Why as a Christian I am voting Liberal Democrat
This is the beginning of a series of guest posts, in which regular readers of this weblog explaining why, from a Christian perspective, they intend to vote for a particular political party—or, in i instance, why they intend to spoil their election paper. In this showtime i, Revd Iain McFarlane, who is Priest-in-Charge at Boyatt Woods, Eastleigh, explains why he intends to vote Liberal Democrat in his constituency.
Guilty as charged
Firstly a couple of admissions, firstly I generally have a much higher regard for politicians than most. This is partly borne out by my having being a Boondocks Councillor (non-partisan) in my spare time before following the call to Ordination, and by being fully immersed in Westminster for my Practical Theological Reflection Placement whilst training at St John'south Nottingham. The latter saw me shadowing the then Shadow DEFRA Minister, my local Bourgeois MP. Through that experience I witnessed much greater congruence across benches than the public get to learn through the media. Similarly I saw how the Christian faith was embedded into parliamentary life at many levels, be information technology The Parliament Choir, Christian Researchers, or Christian Fellowships and their pride in Wilberforce and the Social Reformers.
Secondly, since being eligible to vote I accept changed my political loyalties through factors such as becoming a Christian, knowing the local MP, becoming disillusioned, tactical voting—simply in principle (if I still authorize) I am at heart a Social Democrat. That obviously presents a problem every bit I still believe that sits me shortly one-half way between Labour and the Lib Dems, but I'm non a New Labour Blairite either. By definition social commonwealth embraces aspects of socialism and the welfare state alongside complimentary economic science and a Keynesian course of commercialism.
Why exercise I vote in the first place?
Micah 6:eight: "What is expert and what does the Lord crave of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Simples.
The Westminster Vote
I aspire to many of the values that will underpin a Lib Dem Ballot Manifesto. That's not to say I agree with all of their policies, particularly those that rub against the convictions of my open evangelical perspective.
Merely earlier I share what some of those guiding principles might be in shaping policy, I want to bring this dorsum to the MPs themselves and indeed the PM. I'thou uncomfortable at the current appetite for presidential leadership. The finest political leaders in the Great britain have surrounded themselves with Chiffonier colleagues who they are prepared to share counsel and power with. To quote former PM Clement Attlee: "I believe that the foundation of autonomous freedom is a willingness to believe that other people may perhaps be wiser than oneself." Attlee himself demonstrated this nigh persuasively as he led the nation through the nearly meaning menses of post-war political reformation, indeed through the greatest political change of the last century. Whether it was the birth of the NHS, nationalisation of a fifth of the Uk economy, giving independence to India, or leading the Labour Party for 20 years that history will retrieve Attlee for, for me it will be his attitude to leadership. Information technology challenges the doomed presidential quest we have had, beginning with Thatcher, connected past Blair and at present desired by the 'Theresa May Team' logo that has not merely relegated the name of a party but has as well undermined the Britain Parliamentary system for the sake of placing her on a the pedestal. I hold with Attlee when he said "If you lot begin to consider yourself solely responsible to a political party, you're half-way to a dictatorship." I know at that place are many who view Attlee as also the founder of a godless Britain, but I can't help merely consider that much of what in the name of social justice christened by his government, reflects the gospel educational activity of Jesus.
Politics has got and then personal that many Christians take got to the betoken where they feel righteously justified defame their messianic candidate's political opponents. Well information technology's non fine. I do believe the media have been getting away with biased journalistic kindergarten sloppiness especially in their dealings with Corbyn only with Tim Farron as well. Much of the anti-Labour-Corbyn camp are sounding hypocritical. For years the point being laboured was that there needed to be a party leader who does not just spout out vote winning policies; and that we take needed a non-career politician that really says and sticks to their principled views. Stage enter Corbyn…"Well…except him!!" Some of the social media responses to Corbyn I am but astounded by…he has go public enemy #1.
When we plough to the Leader of the Lib Dems, the only reason people practice not mock him personally is because they cannot think his proper name. I do not believe this is Tim Farron'due south fault—he is charismatic and impassioned nearly his cause. Simply the media spotlight seeks to shape a view that many have of him as a clammy squib of a man struggling to succeed out of the shadow of his large wig predecessors. Just as they did with Ed Miliband in the terminal ballot, the public has formed an paradigm based on media mockery which is both shallow simply then also highly toxic to would-be voters. Yet despite this all, nether Tim'south Leadership, the political party has seen a bound to its highest always membership, they take chalked up several by-election wins and locally in Eastleigh the party regained every County Quango seat it lost to UKIP.
Christian stance of their brother in Christ is mixed too, but I judge him no less than how I take seen him sincerely believe to employ his religion to his politics,without him being perceived by many Christians every bit a weak defender of the religion.
