"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their officials exercise authority
over them. But it shall not be so among you"
Matthew 20:25-26
The
United Kingdom
The Christian Party rejoices that the majority of Scotland's population voted in the Scottish Independence Referendum on 18th September 2014 to prevent the break-up of the United Kingdom. It was no thanks to the lack lustre Better Together campaign, nor to the effete government of Prime Minister David Cameron, who appeared to be paralysed and caught in the headlights of Scottish nationalistic fervour. The Christian Party supports patriotism but not nationalism, which too easy develops into unneighbourly thought, speech and behaviour.
The Westminster establishment has known about the West Lothian Question for many decades, but it failed to address in a timely manner the constitutional issues and grievances at the heart of the nationalist argument and almost broke up the UK. Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University said that Westminster gambled with the UK constitution, and almost lost. It is symptomatic of recent governments that they do not listen to the voice of the people until it is almost too late. There are many examples of refusing to listen, and recent ones are the large campaigns against going to war and the redefining of marriage.
There is an urgent need to address the constitutional questions to redress the balance between the legislative bodies of the four constituent countries of the UK. For some time the Christian Party has endorsed equalising of powers for each national legislative body, to remove the grievance of the Scottish National Party (SNP) by devolving tax-raising powers to match responsibility for government spending. The Christian Party supports a federal structure for matters of national interest, and a UK-wide parliament for defence, currency and kindred UK-wide issues. This does not give more grist to the separatist mill, but addresses legitimate grievance and inequality. By empowering the constituent parts of the UK it will improve national relations and strengthen the whole.
The Westminster establishment has known about the West Lothian Question for many decades, but it failed to address in a timely manner the constitutional issues and grievances at the heart of the nationalist argument and almost broke up the UK. Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University said that Westminster gambled with the UK constitution, and almost lost. It is symptomatic of recent governments that they do not listen to the voice of the people until it is almost too late. There are many examples of refusing to listen, and recent ones are the large campaigns against going to war and the redefining of marriage.
There is an urgent need to address the constitutional questions to redress the balance between the legislative bodies of the four constituent countries of the UK. For some time the Christian Party has endorsed equalising of powers for each national legislative body, to remove the grievance of the Scottish National Party (SNP) by devolving tax-raising powers to match responsibility for government spending. The Christian Party supports a federal structure for matters of national interest, and a UK-wide parliament for defence, currency and kindred UK-wide issues. This does not give more grist to the separatist mill, but addresses legitimate grievance and inequality. By empowering the constituent parts of the UK it will improve national relations and strengthen the whole.
small government
The Christian Party is committed to small government and finds both political and theological justification for this commitment.
Big Government creates more and more laws in order to justify its existence, costs more to administer and police, restricts individual freedom and has demonstrated that it is less efficient than small government.
Jesus Christ drew attention to over-regulation in ecclesiastical affairs, and the same can be true of civil government. The current financial and constitutional crisis has provided the perfect opportunity to reduce Government dramatically. In the words of the economist Paul Romer “a crisis is a terrible thing to waste.”
The aim of Christian politics is to ensure that Government restricts itself to things that only Government can do, and to do it well. This includes facilitating the means to promote and maintain standards in the private sector for the common weal according to the principles of social justice.
Big Government creates more and more laws in order to justify its existence, costs more to administer and police, restricts individual freedom and has demonstrated that it is less efficient than small government.
Jesus Christ drew attention to over-regulation in ecclesiastical affairs, and the same can be true of civil government. The current financial and constitutional crisis has provided the perfect opportunity to reduce Government dramatically. In the words of the economist Paul Romer “a crisis is a terrible thing to waste.”
The aim of Christian politics is to ensure that Government restricts itself to things that only Government can do, and to do it well. This includes facilitating the means to promote and maintain standards in the private sector for the common weal according to the principles of social justice.
local government
The Christian Party believes in local democracy and calls for more involvement of the community in its own government.
We are opposed to the reduction of town and community councils, believing that they are more efficient at identifying and delivering what is needed at the local level.
