3rd & last lot of Bible quotes for the World Cup: let's hope that Captain Harry Kane never has to use Pslam 139.16 to the referee: "In thy book all my members were written" and no England player has to admit "when my foot slips, they magnify themselves against me" (Psalm 38.16).

Stayed up late to watch the Scotland v Brazil football match last night/early morning in honour of my part Scottish roots...but to no avail...but that's the essence of football: keeping the faith even when there's no evidence of likely success. It's often the same with prayer.

The report on the Nottingham Trust Maternity Unit on the needless deaths of mothers & children cannot stay a report, but must be followed up with individual prosecutions, otherwise where is the accountability, or the warning to staff & managers elsewhere not to repeat them?

Just attended Hineinu - Hebrew for "here we are" - the name of the first ever conference of the new movement Progressive Judaism, formed from the merger of Reform Judaism and Liberal Judaism earlier this year. It was a powerhouse of energy & creativity, mixing tradition & change.

What an amazing religious succession of Prime Ministers: CofE (Liz Truss), Hindu (Rishi Sunak), Atheist (Keir Starmer) and, likely, Catholic Andy Burnham - an extraordinary melee, unthinkable not so long ago, but now reflecting modern pluralist Britain. A great tapestry of faith.

Isn't it extraordinary that we are likely to have someone as PM who has not been in Parliament for years and has no declared policies? Luckily he's a decent chap...but it could have been an extremist under that procedure of MPs falling into line with popular appeal. Frightening.

Meet Elizabeth and Debbie who are both part of the unexpected surge in conversions to Progressive Judaism that's happening right now....and the three reasons why I think this is happening despite there be a rising climate of antisemitism: www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

Does it matter that if Andy Burnham gets to No. 10 he'll be the 1st Catholic to do so? What Jeremy Clarkson's prostate cancer tells us, and why the World Cup and faith are so connected? see my News Review @BBCRadioLondon, with @JumokeFashola at www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... at 7.45 am

What is Sir Keir thinking right now about AB? I suspect it could be, "He's not the Messiah, he's just a very naughty boy". What's more, he may be right, but (to quote another successful mayor who failed at being PM): when the herd moves, it moves. Sir Keir tried his best, but...

Is politics corrupting religion? That's a debate I'm taking part in on July 2nd at UCL, exploring how faith and power interact today, bringing together views from academia, politics, religion & public life. Tickets available from: www.bloomsburytheatre.com/event/2026/0...

Hurray, Lauren Edwards MP will bring forward the assisted dying Bill that was denied a vote in the Lords. Its First Reading is on 17 June. As she has said, the Bill is “one of the most important, compassionate, and empowering changes to healthcare we’ve seen in a generation.”

What does the Bible says about the World Cup? Divine advice is clear: if a free kick is given against England, then "They shall make haste to the wall and the defence shall be prepared" (Nahum 2.5) & hope that for the opponents "in vain the net is spread in sight" (Proverbs 1.17)

Oh dear...Southern Baptists have gone violently backwards and voted on Wednesday to ban women pastors & only allow men to preach. Misogyny? Or is it because Jesus' 12 Apostles were men? In that case, only allow Jews, fishermen, publicans and tax collectors to preach at services!

At a time when governments are often accused of short-termism, all credit to Antoni Gaudi and his successors for the 144 year project of building the Sagrada Familia Basilica blessed by the Pope yesterday - what an amazing testimony to long-term thinking and perseverance.

Anger at a suspected murder attempt by a Sudanese asylum seeker leads to a Belfast bus being set on fire. But what did they think burning a bus would do.....other than show that this was really all about them enjoying a chance to riot. It's back to the Middle Ages, or earlier.

Great speech by Simon Opher, MP & GP in the Commons yesterday on the Lords blocking assisted dying, “The public expects Parliament to debate, scrutinise & improve legislation, not allow a small unelected minority to prevent the will of the elected House being carried into law.”

