The figures obtained by the trade union Unison say the biggest leap was in A and E departments, where reported attacks went up by 21% from 15,469 to 18,720.

Steve Fouch from the Christian Medical Fellowship told Premier: “We’ve faced a number of situations where people have reported to us – and we’ve heard from other sources – about the increasing violence that happens, particularly in places like A and E departments.”

Steve explained: “I think a lot of it is at a verbal level…a lot of it is not necessarily physical violence but the alarming thing is the amount of physical attacks; shoving, pushing, hitting and more serious assaults are becoming more commonplace.”

The data also suggests that in places that are most stretched, assaults were more likely.

Trusts which treated 90% or fewer of their patients within 18 weeks of referral saw an average increase in reported assaults of 36.2%.

Steve Fouch said of this: “I think there is a very definite link – we have very overstretched units, particularly at A and E departments but also GP surgeries and elsewhere.”

“I’ve no doubt that that is a contributory factor,” he said.

Steve added that this frustration may not just come from those in pain: “Quite often it’s a relative or someone who is with them who might be frustrated on their behalf – it’s recognition that there are a lot of pressures now on staff but also on…

The discussion, requested by Jeremy Corbyn, follows Britain’s decisions on Saturday to join the US and France in launching missile strikes on suspected chemical warfare facilities in Syria.

Rachael Maskell is among politicians supporting a call by her party’s leader for a new War Powers Act to require ministers to consult MPs first before taking such action in the future.

Speaking with Premier, the representative for York Central said: “I was deeply concerned that the Prime Minister – when she had time – did not recall Parliament on such an important issue.

“I believe it was incumbent on her to make sure that Parliament – to which she is accountable – had the opportunity to debate the issue of whether or not action should be taken and, if so, what action should look like.

Rachael added: “I want Theresa May to understand her accountability before the House and ensure she does adopt Labour’s call for a War Powers Act and that she is accountable to that Act for the actions that she calls on from her Government and, ultimately, our armed forces.”

Conservative MP and former attorney general, Dominic Grieve told Premier that it would have been “very difficult” for Theresa May to brief politicians on Saturday’s “highly specific operation”, in light of the need to protect confidential details.

He said: “The reality is that if we debated this last week, the Government would…

Rt Rev Jonathan Clark and Rt Rev Dr Michael Ipgrave told ministers allowing Florence and Opelo Kgari to stay would mark “a step towards a more humane immigration system based on our shared Christian values of fairness and decency.”

The two women, who have lived in the United Kingdom for 14 years, have faced repeated deportation attempts and have been detained at the Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre since January 2018.

Opelo (pictured), 27, helped lead a hunger strike at the site in Bedfordshire for much of last month in order to highlight the treatment of detainees.

In their letter, which was printed in the Guardian newspaper on Tuesday, Bishop Jonathan and Dr Michael said: “We are concerned that the injustices that prompted last month’s hunger strike at Yarl’s Wood immigration removal centre continue.

“People there are calling for an amnesty for those who have lived in the UK for more than ten years and an end to the detention of those who came to the UK as children.

“We hope that immigration minister Caroline Nokes will intervene in the case of Opelo and Florence Kgari – a mother and daughter who have lived in the UK 14 years…”

The letter was also signed by Paul Barker from Quakers in Britain and Ali Johnson, an associate pastor at Swan Bank Methodist Church near Southampton.

Last week, the Independent quoted a Home Office spokesperson who said officials…

There has been confusion this week after it was revealed that many who arrived in the UK, from mostly Caribbean countries, after the second world war are worried about being able to prove their legal status as citizens and therefore remain in the country.

A number of bishops have encouraged people to sign a petition which asks the Government to secure ‘immigration amnesty’ and ensure the burden of proof lies with the Home Office.

One, the Bishop of Southwark, the Rt Rev Christopher Chessun, has called on the Government to introduce a rule which presumes a person in such a case is a legal citizen unless proved otherwise.

Christopher Chessun told Premier: “I was really horrified when I learnt that many, much valued members of our community, our churches, who have made a major contribution to the life of this nation, are now suffering because they cannot prove and provide documentation to show their right to stay in this country.”

Bishop Christopher explained that he wants the Government to change its policy, saying there should be: “a right of presumption… that people have a right of indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom unless the Home Office has evidence for the contrary.”

Speaking of how his faith contributes to his passion about this issue he said: “It’s very important that we understand, as a country which has been built on Christian values, that…

Andrew Brunson, who faces up to 35 years in prison, was also said to be “devastated” to learn he was being moved to a prison described as “extremely grim” by his supporters.

First detained in October 2016 as part of a visa investigation, he was later accused of involvement with two organisations Turkey considers to be terrorist in nature and behind a botched coup earlier that year.

Addressing a judge in the Mediterranean city of Izmir, the 50-year-old from North Carolina was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying: “I do not accept the charges mentioned in the indictment.

“I was never involved in any illegal activities.”

Supporters of Andrew Brunson, a missionary who had spent 23 years in Turkey, say he has been targeted with false accusations specifically because of his Christian faith.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the US State Department said: “We have seen no credible evidence that Mr Brunson is guilty of a crime and are convinced that he is innocent.”

“Turkey is a state bound by the rule of law, and we have faith in the Turkish people’s commitment to justice.

“We hope that the judicial system in Turkey will resolve his case in a timely, fair, and transparent manner.”

Brunson is being supported by Washington DC-based advocacy agency the American Center for Law and Justice.

Speaking after a judge decided to halt Brunson’s trial for three weeks and keep him in custody, the centre’s chief counsel Jay…