The Christian Party calls for the re-establishment of town and community councils as being a cost-effective way to deliver local services to local people and as a means to involve more talent in the political process.
We are opposed to the reduction of town and community councils, believing that they are more efficient at identifying and delivering what is needed at the local level.
The Christian Party calls for the re-establishment of town and community councils as being a cost-effective way to deliver local services to local people and as a means to involve more talent in the political process.
The European Union
It was common to hear the phrase ‘too big to fail’ with respect to bailing out the banks. It is now apparent that they were ‘too big to manage’. The same is true of the European Union, which is in danger of failing on a grand scale. The economic and social pressures on the disparate economies of the EU are encouraging far right political groups and threatening civil disorder.
The Christian Party hears the concerns of the British public, who do not want a European superstate. In keeping with our rejection of ‘big Government’, we do not support Britain’s continued membership of the European Union. The British people voted for a free trade area – a Common Market – not a European State. The Lisbon Treaty provides a mechanism by which a member state can withdraw from the European Union. No logical impediment exists to prevent the question of continued membership being asked, answered and acted upon.
We support the principle of an in/out Referendum on EU membership. Its purpose is to discover the majority view of the electorate and it does not need millions of pounds of campaign expenditure on ‘educating’ or influencing the public. We have the experience of several decades of the European experiment. It is time to vote. The money and time spent on the referendum campaign should be limited without the need for European or ‘establishment’ funding and bias.
It appears that Britain joined Europe largely for economic reasons as the European Economic Community (EEC) yet for 37 of 38 years of membership Britain has put in more than it has taken out. The exception is 1975, the year of the referendum on withdrawal and so it can be argued that European economics were deliberately manipulated to influence a vote that year.
Britain was persuaded to abandon its former free trade with the British Commonwealth, and this was replaced by the European tariff on external trade, currently called the Common Customs Tariff. The Common Fisheries Policy was applied to the North Sea and not to the Mediterranean nor to the Baltic, putting Britain at a disadvantage to other European countries. The Common Agricultural Policy has disadvantaged British farmers for years. The Christian Party will seek to redress this imbalance through our economic and foreign policy.
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) being negotiated between the USA and EU is another example of international business seeking to control government. Just as the European Economic Community began as a trade sector for the benefit of business, and grew into the EU, so the growth of international companies has resulted in some having financial influence greater than small countries. The Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provision of TTIP allows international corporations to sue national governments for pursuing policies that lead to a loss of profits. This is sufficient reason to oppose TTIP. The elected government of the country should not be subservient to unelected authorities, nor should it be the guarantor for the risks to which businesses expose themselves in international investment. It is similar to the adage that the banks take all the profit, while the taxpayer takes all the risk if they fail.
The Christian Party hears the concerns of the British public, who do not want a European superstate. In keeping with our rejection of ‘big Government’, we do not support Britain’s continued membership of the European Union. The British people voted for a free trade area – a Common Market – not a European State. The Lisbon Treaty provides a mechanism by which a member state can withdraw from the European Union. No logical impediment exists to prevent the question of continued membership being asked, answered and acted upon.
We support the principle of an in/out Referendum on EU membership. Its purpose is to discover the majority view of the electorate and it does not need millions of pounds of campaign expenditure on ‘educating’ or influencing the public. We have the experience of several decades of the European experiment. It is time to vote. The money and time spent on the referendum campaign should be limited without the need for European or ‘establishment’ funding and bias.
It appears that Britain joined Europe largely for economic reasons as the European Economic Community (EEC) yet for 37 of 38 years of membership Britain has put in more than it has taken out. The exception is 1975, the year of the referendum on withdrawal and so it can be argued that European economics were deliberately manipulated to influence a vote that year.
Britain was persuaded to abandon its former free trade with the British Commonwealth, and this was replaced by the European tariff on external trade, currently called the Common Customs Tariff. The Common Fisheries Policy was applied to the North Sea and not to the Mediterranean nor to the Baltic, putting Britain at a disadvantage to other European countries. The Common Agricultural Policy has disadvantaged British farmers for years. The Christian Party will seek to redress this imbalance through our economic and foreign policy.
