General Election
The General Election and the Churches
Why Bother?
Elections are coming up. The usual round of bickering and petty point scoring fill the air and talk turns to "what's the point of voting anyway - all politicians are the same". It may be that you have concluded that it is your democratic right not to vote - saying to yourself that voting is a real issue in countries where corruption is rife with no chance of legal redress, but not here, not this time. It may be that you cannot be bothered to vote, but this can lead to you feeling disillusioned with the political process. It can also mean that politicians lack the mandate they seek. Remember, no one party or individual candidate can ever meet your exact viewpoint. Democracy involves compromise; there is little chance of you being completely happy with every policy of one political party. Decisions as to who to vote for sometimes have to be based on your stance on selected policies.
This year the BNP and other extremist parties are standing in many parts of the country, their leaflets and suits are smart and they campaign on local issues like bins, dog mess and the like. Their real policies become clear when you look at their website. They oppose all mixed race relationships, they are against international aid and would like all ‘non-whites’ to leave Britain.
It may be that you're not old enough to vote yet (1) , but as you already have opinions and ideas, you could get involved in your local youth council (contact your local Youth & Community Service, or ask at school/college).
It may be that you've not got around to registering to vote yet, if so you should contact the electoral commission - http://www.electoralcommission.gov.uk/ or your council and sort it out.
Don't just vote because it's your duty.
Don't just vote because of the struggle of the suffragettes. (2)
Don't just vote because many in the world cannot.
Vote because it's your chance to make a difference.
Vote because you care about your community.
Vote because you care about the future.
When deciding who to vote for ask yourself, ‘does the candidate recognise the innate dignity and equal value of all people? and would they understand Jesus' parable of the ‘Good Samaritan’?
Don't ignore the Election!
Use your vote in 2010.
Pastor David Howe
(1) You can register to vote prior to becoming 18 but you will not be able to vote until you reach your 18th birthday, to find out if your are registered to vote go to http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/ for more information go to http://elections.derbyshire.gov.uk/voting/register/default.asp
(2) See the following weblinks for some information about the suffragette movement which gained votes for women just over 100 years ago: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3153388.stm or http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_publications_and_archives/parliamentary_archives/archives___the_suffragettes.cfm
Rural Matters (Jill Hopkinson) General Election relevant websites:
Glyn Evans has put together a short paper to help the diocese/local churches a) think about the issues and b) ask questions if they get a chance: http://www.oxford.anglican.org/documents/Rural%20GE1.pdf
Rural transport: http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/campaigns/climate_change/election2010
Also see CTBI - The Churches Election resources http://www.ctbi.org.uk/427
Make the Cross Count 2010 campaign
Have briefings from various church leaders under a section ‘my manifesto’
http://www.makethecrosscount2010.net/my-manifesto Also available are some interviews with Christian leaders from some of the main parties.
Restore faith in democracy
The General Election is a great opportunity to ensure that politicians take account of issues around poverty and inequality. But holding MPs to account is not something to be done only once every five years.
One of the keys to restoring faith in democracy is ensuring that the MPs we elect at the General Election are held to account for what they do on our behalf in Parliament. Members of our MP Accountability Network will pledge to meet with their MPs regularly, building an ongoing relationship and working together on the issues that concern them. Find out more at website: http://www.church-poverty.org.uk/
The MP Accountability Network is organised by Church Action on Poverty, and supported by the Church Urban Fund, Faith in Community Scotland, the Iona Community, the livesimply youth network and the Vincentian Millennium Partnership.
Feel free to forward this information or publicise it in your e-news etc.
The website http://www.churcheselection.org.uk/ is now online. ‘Faith in Politics’ is a 16-page guide to some of the key policy areas likely to be debated in the run up to polling day. Each subject has been prepared by a leading Christian expert or campaigner in that field. It does not represent a ‘Church’ view or support a party line, but is designed to encourage Christians to engage with a range of important issues facing our country.
‘Planning a hustings meeting’ gives advice to local church based groups who are thinking about organising a community hustings. It builds on experience of Churches Together groups planning and running events like this at General Elections for more than 30 years.
Both of the above resources are available for download.
Material includes:
• Guidelines for local Churches Together Groups thinking of organising hustings meetings.
• Theme papers on a variety of subjects to encourage thought and discussion.
• Facility for registering events, which will then be displayed, for information and to avoid duplication.
The themed papers are on the following:
• Children and Young People
• Criminal Justice
• Democracy and Accountability
• The Economy
• Education
• Environment
• Equality and Diversity
• Europe
• Faith in Public Life
• Global Peace and Security
• Health
• International Development
• Migration and Sanctuary
• Poverty and Social Exclusion
In the coming weeks and months more features will be added, including:
• An online churches hustings registration system and database, where you can advertise your meeting and see what else is happening
• More issues and analysis of the key topics
• Regular Churches’ General Election e-Newsletter
• Analysis of the main parties’ manifestos.
• Links to other Christian organisations websites that are gearing up for an exciting and important General Election campaign
• News from the Churches about what they are doing during the campaign
Carers UK have just released their 'General Election Policy Manifesto' for lasting real change for carers.
Useful related resources:
Votewise Now! Helping Christians engage with the issues, foreword Joel Edwards, edited by Rose Lynas, pub SPCK 2009, isbn 978-0-281-06192-1
Public Space and Private Faith. A challenge to the Churches, by Alastair Redfern ISPCK 2009,
Faith in politics .The Bishop of Derby’s Lent Course Book 2010, by Andie Brown
Related podcasts will be published from 15 Feb to obtain these last three resources see http://www.derby.anglican.org/lent/.
http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/ register to vote.
http://neweconomics.org/programmes/democracy-and-participation
back to the top
Guidance updated
The Archbishops’ Council Mission and Public Affairs Division has updated its guidance note on countering far right political parties, extremist groups and racist politics. The guidance note, first produced in 2007, was prepared in response to a number of requests for advice on relating to political parties and other extremist groups that promote divisive, intolerant or racist politics. The revised note draws on the experience of churches in areas where support for these groups has been strong enough to elect councillors and other representatives, as well as those places where the church has joined broad based campaigns to resist extremist parties. The Rev Dr Malcolm Brown, Director of Mission and Public Affairs, said: “The note is advisory and seeks to enable church leaders to discern an appropriate course of action within areas where community relations are often fragile or fragmented. Our faith calls us to develop and sustain the hope and vision that things can be different.” http://www.cofe.anglican.org/info/socialpublic/urbanaffairs/crp.
back to the top
Prayers for voters http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr3310.html