Former equality chief Trevor Phillips presented a programme on social attitudes among British Muslims on Channel 4 on Thursday. It was called 'What British Muslims Really Think' and aired Muslim attitudes to Sharia, women and homosexuality. Some uncomfortable statistics were revealed which might send shivers down spines. The pain was made worse by the fact that Trevor Phillips had been head of the Commission for Racial Equality and promoted many of the views he now dismisses, particularly about the speed with which Muslims would integrate and adopt British customs and attitudes. Nearly a quarter (23%) supported the introduction of sharia law in some areas of Britain. 31% said Muslim men could have more than one wife, with many Muslim women agreeing, and 39% saying that ‘wives should always obey their husbands’. Also if an area has at least 20% Muslim population it is likely to be more deprived than most, making extremism more attractive.

Birkenhead MP Frank Field said 154,000+ people last year waited at least ten days for their benefit claim to be processed. 44,000+ waited longer than sixteen days. He chairs the work and pensions select committee, and acknowledged progress had been made to reduce waiting time. However, for people with little or no money in the bank, to survive even a day, let alone two weeks, without an income is an almost impossible task. Further action is needed to restrict hunger. If the department could deliver all new claims within five working days it would immediately reduce the number of people relying on foodbanks by a third. Delayed benefit payment remains the most common trigger for an emergency food parcel. One option available to claimants in the case of a delay is a short-term benefit advance. However, over half of new claimants applying for such a payment were unsuccessful.

A poll commissioned by Christian Aid and Global Witness, immediately before the Panama Papers exposé, found that over three-quarters of British adults agree that ‘David Cameron has a moral responsibility to ensure that the UK’s Overseas Territories are as transparent as possible’. Agreement is even stronger among those aged 45+ (85%). 81% agreed that ‘All companies, whether they are registered in the UK or its Overseas Territories, should be legally required to reveal their ultimate owners’. 69% (74% for those aged 45+) agreed that ‘It is damaging to the UK’s international reputation to be linked to so-called tax havens’. Anonymously-owned companies are the main method used by tax evaders and the corrupt to hide their identity and their money.

The Church Commissioners have widespread support for a move to put pressure on energy giant ExxonMobil to disclose the impact of climate change policy on its business. The commissioners manage a fund of £6.7 billion, used to support the Church of England. They have co-filed a shareholder motion with the New York State Comptroller, asking Exxon to disclose the effect on its business if measures to restrict global warming to two degrees are successful. Shell and BP agreed to disclose how much they will be impacted by efforts to lower greenhouse gas emissions in 2015. Exxon had attempted to have the resolution struck down by the Securities and Exchange Commission, but its request was denied last month. Exxon has funded groups who deny human-induced climate change, and lobbied politicians against climate change legislation. It has a long history of rejecting shareholder motions and the scientific consensus on this topic.