I'm sure that the Government would like to condemn J D Vance's comment re. Henry Novak's death more strongly, but as he is only "a heartbeat away" from being President they know it's best not to antagonise him. Just wait till Keir & co publish their memoirs when out of office.

yes, that's true and a good point...I often have to deal with how to combine tradition & modernity within my own faith (Judaism) & was extending that to others...and also with the thought that it's best done voluntarily and internally before being forced to take action by external events.

Interesting idea in The Times in Wednesday's letters page that as the ceremonial knife/kirpan is carried by Sikhs purely for symbolic reasons, why it can't be sealed (with the blade welded to the sheath); maybe a way of combining tradition with modern aversion to carrying knives?

The police who arrested the dying Henry Nowak made bad mistakes in assessing the situation & in handcuffing him (albeit misled by the 999 call) but to widen that to say all police officers give preferential treatment to ethnic minorities is in itself an example of prejudice.

Jewish staff in the NHS feel ostracised...Jewish patients feels discriminated against. These are the finding of Lord Mann's review on antisemitism. Astonishing that our 'national treasure' should be infected with such an appalling virus. There should be no place for racist staff.

Essex County Council, now under Reform, has stated that the Lord’s Prayer will be said at the start of its full council meetings. I wonder if all those Reform Councillors are Church goers, with the Lord's Prayer being more a symbol of a bygone Britain than a religious expression?

This compares to exactly 0% of British citizens dying in pain who have the legal ability to an assisted death in their own country and have to either suffer on, take their own life (horrible for them, horrendous for family) or go abroad to Switzerland - only bad options unless we change the law here

Many thanks indeed to the astonishing number of people who responded with comments and contributions to the RNLI lifeboat we are fundraising for in Benedict memory ("Ben's Boat") to be stationed off Flint - it's truly heart-warming and will be life-saving: www.justgiving.com/page/benboat

If you knew my son Benedict, then you'll know that, sadly, he drowned on his honeymoon three years ago (caught in a rip tide), so we've decided to raise money to buy a lifeboat via the RNLI in his memory & to help save others. See: www.justgiving.com/page/benboat

Just finished reading "Progressive Judaism, Zionism and the State of Israel"(ed E.Kessler). It might surprise some that the essayist who wrote "I am pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian" was largely representative of the other 39 rabbis who contributed: it's both/and, not either/or.

Would an Arsenal fan be allowed to be buried in a red and white coffin? The answer is in my piece below, along with a look at new customs in the way we do funerals and how they have been democratised in recent years: www.thejc.com/judaism/rabb...

Such dispiriting news today: British Museum postpones exhibition on ancient Israel for fear of protesters...Helen Mirren abused in the street for playing Golda Meir: this is no longer about politics or helping Palestinians but hating things Jewish in all aspects a.k.a. racism

What if? Is there hope for Keir Starmer if Andy Burnham loses the Makerfield by-election, Wes Streeting lacks the 81 backers for a leadership challenge, immigration continues to fall, the economy begins to rise...a lot of "ifs" but might he do a John Major & surprise everyone?

Donaldson, former Ulster Unionist leader on trial for rape, Murrell guilty of embezzling the SNP, Rayner didn't pay house tax at the time, Polanski may not have paid his Council tax, Farage accused of not declaring a large gift...what a massive decline in standards in public office.

Wise words from Pope Leo XIV in his encyclical "Magnificent Humanity" on the need to "disarm" AI for both the physical & moral health of humanity - but given the way, for instance, both consumers & producers ignore health warnings about cigarettes, the omens are not good.

I totally understand the thinking behind the calls to disinvite Tommy Robinson from the Oxford Union debate on 28th May, but have to disagree. Freedom of speech trumps everything & means listening to those you dislike or disagree with, so long as it does not turn into hate speech.

We are often surprised when families fall out with each other - be they royalty, the Beckhams or on Council estates - but the Bible shows that is largely the norm - certainly in Genesis where so many are dysfunctional; see my piece in The Times yesterday: www.thetimes.com/comment/regi...

