Ep 121: The welfare state, asylum system and rage baiting

On today's episode of Cross Section, the team have a focused and in-depth conversation on the riots taking place across Europe and especially France in recent days. Join Peter Lynas, Alicia Edmund and Danny Webster as they analyse what sparked these violent disturbances and how likely is it for rioting to spill out onto the streets in the UK. The team discuss the role of the church and how our Christian faith helps us engage and address issues of civil unrest, mass migration and extremism in today's episode. This is an episode not to be missed. Global migration and immigration to the UK - Evangelical Alliance Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 1:15 Loud listening on public transport 3:11 Personal protest experiences 6:29 What's happening in France? 10:36 Disruption vs. criminal damage 13:30 Could this spread to the UK? 16:40 Progressive narratives hitting the buffers 19:12 Christian hope and truthfulness 24:04 The church as a mediating institution 25:14 Signs of unrest in the UK 28:34 The Briefing Room 30:23 Immigration and global migration 34:10 Migration and church growth 35:42 Navigating disagreement constructively 39:07 Close

In this episode of Cross Section, Peter Lynas, Danny Webster and Alicia Edmund record together from the studio. In the news review, the team discuss a French cyber-attack that hacked supermarket fridges, Trump buying large quantities of diesel from Putin, and the proposed ’Celebrity Handcuffed’ pairing of Suella Braverman and Katie Price. The main conversation explores recent comments by Braverman and Kemi Badenoch on Englishness vs Britishness, and why people may identify as British rather than English. They then unpack Theos Think Tank’s Beyond Christian Nationalism research on how UK adults relate Christianity to national identity, including survey findings on language, economic contribution, race, Christianity and moral decline. The episode concludes with a debate on the death penalty and live-streaming executions after events in the US – Christa Pike’s failed execution and the proposed livestream of the killing of Nidal Hasan – sparked considerable discussion on the topic. What is the biblical backing for or against it? What are the Cross Section team’s opinions on it?

Peter Lynas, Alicia Edmund and Zanna Meynell return to Cross Section to discuss this week’s leading headlines. The episode begins with a news review. Peter updates us on the continued tensions in Drumcree, Alicia outlines the Man City controversy, and the team discuss the relaunch of a dating app with a particular focus on marriage. They also briefly reflect on the first week of Celebrity Traitors. Conversation then turns to the deeply controversial motion from the Green party, “Zionism is racism”. Could this splinter the Green Party? What will this mean for Zack Polanski in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election? How can Christians talk about this with wisdom and compassion? The team then address the prevalent theme of global instability and the threat of war, addressing calls for the church to be prayerful in this moment. The episode concludes with a brief review of party conference season and advice on navigating political differences within our church families. This is an episode not to be missed. Timestamps: 00:00 Welcome01:06 Drumcree tensions update03:35 Man City charges fallout06:46 Dating apps shift towards marriage09:31 Celebrity Traitors chat11:39 Green’s Zionism motion17:20 Discussing Israel/Palestine in our churches22:18 Praying against war32:09 Party conference season36:15 Encouragements

In this week's episode of Cross Section, Peter Lynas, Danny Webster and Alicia Edmund discuss the headlines. They begin with a news review that covers a worship event in a football stadium, the euthanasia of a one year old in the Netherlands and predictions for the upcoming series of Celebrity Traitors. Conversation then turns to all that is happening in Northern Ireland. Peter helpfully unpacks the context and history of the situation in Drumcree, what has been happening this week and how Christians can be praying. The episode concludes with a reaction to Andy Burnham's speech at the 2026 Labour party conference. What stood out? What will the implications be? Where will this leave the UK? This is an episode not to be missed.

On Cross Section this week, Peter Lynas, Alicia Edmund and Danny Webster discuss the theme of division and polarisation that spans across all the trending headlines. The team cover six political, cultural and religious stories, looking at how we can be good news people amidst the chaos. They cover Meryl Streep playing Aslan, the Ed Sheeran and Macklemore controversy, the village of Piddington wanting to leave the UK, a volunteer for Restore Britain being violently attacked, the Archbishop of Canterbury's u-turn, and the Green party's' thoughts on Zionism. This is an episode not to be missed. 0:00 Intro1:52 Meryl Streep as Aslan in Narnia7:13 Ed Sheeran and Macklemore: where politics meets music14:30 Piddington, the village that voted to leave the UK20:20 Green Party 'Zionism is racism' motion24:20 Restore Britain volunteer assaulted30:12 Archbishop of Canterbury's interfaith award controversy38:30 Good news people in a polarized world42:35 Closing