Alicia Edmund
Alicia joined the Evangelical Alliance as head of public policy in August 2021. Since then, she has worked on a range of issues from asylum resettlement, refugee integration, poverty relief and religious freedom in the UK and overseas.
Alicia leads the advocacy team’s parliament and Whitehall engagement and is focusing all legislative engagement this year on three core themes: dignity, freedom and justice.
Education secretary outlines plans to restrict freedoms to home educate
12 February 2025Education policy is devolved in the UK meaning each parliament – Holyrood, Senedd, Stormont and Westminster each legislate, fund and implement policies affecting children from early years through to higher education. The Education Act 1996 states that it is the responsibility of parents to seek out full-time education from five years to the age of 16. Section 7 of the act states: “the parent of every child of compulsory school age to cause them to receive efficient full-time education that is…
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Home secretary announces a £5 million fund to support locally led grooming gangs inquiries
29 January 2025On Thursday 16 January, the home secretary Yvette Cooper gave a statement in the Commons setting out how the government will tackle crimes of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Its starting point was to reiterate its commitment to implementing the Alexis Jay report. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IISCA) report led by Professor Alexis Jay was first commissioned in 2016 and concluded in Autumn 2022. Following seven years examining safeguarding practice across different…
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God has been faithful in 2024, and the advocacy team are believing for more breakthroughs in 2025
17 December 20242024 has been a challenging year for the advocacy team. We have had to navigate an evolving policy agenda along with highly emotive issues, such as end of life care and proposals to legalise assisted dying – yet God has been our refuge and strength throughout. We have known His encouragement and seen His favour in the many unexpected meetings with senior government officials across policy issues. Doors that were firmly closed in 2023, in 2024 have been opened, and we have been presented with…
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Parliament set to debate and vote on legalising assisted dying in England and Wales
12 November 2024Kim Leadbeater, Labour MP for Spen Valley, (pictured above) presented the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in parliament for first reading on 16 October. In principle the bill seeks to “allow adults who are terminally ill the right to request and seek assistance to end their own life, subject to safeguards.” Late evening on Monday, 11 November, she published the bill where all 38 pages outline what these “safeguards” mean in reality for those nearing the end of their lives or with…
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New statutory duty to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace – here’s what you need to know
26 October 2024It is essential that we all read this briefing, and it is vital that trustees, senior leadership teams and those with management responsibilities collectively discern and take action appropriate to your ministry or work context. The legal change applies to churches, businesses and charities.
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Scotland’s abortion law review is well underway
20 September 2024Reacting to the US Supreme Court’s ruling to overturn Roe v Wade, resulting in making abortion laws a responsibility of individual states, former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made a commitment to review abortion in Scotland. One outworking of this commitment was to introduce protection zones around abortion clinics and a nine-month review. From Tuesday, 24 September, the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Act 2024 comes into effect, where to “influence the decision, prevent or…
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What does a Labour government mean for UK evangelicals?
9 July 2024“This election is about change”, is the opening sentence in Labour’s 136-page manifesto and serves as a perfect summary of what’s to come when parliament resumes following the state opening of parliament and the King’s speech on Wednesday, 17 July. By early morning on the Friday, 5 July, the polls confirmed the end of a 14-year Conservative-led government and ushered in a Labour government with a 172-seat majority. By early late afternoon, the nation had a new prime minister, new cabinet and a…
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Three guiding principles for Christian women ahead of polling day
10 June 2024It is important to start with a reminder to make sure you are registered to vote on 4 July and to check you have the approved photo ID to take with you on the day. You have until Tuesday, 18 June (23:59) to register to vote and Wednesday, 26 June (17:00) to apply for a ‘Voter Authority Certificate from your local Electoral Registration Office. It’s free. I foresee that women across the UK and across different demographic groups will play a significant role in determining who the next prime…
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Why voting is a start but can’t be where our political engagement ends
22 May 2024Political commentators for months have been speculating when the next general election will be. Now that we know it will be Thursday 4 July, it is important that Christians view their civic engagement as highly as their devotion and love to the Lord and love to their neighbour. Jesus has always encouraged His church and disciples to be an integral part of communities, bringing hope, serving those most in need and proclaiming the kingdom of God is at hand, for all who repent and turn to Christ.
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Christian politicians share how faith impacts their work
20 March 2024"Christians should take a lead in not taking a cynical view of politics, but be more politically informed of all the decisions in the round" – David Burrowes As onlookers to the Punch and Judy of Wednesday’s prime minister’s questions or the endless news cycles of another political failure at the highest level of government, it can be difficult to believe politics can be a force for good for the nation. Last night, we had the opportunity to get up-close and personal with three Christian…
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Parliament to vote on abortion being allowed up until birth
18 March 2024Firstly, I want to begin by thanking our members and supporters who took part in our last call to action and got in touch with your local MP and raised concerns on proposed amendments to decriminalise abortion. The responses we have received from parliamentarians so far show they are engaging with the concerns raised around health implications of at home abortions and the impact decriminalisation could have on the legal safeguards protecting woman and their unborn children. We now urge you to…
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