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) being negotiated between the USA and EU is another example of international business seeking to control government. Just as the European Economic Community began as a trade sector for the benefit of business, and grew into the EU, so the growth of international companies has resulted in some having financial influence greater than small countries. The Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provision of TTIP allows international corporations to sue national governments for pursuing policies that lead to a loss of profits. This is sufficient reason to oppose TTIP. The elected government of the country should not be subservient to unelected authorities, nor should it be the guarantor for the risks to which businesses expose themselves in international investment. It is similar to the adage that the banks take all the profit, while the taxpayer takes all the risk if they fail.
choice and liberty
Two world wars were fought for choice and liberty. Choice and liberty arise from Christian principles at the heart of our Constitutional Acts - our Christian Monarch as Head of State promising before God to apply law with justice and mercy. This choice and liberty limits governmental interference with personal liberties, charities and NGO’s (non-governmental organizations). Government grants should not depend on supporting the failing European ideal.
the duty and privilege of voting in elections
The Christian Party supports the principle of ‘one person, one vote’. The size of the democratic deficit in the United Kingdom calls into question the legitimacy of the electoral mandate of most politicians. We do not blame the voters for non-engagement with untrustworthy politicians, but we call upon them to use their vote to express their displeasure with such.
The Christian Party considers voting in civic elections to be both a duty and a privilege, bought with the blood of earlier generations. The Scottish Independence Referendum with a turnout of 87% shows that the public will engage if the subject is serious and clear enough, and so a responsibility lies upon politicians to engage the minds of the public. This is tied to the openness of the political process and the ease with which new ideas can be expressed, and to this end the Christian Party proposes a change in the policy of funding political parties and how to improve public accountability of elected politicians.
The Christian Party considers voting in civic elections to be both a duty and a privilege, bought with the blood of earlier generations. The Scottish Independence Referendum with a turnout of 87% shows that the public will engage if the subject is serious and clear enough, and so a responsibility lies upon politicians to engage the minds of the public. This is tied to the openness of the political process and the ease with which new ideas can be expressed, and to this end the Christian Party proposes a change in the policy of funding political parties and how to improve public accountability of elected politicians.
postal voting
In theory the Christian Party approves of the concept of postal votes, but its abuse and its apparent favouring of mainstream parties suggests that it needs to be reformed. We agree with the restriction of postal voting to those who are unable to attend a polling station.
Funding for Political Parties
The public has disengaged from politics and politicians, especially when they can see no opportunity to make a difference. It is imperative that increased choice is available at the ballot box. However there are multiple hurdles disadvantaging the emergence of new political parties. The Christian Party will work towards improving public coverage for smaller political parties.
The Christian Party is against the funding of political parties from public funds, but it acknowledges the difficulty and dangers of depending upon funds from a few individuals and institutions. Instead, political parties should be given the same status as charities for the purposes of fundraising. This will avoid the need to set up charitable arms of political parties to gather funds. At present a charity cannot support a political party. We propose that charities can donate to political parties that have similar aims to its charitable aims. This is a more equitable and accountable way to fund political parties and will engage more people in the political process in a manner that interests and engages them.
The Christian Party is against the funding of political parties from public funds, but it acknowledges the difficulty and dangers of depending upon funds from a few individuals and institutions. Instead, political parties should be given the same status as charities for the purposes of fundraising. This will avoid the need to set up charitable arms of political parties to gather funds. At present a charity cannot support a political party. We propose that charities can donate to political parties that have similar aims to its charitable aims. This is a more equitable and accountable way to fund political parties and will engage more people in the political process in a manner that interests and engages them.
Christian Party Members of Parliament will:
- Promote the United Kingdom and oppose Scottish Independence.
- Acknowledge the need for legislative and constitutional reform towards a federal relationship of the Parliaments and Assemblies of the constituent countries in the United Kingdom.
- Support an in/out Referendum on EU membership in the next session of Parliament.