Danny Webster
Danny joined the Evangelical Alliance in 2008 and has held a range of roles in the advocacy team. He currently leads the advocacy team's work across the UK including public policy work an engagement with the parliaments and assemblies, and respective governments. Before working for the Evangelical Alliance, Danny, who has degrees in politics and political philosophy, worked in parliament for an MP. Danny is passionate about encouraging Christians to integrate their faith with all areas of their life, especially when it comes to helping them take on leadership outside the church, and helped initiate the Evangelical Alliance's Public Leadership programme. He frequently provides comment on current political issues, both in Evangelical Alliance publications and to the press.
Secular Lent: an ancient tradition in a modern world
7 March 2019That’s how Guardian columnist Dawn Foster wrote about Lent this week. During Lent Christians have traditionally given up food in forms of fasting, and this has expanded in recent years to the foregoing of many other things. It is also notable how popular this once obscure Christian discipline has become among those who would not describe themselves as Christians and may even fiercely oppose much of what the church teaches. In the Yorkshire Evening Post you can even read about 10 things to give…
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Government’s anti-persecution inquiry launched
31 January 2019At yesterday’s launch event at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Hunt said: “We wanted to do this not just because freedom of worship is a fundamental human right, but also because freedom of worship is the invisible line between open societies and closed societies. “Where freedom of worship is hampered or prevented, then usually that’s a sign of lots of other things going wrong, and we wanted to make sure that the UK is doing everything to champion the values that we all believe in.” The…
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Confusion and chaos, or a country crying out for hope?
17 January 2019Within 24 hours over Tuesday and Wednesday, the government’s proposed Withdrawal Agreement, which would see the UK leave the European Union on 29 March, was defeated by a historic majority and Theresa May’s government survived a no confidence vote triggered by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn after the Prime Minister’s deal was voted down. Following parliamentary votes in recent weeks, the government is now required to return to parliament by Monday, 21 January with proposals for what they will do…
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Brexit, Herod and contemptuous politicians
6 December 2018The five-day debate on the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement was always going to be tense, with predictions that the government could lose the vote on 11 December by a large margin – one tracker now has more than 100 Conservative MPs pledging to vote against it. But then there was the tricky matter of humble addresses and contempt of parliament motions. The government refused to take part in a vote which obliged them to publish the full legal advice on Brexit, they decided to only publish a summary,…
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Firm Foundations – new resource from the Evangelical Alliance
22 November 2018Over the last few years the Evangelical Alliance has spoken to many churches that have experienced challenges finding properties to meet in and encountered hurdles relating to cost, bureaucracy and opposition. Churches that are part of our One People Commission, which represents churches from different ethnic groups, have experienced these challenges most acutely, and when we talked with them about policy priorities, this came at the top of their list. For 2,000 years churches have met in many…
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Justin Welby: the turbulent priest and the Trades Union Congress
14 September 2018Ahead of his speech to the Trade Union’s Congress this week he put out a tweet teasing that it might ruffle a few feathers. He knew that it would reignite the debate that had hardly simmered down follow his involvement in the IPPR thinktank’s commission on economic justice and their report last week. Justin Welby followed up his calls for an increased minimum wage and an overhaul in inheritance arrangements with an attack on gig-economy employers and zero-hours contracts. In questions…
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Where payday lender Wonga went wrong
30 August 2018It was a tech start-up touted to soar into the stratosphere – alongside Facebook, Amazon and Google. It attracted investors and board members from venture capitalists and luminaries of the digital world. It had quirky TV adverts with puppets, and a slick online system that provided the user with what they needed without the hassle other providers caused. It is now on the brink of going bust. Wonga offered short-term loans at astronomical rates to people, without the checks and safeguards…
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Southgate and Trump: leadership in an age of extremes
13 July 2018England's football manager Gareth Southgate will don his waistcoat one more time in this World Cup when England take to the stage against Belgium on Saturday to decide who comes third at the World Cup. It's not the finale he would have wanted and as performances exceeded expectations, not the one many started to believe was possible. Over the past four weeks we have seen how one man can bring hope, instil unity and encourage passion. With a trademark humility, Gareth has helped England…
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Intergenerational church: let’s show the world how it’s done
18 May 2018Danny Webster is advocacy and media manager at the Evangelical Alliance.This week the Intergenerational Commission published its full report into fairness between different generations. Most publicised was the organisation's proposal to grant every 25-year-old a 'citizen's inheritance' of £10,000, to use on housing, education, pensions or starting a business.According to stats included in the report, millennials, those born between 1980 and 1995, are only half as likely to own their home by the…
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Betting machines curbed in crucial victory for campaigners
17 May 2018This is a significant victory that will help protect people from developing gambling problems, and reduce the impact of gambling losses on vulnerable people. The Evangelical Alliance has long campaigned on this issue, repeatedly calling for the Government to take action, and has today joined with other faith groups to welcome the announcement. Together with the Salvation Army, the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church, the Church of Scotland, the Baptist Union of Great Britain, CARE,…
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5 reasons why Above and Beyond is an essential day for your church
2 January 2018Join us for Above and Beyond, a day conference helping you to run your church or charity excellently by complying with the law and regulations. Here we explain why it's a day you and your church shouldn't miss. 1. Virtually all churches are charities, so understanding what that means and requires is essential. There will be a seminar on charitable governance and another on your relationship with the Charity Commission to ensure that you are best placed if there are ever any concerns or…
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