A person's self-identity is important for them but does not oblige others to accept it, whatever the issue. But in the trans issue, I assume there is an obligation if they have legally changed. But how do others know that? Does the person have to offer proof, akin to a railcard?

There was a clear message at the Dignity in Dying reception on Tuesday: the assisted dying Bill passed the Commons but was run out of time in the Lords, so the fight to legalise it continues - we will not let down dying people who are begging for it. It's a duty we will fulfil.

No club will spy again after Southampton had its place in the Play-offs Final taken away yesterday by the EFL..and now the Premier League should be equally punitive on clubs that cheat with illegal financial payments & ensure that stops too. But do they have the same courage?

The tragedy of the lastest Ebola outbreak is not just the deaths that will arise, but also how impossible it is to provide medical care & drugs when some of the areas affected lack basics such as water. Everyone reading this is richly well off in comparison and should feel humble

What if? ...if Israel had won the Eurovision Song Contest? If hostilities were still ongoing the 2027 one would be in a neutral country. If they'd ceased, it'd be in Jerusalem ("city of peace") or Tel Aviv ("hill of springs") with the hope that both cities lived up to their names

Had great fun this morning on @JumokeFashole @BBCRadioLondon discussing why we favour the underdog, where is the difference between free speech & hate speech,and what the Bible says about politcal rebellions (Wes & Andy take note) www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... fast forward to 1.43.34

Spoke at Cookham Literary Festival yesterday about my new book (below) - hall packed out & some great questions/points from the audience. It was lovely to see so many shul members, along with ex-neighbours Mike & Heather. Will have to write another book so I can be invited again.

Amid all the criticism of Sir Keir Starmer - some horribly vicious - let's spare a thought for his wife & children: what it's like for them to see him so vilified? Yes, he chose to be PM but most of us don't see our partners or parents publicly berated on a daily basis. Poor them.

It was great to be back at Chalfont St Giles Literary Festival (in a previous year I'd spoken there about my - very good seller - "Confessions of a Rabbi"); last night I spoke about my new book on assisted dying to a packed hall - next stop is Cookham Lit. Fest. on Thursday.

I do understand that many voters are disappointed in/ fed up with Sir Keir Starmer - but I don't get why it is often expressed much more viscerally than that, with voters "hating" or "loathing" him. He made not be a success, but has he really hurt people that much? Seems OTT.

All hail the power of Facebook: our dog ran off... 3 hours of searches nearby on foot and then sweeps of streets further away in the car proved unsuccessful...it went on Facebook (thanks Laura & Leo) and within 30 mins she was located and back home. So much neighbourly goodwill!

Back from the rally against antisemitism in London, with it's powerful message that although it affects Jews primarily, it is a problem for society as a whole: no one is safe unless everyone is safe. It means that a national solution is needed against hatred & discrimination.

So the predicted Reform UK surge happened, but not quite as well for the Greens. Someone said that's because Zack Polanski is a charlatan. I strongly deny that. It just so happened he couldn't enlarge breasts through hypnotherapy & wasn't a spokesman for the Red Cross after all.

As the 1st anniversary of Pope Leo's XIV' election approaches (May 8) I recall once being told, "At a future Vatican Council, the Cardinals will have their wives with them. And at the one after that, the Pope will have her husband there". Heresy or prophecy?

If you have 12 minutes to spare, here is a succint summary of modern Judaism at a Voices of Faith conference in the Barbican recently covering our beliefs, rituals, ethics, interfaith dialogue, the different strands of Judaism and attitudes to Israel. www.youtube.com/watch?v=33Bo...

One of the late Richard Harries bon mots was when someone made a remark about him that he was not sure was meant to be critical or not: "One of my mottos is that when in doubt take everything as compliment, it helps ward off paranoia". That is a strategy well worth adopting!

Many individual imams have expressed horror at the recent anti-Jewish attacks, which has been appreciated, but it'd be good to escalate matters with every mosque this coming Friday having a sermon against antisemitism & keeping Middle East conflicts from poisoning British life.