At the General Synod on 20th-23rd February, the church will discuss a motion which will acknowledge that there has historically been a marginalisation of people in social housing by both the church and the state.

Plans drafted by the Estates Evangelism Task Group reveal a desire to change this and ‘see a serving, loving and worshipping Christian community on every significant social housing estate in the country’.

The church will discuss urging every diocese to build ministries in estates and involve the residents in their mission strategies, such as considering where they plant churches or deploy clergy to.

Speaking to Premier about this vision, Reverend Helen Shannon, who is part of the Estate Evangelism task group, said they were looking particularly at estates that had around 500 houses in: “If you look at parishes in the Church of England, those make up a fifth of the parishes.

“Nearly 50% of the population live actually in those parishes but out of those parishes there is only a third whose church building is actually on or near the estate.

“In London you can have a succesful church…impacting the community, seeing social transformation but actually they’re not impacting the estate down the road. And so I think that’s where our feeling for ‘sent-ness’ comes from – that actually we have to go to those communities that can be isolated within great pockets of…

Lord Scriven said he and his husband David wanted to reaffirm their love of 23 years in the eyes of the church, but were denied by existing law, adding: “It made me feel, in my country, not equal.”

The Liberal Democrat peer added such a situation “devalues” the love of same-sex couples.

His remarks came as the Lords debated a proposal to allow ministers to make regulations to remove the 2013 exemption which prevents clergy members from solemnising the marriage of same-sex couples.

Lord Scriven said the amendment would not order the church to remove the exemption but, if the church changes its opinion, puts down in law the opportunity to “bring my marriage and others into the arms of the church”.

Following a debate during committee stage of the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Bill, which aims to extend civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples, the amendment was withdrawn although it is expected to undergo further debate at a later stage.

Lord Scriven said: “I have experienced – and let’s be clear – the prejudice of not being able to be married in the Church of England.

“I married just over 16 months ago.

“Me and my husband, just like every other couple, went into this with a sense of enjoyment and excitement – wishing to reaffirm our love of 23 years in the eyes of not just society, but also – because of David’s view on religion – also…

The Peterborough MP was convicted at the Old Bailey of perverting the course of justice after lying to police to avoid a speeding charge.

She was jailed this week but is continuing in her role despite calls for her to stand down.

The 35-year-old solicitor’s sentence will now be reviewed.

A spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office said: “We have received a request for the case of Fiona Onasanya to be considered under the unduly lenient sentence scheme.

“The Law Officers have 28 days from sentencing to consider the case.”

If the sentence is found to be unduly lenient, the case will be referred to the Court of Appeal which will decide whether or not to increase it.

Parliamentary rules require the removal of an MP who is jailed for 12 months or more.

A lesser sentence can result in a recall petition, which can force a by-election if it is signed by more than 10 per cent of the electorate in the constituency.

Onasanya, an Independent after being expelled by the Labour Party, is appealing against her conviction.

Jurors at the Old Bailey heard that Onasanya colluded with her brother Festus after her car was clocked doing 41mph in a 30mph zone in the village of Thorney, near Peterborough, in July 2017.

The court was told that she was sent a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) to fill out, but it was sent back naming the…

The Church of England General Synod will debate a motion later this month calling for the Government to rein in the spread of gambling advertising to protect children.

The motion was brought by the Bishop of St Albans Alan Smith who said legislation was needed to combat the quantity of gambling adverts.

But Dr Smith said action was also needed to stop football players having gambling logos on their strips and betting adverts on pitch-side hoarding.

When asked if he would like to see a ban on gambling adverts on football shirts, Dr Smith said: “I think that would be a really good idea.

“My personal view is we need to get far, far more radical. You simply cannot live in this country without being confronted endlessly.

“I know families who will not let their children watch football matches on TV because they feel their children are being groomed into gambling.”

Dr Smith told reporters about a young boy who had branded the football shirt his parents gave him for Christmas not a “proper one” because it did not have betting logo on it.

Dr Smith added: “That was a real wake up call for me.

“A whole generation of young people have taken on a range of views and attitudes about the norm of gambling.

“We have changed the enjoyment of sport from sport in itself to something that’s to do with money and betting.

“Our worry is we are as a nation sleepwalking into something by…