THIRTY-SEVEN bishops have signed a letter to the Prime Minister
calling for a "renewed Jubilee" which puts "finance back in its
place".
The letter, which is signed by more than 300 faith leaders, will
be handed to Mr Cameron after a reception on 5 February in the
Jubilee Room of the Houses of Parliament - the room in which the
Jubilee 2000 campaign was launched in October 1997.
The letter says: "A self-serving financial system has brought
the global economy to its knees, and we are now seeing the poorest
people in our own society and around the world paying the price for
this excess.
"That is why we ask people everywhere to join in calling for a
renewed Jubilee. Finance must be put back in its place as a means
to human well-being. We need far reaching changes in the global
economy to build a society based on justice, mutual support and
community."
The letter calls for the cancelling of the "unjust debts of the
most indebted nations"; the promotion of "just and progressive
taxation rather than excessive borrowing"; and the ending of
"harmful lending which forces countries into debt".
The signatories include 13 diocesan bishops - among them the
Bishop of Bradford, the Rt Revd Nick Baines; the Bishop of Exeter,
the Rt Revd Michael Langrish; and the Bishop of Wakefield, the Rt
Revd Stephen Platten - and 24 suffragans.
Other signatories include the Moderator of the General Assembly
of the United Reformed Church, the Revd Dr Michael Jagessar; the
President-elect of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Revd
Ernie Whalley; and the Vice-President of the Methodist Conference,
Michael King.
The letter can be read here.
www.jubileedebtcampaign.org.uk