The Church of England has for the first time intervened directly in a general election campaign, urging people to consider carefully why they vote.
In a pastoral letter to all members of the Church and other interested parties, the House of Bishops avoided taking sides in the election campaign – indeed it roundly condemned the present state of British politics – but it urged people to use their vote on 7 May, saying: “Unless we exercise the democratic rights that our ancestors struggled for, we will share responsibility for the failures of the political classes.”
The 52-page letter titled "Who is my neighbour?" and launched today, urged people to forget self-interest and vote for the common good. “In Britain we have become so used to believing that self-interest drives every decision, that it takes a leap of imagination to argue that there should be stronger institutions for those we disagree with as well as for those ‘on our side’. Breaking free of self-interest and welcoming our opponents as well as our supporters into a messy, noisy, yet rich and creative community of communities is, perhaps, the only way we will enrich our almost-moribund political culture.”
The letter defended the Church’s right to get involved in politics, arguing that it was disingenuous to think a person’s place in the created order could be separated from their beliefs. “Most politicians and pundits are happy enough for the Churches to speak on political issues so long as the Church agrees with their particular line.”
The Bishop of Buckingham, Alan Wilson, said the letter was about "the problem with disenchantment and cynicism that we have with professional politicians". He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: "It's not talking about policy, really, as much as it's talking about values and principles. It's not about how you vote – it's about why you vote."
The Shadow Minister for Employment and chairman of Christians on the Left, Stephen Timms, who is Anglican, called the document a “welcome, thoughtful and authentically Christian reflection on the election debate.”
Welcome, thoughtful and authentically Christian reflection on the election debate from @c_of_e https://t.co/mIq3AKsKqi
— Stephen Timms (@stephenctimms) February 17, 2015
Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather, a Catholic, who is standing down in May, issued a statement welcoming the document. She said: "I agree with the analysis the bishops have made of the problems of politics today. Too much of political decision making is tactical and short term.
"Remaking politics is going to require the engagement of all of civil society at different levels. This is not just a job for political activists. Politicians should encourage the intervention of different religious faiths and denominations.”
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