Some other virtue of Tim Farron is that he conspicuously believes in 'good disagreement' with in that location beingness several encounters recorded with him on the campaign trail where he actively and gracefully engages with those who oppose him—something particularly Theresa May could acquire from without fugitive existence seen as every scrap less than 'potent and stable' in the face of such confrontation.
The Constituency Vote
But then moving from Westminster to Eastleigh, because it's my local MP I'thousand electing in – non the Party Leader. In the recent Council Elections, the Lib Dems spectacularly regained power from UKIP in this boondocks where information technology'due south purple battle bus was more familiar than the #2 Bluestar to Southampton. In the various local campaigns that I take been involved, such equally trying to prevent the County Council closure of a rehabilitation, respite and sheltered accommodation for the disabled, information technology has been the Labour and Lib Dem District Councillors/County hopefuls who attended and did the hands on leg work, meanwhile UKIP simply took soundbites for the media and claimed the credit. My local Lib Dem Councillors are thoroughly active in local issues and take a articulate genuine interest in engaging with other local community leaders for the do good of all those nosotros serve.
Now I appreciate that upwardly and down the country there are councillors and MPs of every political colour doing a keen job for their community. It simply so happens that in Eastleigh information technology is the Lib Dems that I have seen to do the most, and our previous MP, Mike Thornton, engage in his constituency the most—and definitely more than his successor, who has non fifty-fifty personally responded to a number of problems including the inadequate rehousing of disabled people made homeless by shortsighted, contemptuous Tory cuts.
Many would argue that Mike Thornton was punished by the electorate, aslope so many others in the last Election, for his association with the Con Dem coalition. But since and then he has continued to work tirelessly as a volunteer in the customs. As a Christian he offers hands-on support to a charity that works out of our church called ARK (Acts of Random Kindness). I'll then bump into him in a care home where he offers his time, or driving patients to appointments and much more that I'm certain I (or others) never run across. So when people mutter their MPs need to roll their sleeves up and help the real people they have been called to serve….well he already has been actually! I admire Mike'south political humility too. How many MP'south I wonder when sent home from Westminster, stand for the local council elections?
The Political Vote
The previous leader, Nick Clegg, (who was an atheist) wrote some years agone in The Church of England Newspaper of Lib Dem values:
It's based on simple principles: regard for each other, help for those who demand it most, and an obligation on those with the broadest shoulders to bear the greatest burdens. These are all values key to Christianity, and to Liberal Democrat politics.
They are a party that principally believe that to reach equality and opportunity for all requires government intervention, including the need to alleviate social injustice. They believe that everyone deserves the same opportunities in life no thing what their groundwork, seeking to interruption down the barriers that limit fairness, whether it be in education or the workplace.
They are progressive, light-green, internationalist, tolerant, compassionate and generous committed to always fighting injustice whilst standing up for the minority, neglected underdog, standing with the vulnerable against the powerful.
They believe in unity and reject the growing divisions we are creating in lodge, be that concerning anything from the elderly existence pitched against the young or the disrespect beingness shown to Leavers or Remainers. Every bit citizens of the world they believe our communities are stronger locally and globally when we work together through our common interests.
I believe that the Lib Dems will commit to saving the NHS, improving social and mental wellness intendance; they want to terminate homelessness and would lower the voting age to xvi. As a School Governor I'k encourage that they have also pledged £7bn to protect per-pupil funding.
I share these pledges only considering it demonstrates what they stand for—though these principles are unlikely to be enacted since, by their own admission, they seek to be the credible opposition that many (including the Conservatives) believe to be essential to give u.s. a 'strong and stable' Government.
Tim Farron and the Lib Dems accept also been portrayed as opposing Brexiteers, merely every bit Tim has shared himself, he has Leave friends who he yet only as much respects and will hush the boos of anyone seeking to undermine them. The desire for a 2d plebiscite I totally support. I have the Brexit vote, only it's become a bit like ordering a Total English Brexitfast without knowing you lot'll be short changed with muesli. I tin can't empathize why those who voted for a 'difficult' Brexit are not enervating the aforementioned; it's as though coming out of the Eu with nothing is justifiable because nosotros have still come out. Why not hold the Referendum Brexiteer promises to account?
I take deliberately not cross referenced scripture to annihilation I have shared other than the Micah Challenge because there will be counter references and counter-counter references to each. We all know what Jesus said well-nigh this stuff and because of that I believe that you can exist a Christian and vote for any of the political parties and that you may be individually guided by the Holy Spirit to do so. That is not delusional; information technology is part of what we we seek for the church, to display unity not uniformity.
Merely for these reasons, whatever your considered vote, I volition be voting Lib Dem because I feel obliged to vote in the outset place, because of what has been happening at Westminster and in my Constituency and because information technology is presently the most likely place where I will lay my political hat.
Rev Iain McFarlane, Priest-in-Charge, Boyatt Wood, Eastleigh.
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