Elections 2010
USE YOUR CROSS - REPORTING ON THE GENERAL ELECTION 2010
The Churches have a long record of speaking out against racism, fascism and the forces of hatred and division in our society. At this year's General Election and in local elections, there was a danger that some members of the British National Party could be elected. Local churches played a major role in countering this threat, simply by encouraging people to go out and vote for any other party.
Last year, West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council Church Leaders issued a joint Church Leaders' public statement concerning the BNP. (Read the associated press release).
WYEC supports the Sanctuary Pledge to end Child Detention in the UK, and in February 2010 church leaders issued a public statement calling for a reduction in the gap between rich and poor.
RESOURCES FROM WYEC
WYEC produced Resource Notes for local churches, and a 2010 Church Magazine article. We produced a black and white poster and a colour poster (NEW!) for church notice-boards, or for distribution to congregation or community. We also produced a short summary of useful Bible references.
We suggested that the main focus of activity by the churches should be to encourage everybody to vote (Use Your Cross). Experience showed that the more people take part in an election, the less chance there is of an extremist party winning, and the better it is for democracy.
OTHER RESOURCES
There were a number of other resources to help Christian churches to promote local democracy by holding hustings, and to counter the BNP's message of hatred. Here are some of them:
- For thinking about Faith and Politics, and for the best practical advice on how to hold hustings in 2010, the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland website linked to guides to:
Faith in Politics
General Election 2010 - A Theology
Planning a Hustings Meeting
For official hustings information, see the Electoral Commission. - The Church of England issued Guidance on Countering Racist Politics, especially at election time, and other resource material.
- The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales issued an election document, 'Choosing the Common Good'.
- The Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches, working together, produced an election Briefing Paper for local churches.
- An older, but still comprehensive, website produced by the Methodist Church of Great Britain, included national church statements from the major denominations, Bible Study material, house group and worship resources.
- There was an updated Briefing Paper produced by the Churches Regional Commission for Yorkshire and the Humber.
- The Evangelical Alliance had a webpage for the election.
- Todmorden Christians suggested a newspaper letter and information for Sunday notices on 25 April and 2 May.
- We supported 'Hope Not Hate', the main anti-BNP campaign organisation for Yorkshire.
- 'Every Vote Counts' was a project to help people with learning disability to have a say in how the country is run.
- The organisation CARE had a 'Make the Cross Count' campaign.
- Fair 10 was a set of 10 global questions for Leeds based candidates.
- The Ekklesia churches' news agency reported on migration issues for the election.
Churches have a unique role to play at times of elections as non-partisan, but socially committed, local groups who can encourage questioning and debate on matters that often get dropped off the campaigning priorities of the political parties. We encouraged Churches Together groups to see if there are any ways they could get involved in these elections.
HUSTINGS
We heard of hustings in:
- Girlington, Heaton and Manningham Council of Churches (Bradford West), 27 April.
- Churches Together in Halifax (Halifax), 26 April, 7pm, King's Church, Park Road
- Churches Together in Harrogate (Harrogate), 29 April, 7.30pm, Wesley Chapel
- Huddersfield Faiths Forum (Huddersfield), 27 April, 7.30pm, Huddersfield Methodist Mission
- Churches Together in Ilkley (Keighley and Ilkley), 21 April, 7.30pm, Christchurch, The Grove, Ilkley
- Churches Together in Central Keighley (Keighley and Ilkley), 23rd April, 7.45pm, Airedale Church, North Street. Read a report of this meeting.
- Leeds Faiths Forum (Leeds North East), 26 April, 7.30pm, Multi Faith Centre, Allerton High School, King Lane
- Churches Together in Roundhay (Leeds North East), 30 April, 6.45 for 7.30pm, St Andrew's, Shaftesbury Avenue
- Churches Together in Headingley (Leeds North West), 25 April, 7.45pm, St Chad's Parish Centre, Otley Road
- Churches Together in Otley (Leeds North West), 26 April, 7.30pm, Otley Civic Centre
- Churches Together in Burley and Menston (Shipley), 23 April, 7.30 pm, Burley in Wharfedale Methodist Church
- Shipley Christians Together (Shipley), 28 April, 7.30pm, St Paul's, Kirkgate, Shipley
- Churches Together in Bentham (Skipton and Ripon), 29 April, 7.30pm
- Churches Together in Skipton and District (Skipton and Ripon), 30 April, 6.30pm, Skipton Town Hall
- Wakefield Baptist Church (Wakefield), 25 April, 6.30 pm, Belle Isle Christian Centre, Belle Isle Avenue
Contact details for prospective parliamentary candidates were available for the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties.