May 7th - Why I won't be voting Conservative!

When I was in full-time pastoral ministry, and any election came about, I always encouraged my congregation to exercise their votes - but would never even hint at, let alone make, any suggestion as to which Party anyone ought to support.

However, as I am no longer in such a ministry, and as this is my personal blog, I am going to share where my own support is going to be on May 7th - if regular visitors to this blog haven't already worked that out!  Of course, I am doing so as a disciple of Jesus - believing that my chosen Party is the one that is closest to upholding the Judaeo/Christian heritage of this country.

Permit me, first of all, to explain why I am not going to vote for certain other Parties.  Not wanting this post to become as long as the average Party Election Manifesto, I'll deal with each of the traditional Parties over the next few posts.  We begin with the one that I believe will be the largest single Party in the new Parliament – but without the overall majority to form, on its own, a Government.

The Conservative (CONmerchant) Party.  This is the Party that introduced the legislation that led to the redefinition of marriage - in spite of the clear opposition in the country, and the fact that such a policy had not even been mentioned in their last manifesto!  However, the subject is mentioned in the current manifesto: "Our historic introduction of gay marriage has helped drive forward equality and strengthened the institution of marriage. But there is still more to do, and we will continue to champion equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people. We will build on the posthumous pardon of ... Alan Turing ... with a broader measure to lift the blight of outdated convictions of this nature" (p46).  So this is a Party that continues to champion the dismantling of traditional marriage and, at the same time, of the basic unit of society - the family.  

The current leader is also on record as saying, effectively, that there are too many white Christian faces in the UK; that he hopes to see a Muslim in 10 Downing Street; and that the British people should be adopting the Islamic culture and values!

Let us recall just some of Mr. Cameron's past comments - and his actions (or lack thereof!). 

• Shortly after taking office, Mr Cameron declared that the new Government would underline its commitment to the Armed Forces by putting it into law a new covenant - given legal force in a new Armed Services Bill - which would include rights to prioritised NHS treatment, decent housing and education for Service families’ children.

• Reality:  Thousands of ex-servicemen, and women, are living on the streets, unable to find housing.  More money spent on upgrading MoD offices than on assisting military veterans return to civilian life.  Of course, this doesn't deal with the steady cut-back in the UK Armed Services that has gone on under the Coalition Government - led by the Conservatives.

• Before the last General Election, Mr Cameron gave his (in)famous "cast-iron guarantee" to deliver a referendum on the Lisbon treaty during the lifetime of the ensuing Parliament.

•  Reality:   He actually 'whipped' (nothing physical!) his MPs to prevent private members' attempts to legislate for a referendum in that Parliament.

• Mr Cameron assured the electorate that the massive figure of net immigration would be brought down to "tens of thousands" each year.

• Reality:  Latest figures indicate that around 500,000 immigrants entered the UK in 2014 alone.  This included Romanian and Bulgarian Roma criminals - a convicted Latvian murderer as the chief suspect in the murder of a little English girl being amongst the most recent highlights.  This, of course, is because the UK Border Agency is simply "not fit for purpose".   We certainly travel, frequently, to and from France, with sometimes not even being stopped, let alone have our passports and luggage checked!

• The stated aim of the Coalition Government (senior partners, the Conservatives) was to deal with the economic deficit left by the previous Labour administration.  

• Reality:  The national debt has increased from £0.8 trillion to more than £1.4 trillion - almost double what was 'inherited'!   

I could go on - Welfare Reform that isn't; a promise to hold a National Referendum on the UK's continuing membership of the EU - in 2017 (by which time, he knows, we will not be permitted to hold one without the prior agreement of the other countries in that despicable organisation); the power of recall that would allow the electorate in a constituency to, effectively, sack their MP if sufficient of them believed that (s)he was not representing them properly - but that ended up depending on the support of the 'offending' member's parliamentary colleagues! However, that should be sufficient to enable anyone to understand why the Conservative Party is not, in my opinion, worthy of my support.

This is the PM who told us, at the beginning of the last Parliament: "Judge me on my record!"  That, Mr Cameron, is exactly what I intend to do!

Marriage of love, or of convenience?

Through the mouth of His prophet, Amos, YHWH asked the question "Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?" (3:3)

Those words came to my mind as the post-election saga slowly came to an end. The U.K. has a government again. But who would have guessed, even a week ago, that the Conservatives would have joined forces with the Liberal Democrats - almost the old Tories and Whigs coming together!

Like a lot of folks, I am pleased with the eventual outcome - but concerned about the longer-term implications! Is this really a marriage of love - or is it simply one of convenience? There are a number of Liberal Democratic policies with which I have real problems. In the past, the House of Lords has proved to be a bulwark against some of the more extreme legislative proposals brought forward by the last administration. I would be loathe to see it changed, as the LibDems would want. Although I am a lover of Europe, and have dear friends in a number of European countries, I am totally opposed to the E.U., and would gladly see the U.K. withdraw from it. The LibDems are very pro-E.U. I find it difficult to forget that it was a Liberal - David Steel - who introduced the Abortion Act (1970), responsible for the deaths of countless unborn children. And when the new Scottish Executive (as it then was) decided to abolish Section 2A (Clause 28 in England/Wales), the Liberals were right there supporting its abolition - in spite of repeated polls that showed that some two-thirds of the Scottish population wanted it to be retained.

Still, as I have written elsewhere, "the proof of the pudding is in the eating", and we shall now just have to wait to see how events transpire. Once again, I return to my favourite theme - the sovereignty of Almighty God. There is more than a little truth in the old saying that "Man proposes, but God disposes"! He is still on the throne, and I take comfort in that. The hymnwriter got it absolutely right when he wrote "God is working His purpose out, as year succeeds to year" (Basil Harwood). May we be found co-operating with Him as much as we hope that the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats will co-operate in the government of the U.K.

Continuing confusion!

The country (well, some 66% of the electorate!) has spoken, and no political party has been given an absolute majority. The 'horse-trading' has commenced - behind closed doors, if not in public - and it may be some days before we know who has the responsibility of governing the United Kingdom.

So what is happening? Not being one of the political pundits, I really don't know. Mind you, I doubt if any of them are particularly sure either. They just have to keep spouting theories, and opinions - it's their job!

There is only one thing of which I am absolutely certain. That is that the sovereign God Whom I seek, however ineffectively, to serve knew the outcome of this particular General Election from before the world began! That's quite a claim, but it rests on the assurance that He sees the end from the beginning; that He is the Alpha and the Omega - the beginning and the end!

This is not to say that He looks into the future. It's much, much more than that. He is not in time at all, but outwith it! From the vantage-point of eternity, He sees all of time spread out before Him. He sees, simultaneously, Adam in the Garden of Eden; Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac; Moses facing up to the Egyptian pharaoh; David in Jerusalem; Jeremiah in Egypt; Jesus on the cross; Paul in Rome; John on Patmos - to say nothing of the history of mankind in the succeeding 2000 years.

This means that, unlike us, He already knows who will be the Prime Minister by this time next week. So, although I do not understand the current situation, I am content that "God is still on the throne."

Let those of us who believe in the efficacy of prayer seek God's face that He might graciously move in this unusual situation, that His will and purposes might be worked out. Last night, at the monthly prayer-meeting in Liberty Community Church, we were repeatedly reminded that "God is at work". Let us rejoice in that, and seek to make ourselves available to Him.