her home on Mill Lane, Great Sankey, at around 6.30pm to find her daughter's bedroom window had been smashed. The woman said: "When I got home, I went to close the blinds of my daughter's bedroom window and noticed shattered glass on her bed. I looked at the window and could see the internal glass had smashed. I went outside to have a look and could see a number of clear marks and dents on the frame where I believe someone has used an item to try and force entry to my address." That same night, the defendants made their way to a house in Rainhill, where an elderly lady was sleeping, the Liverpool Echo reports. Mr Cockerill said: "When she awoke the next morning, she found that her conservatory's doors had been smashed, entry had been made, but nothing had been taken. "She said that although no items were taken, damage had been caused to the door and window. More importantly, she says 'I live alone, and the whole thing has left me very shaken. I feel unsafe in my own home'." The burglars struck again on October 30, when a male victim and his family returned to their home on Liberty Close, Great Sankey, following a holiday. They noticed the central heating had been triggered due to low temperature in the house, and discovered evidence of a break-in. Images of the three men were shared, and Zaharia and Barbulesteanu were arrested on November 9, 2025, when Zaharia was found to be in possession of jewellery and £490 cash. Zaharia, of no fixed address, was said to have convictions in France, Romania, and Austria for offences including handling stolen goods, aggravated theft, attempted burglary, dealing stolen goods, fraud, and aggravated burglary by an organised gang. Barbulesteanu, of Rookery Road, Birmingham, had no previous convictions.