Elections for the European Parliament

On 4 June 2009, every voter in the UK will have the opportunity to vote in the European Parliament Elections. The Methodist Church, The United Reformed Church and the Baptist Union are calling on Christians to turn out at the polls and use your vote.

Why is it important to turn out and vote? Because the proportional representation system of these elections allows a political party with a relatively small number of votes to win a seat on the Parliament. A seat won means additional funds given to that party.

The churches' concern is the British National Party which promotes a racist agenda. (My own Southern European ethnic background makes me an undesirable person according to their membership criteria). The BNP only need about 9% of the vote to win a seat on the European Parliament and they are campaigning to get their supporters out in force. During the last European elections in the West Midlands, the party won just over 8% of the vote. If voters who would normally vote for other parties don't turn out to vote, it is conceivable that the BNP could win a seat in the West Midlands.

Usually, I don't believe in a minister of religion telling people how to vote. And my first message here is 'Vote for any political party of your choice with a platform that promotes justice and freedom for all people.' I.e. vote for any 'mainstream' party or for any independent party with a track record of serving the community well. (Our own fine MP in the Wyre Forest is an Independent.)

My second message is don't be fooled by the BNP's campaign in which it seeks to link itself with the Christian Church ('Britain is a Christian Country. Vote BNP' and 'What would Jesus Do? Vote BNP') As The Methodist Church so succinctly put it: Jesus is one of history's most famous Jews. It's hardly likely that he would support the BNP. The BNP no longer publishes its Constitution on its website and I wouldn't want to send you there anyway. Here is a copy of the constitution that the BNP don't want you to see.

I call on all Christians in Britain to get out and use your vote on the 4th of June.

Local Elections - May 2008

The Black Country Churches Engaged have issued some useful election guidelines for Christians ahead of the local elections in May. In some areas, candidates are standing from the British National Party.

The Guidelines are as follows:

• Do you and does the candidate, recognize the innate dignity and equal value of all human persons?
• Can you be confident that the person you vote for is able to represent, and make judgements on behalf of, all the local community, regardless of their race, colour or faith?
• Will the person elected work for the common good of all, not just one section of like-minded individuals?
  
• Will his/her policies promote harmony, justice and social cohesion, so that no individual or group or faith is marginalized, demonised or treated unjustly?
  
• Do his/her policies feed on the fear of one group over another?
• How will his/her policies promote the rich diversity of cultures living within the community?
• Do his/her policies serve to promote good race relations, respecting the culture, language and faith of all?

What strikes me, in writing these out is the question: 'How many of our churches would be unelectable if they were a political candidate' on this basis? Do we always 'work for the common good of all, not just one section of like-minded individuals'? Do we always 'promote harmony, justice and social cohesion, so that no individual or group or faith is marginalized, demonised or treated unjustly'? If we were being honest, I think we'd have to say 'no' to both questions.

Fear of the Other

I'm linking to two posts at other blogs on the general subject of 'fear of the other'.

There is something that is very easy and very wrong about scapegoatting those who are different from us. Richard's post about the deported Ghanaian woman who is terminally ill is making me sick to my stomach at the moment. Writing to our MPs seems an excellent suggestion.

Richard Hall's post on: Deporting the Dying

Doorman-Priest's post on: A Little Matter of Islamophobia