The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams in a leading article in the last issue of the New Statesman was severely critical of the UK’s coalition government over its social policies, particularly in matters of health and education.

Spokesmen for Downing Street rebutted the charges maintaining that the Tory concept of the Big Society that drives the changes being implemented in these sectors were well discussed and publicised in the media before the last UK general election. Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat Cabinet minister, “saw no problem and welcomed the debate”. This stands in sharp and ridiculous contrast to the referendum debate where our own Archbishop was made to feel apologetic about any pronouncement emanating from the Church that touched on the important issue of divorce.

Even more pathetic was the fact that one of the more clamorous pro-divorce lobbyist should be so insistent on the strictest division between the Church and the state as might have muzzled the Maltese bishops altogether.