Tony Blair had regular breakfast meetings with the ultra-rich. His favourite fat cats lobbied for tax breaks for their companies and pensions. No doubt Gordon Brown will continue to meet with them and promise that non-doms can still avoid income tax.

What about regular breakfasts with poor people to discuss their interests? No way. The leaders of national voluntary societies discuss poverty with ministers. Odd that these leaders who reinforce inequality with their salaries frequently topping £100,000 should take it upon themselves to be the poverty lobby.

It seems to be assumed that those on low incomes lack the ability to speak and so should be excluded. Of course, the poor are unpopular, with New Labour increasingly casting them as spongers and criminals who are plainly not good enough to meet with upright and honest government ministers. The poor are not alone. Individuals and groups who speak truth to power will not be granted a fair hearing. They will just be ignored.

The Evangelical Review of Society and Politics is an American academic journal which is not my usual reading. But a friend sent me a copy, presumably because it contained an article entitled Speaking in the Tongues of Non-violence: American Pentecostal, Nationalism and Pacifism.

In the first quarter of the twentieth century, in the US of all places, Pentecostal churches often promoted radical viewpoints. They were anti-nationalism, anti-racism, anti-classism and anti-sexism.

Taking seriously Christ's words about not taking up arms and not responding to violence with violence, a considerable number, especially African-Americans, were conscientious objectors during the First World War. At one stage the FBI wanted to charge their Bishop Mason with treason.

Such radicalism no longer characterises American Pentecostalism. But the flame still burns and the author of the article, Professor Paul Alexander, wants to revive it through the Pentecostal Charismatic Peace Fellowship. The movement may grow but it will be ignored by the powerful.

In the UK, there are still Christian pacifists and those who see the dangers of nationalism. The trouble is the media does not give them a voice. Can you imagine Songs of Praise following a song from a wealthy celebrity with a chat with Christians who did not glorify Prince Harry's armed conflict in Afghanistan? Certain voices are suppressed in our society.

Janet Snell was a well-paid deputy editor of a top social work magazine. She developed an interest in people with learning difficulties and observed that although politicians prattled on about them, academics studied them and welfare staff worked for them, they rarely had a written public voice of their own.

So she recently put her money where her mouth is, resigned from her job and stimulated the launch of a new magazine called Our Say.

Its editor, Joe Mellone, has been on training schemes but never got anywhere until Mencap got him a part-time job at a college. One co-editor is 25-year-old Lucy Fairman, who lives in supported housing. The other co-editor is Darren Kemp, aged 36, who, five years ago, moved out of his parents' home and into his own bungalow.

The first issue of the magazine is out now - eye-catching, breezy and relevant. Most importantly, it really is run by and for people with learning difficulties. It comes out six times a year and is also on CD.

Disabled people are talented and can write for themselves; excluded no longer. Let's hope the same opportunity can soon be given to those in poverty and those who hold minority views about war.