On Thursday 2 May 2024, Elections are taking place in 107 local authorities across England. Voters will also choose the Mayor of London and London Assembly members.

Mayoral elections are also taking place in nine “metro” areas across England: The West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Tees Valley already have mayors. For the first time, mayors will also be chosen in the East Midlands, the North East, and York and North Yorkshire.

In addition, voters across in England and Wales will elect 37 police and crime commissioners (PCCs). A by-election will select the new MP for Blackpool South, after the resignation of former Conservative MP Scott Benton.  No elections are taking place in Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Interestingly, these will be the last local elections before the next General Election. 

There is an admirable tradition of Christian political involvement in this country with people such as William Wilberforce campaigning to bring an end to the global slave trade and the philanthropist, Anthony Ashley Cooper, better known as the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, who reformed the child labour laws and was instrumental in bringing education to the inner cities through his sponsorship of the ‘Ragged Schools.’

These reforms, and many others like them, have enhanced the well being of many and given opportunities to those who, previously, had little, if any, ambition and hope for their lives. They are a legacy of which we can be justifiably proud – even if you don’t share their Christian faith or political stance.

Dave Landrum, of the Evangelical Alliance, wrote a few years ago that Christians of all denominations have a responsibility: “… to speak truth to power.”  If it’s true that Christians are ‘trying to make the world a better place’ we simply cannot allow cynicism or apathy as an excuse to disengage ourselves from the political process. The privileges of living in a democracy mean that we should use our votes thoughtfully, prayerfully and with the good of others in mind, not just our own interests.

Some people often ask if there anything distinctive about how Christians cast their vote.  If there is, it is probably that we vote not seeking what is best for us; but what is best for our neighbour; what is best for our community; what is best for the nation as a whole; and what is best for our world. It is what Christians call working for the ‘common good.’

On entering politics, Charles de Gaulle is reported to have remarked:

I have come to the conclusion that politics are too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.

On polling day many of you will be asking: ‘How can I make my vote count?’ and ‘Which party should I vote for?’  As you reflect on these important questions, why not consider the following:

  • Don’t be ashamed of supporting Christian values – because those values are best for your town!
  • Vote, don’t abstain – make your vote count!
  • Don’t blindly vote for a party – look for the personal values of your candidate!
  • Vote for the local candidate first and the party second – politics, like faith, is best lived out locally!

May God bless you as you engage with these important decisions and as you seek to support the ‘common good’ of your Community, Town, Borough and Nation.

This article How Christians Should Vote by Jonathan Chaplin might be an interesting read.