"Do to others as you would have them do to you."
Luke 6:31
Social Justice
The Christian Party promotes social justice as the most important arbiter of the effectiveness and application of Christian teaching and principles in society. Many non-Christians will agree that if people lived as Jesus taught, the world would be a better place.
The Christian Party offers a fresh approach to social security along with its radical approach to taxation and national insurance contributions.
Concern for the consumer is at the centre of Christian Party policy. While recognising the role of profit in business generation, it requires Christian conscience to restrain the pursuit of extortionate profit, and Christian contentment to promote sustainable development. Boom and bust cannot be eliminated, but Christian prudence has enabled many individuals and businesses to sustain profitability and growth without boom and bust. These Christian principles need to be brought into public life and the Christian Party will promote this.
Our Christian concern for ordinary people will expose extortion and exploitation. The Church of England recently declared war on the extortionate rates of interest charged by pay-day lenders, with some success. There is plenty of scope for a Christian broom to sweep over corporate Britain.
The Christian Party does not intend penalising business nor telling business how to run its operations, but we do intend exposing what we consider to be unchristian, when their spirit is avaricious and selfish - exploiting consumers.
The national tax receipts are insufficient for the welfare payments and the Christian Party taxation and banking policies will aim to balance the books.
The Christian Party offers a fresh approach to social security along with its radical approach to taxation and national insurance contributions.
Concern for the consumer is at the centre of Christian Party policy. While recognising the role of profit in business generation, it requires Christian conscience to restrain the pursuit of extortionate profit, and Christian contentment to promote sustainable development. Boom and bust cannot be eliminated, but Christian prudence has enabled many individuals and businesses to sustain profitability and growth without boom and bust. These Christian principles need to be brought into public life and the Christian Party will promote this.
Our Christian concern for ordinary people will expose extortion and exploitation. The Church of England recently declared war on the extortionate rates of interest charged by pay-day lenders, with some success. There is plenty of scope for a Christian broom to sweep over corporate Britain.
The Christian Party does not intend penalising business nor telling business how to run its operations, but we do intend exposing what we consider to be unchristian, when their spirit is avaricious and selfish - exploiting consumers.
The national tax receipts are insufficient for the welfare payments and the Christian Party taxation and banking policies will aim to balance the books.
Universal Credit
The Christian Party welcomes the principle of Universal credit as a way of streamlining social security benefits payments.
Any welfare initiative must ensure that there is a smooth transition from unemployment and associated benefit claims to sustainable paid employment. Our ‘back to work’ strategy would work in conjunction with the Christian Party’s tax policy which exempts those earning less than £12,000 per year from both tax and national insurance contribution (both employer’s and employee’s), thus removing an impediment to employers taking on new staff.
Any welfare initiative must ensure that there is a smooth transition from unemployment and associated benefit claims to sustainable paid employment. Our ‘back to work’ strategy would work in conjunction with the Christian Party’s tax policy which exempts those earning less than £12,000 per year from both tax and national insurance contribution (both employer’s and employee’s), thus removing an impediment to employers taking on new staff.
Unemployment Benefit
Benefits should be matched to community service.
Child benefit
We will limit child benefit to the first two children living in the UK.
Housing
The Christian Party is not convinced that the first time buyer scheme is a solution for First Time Buyers. We will review housing policy and address teenage parental responsibility.
Poverty and the responsibility and contribution of churches
13 million people live below the poverty line in the UK, surviving on less than 60% of the national median income, half from working families (Joseph Rowntree Foundation).
In 2012-13, 400 foodbanks fed about 350,000 people countrywide, including more than 125,000 children. Rising costs of food and fuel, combined with static income, high unemployment and changes to benefits are causing more and more people to rely on foodbanks.
Christianity has always provided social care from its own resources, and in recent times this concern has been adopted by the state through its taxation and welfare system.
The voluntary sector’s gross value to the economy in 2012 is £11.1bn , about 1% of the UK Gross Value Added (GVA).
Government should encourage churches and the voluntary sector in assisting those who are socially excluded or at risk of social exclusion. At present, 25% of welfare payments are made to such people as cash or cash equivalent.
However, the unequal 'equalities legislation', impacting upon the charitable status of churches, and the over-regulated health and safety requirements, interfere with the role and extent to which churches can assist low-income earners, immigrants, indigenous people, refugees, widows, orphans, alcohol and substance abusers, and other victims of violence and injustice. The Christian Party will address these.
In 2012-13, 400 foodbanks fed about 350,000 people countrywide, including more than 125,000 children. Rising costs of food and fuel, combined with static income, high unemployment and changes to benefits are causing more and more people to rely on foodbanks.
Christianity has always provided social care from its own resources, and in recent times this concern has been adopted by the state through its taxation and welfare system.
The voluntary sector’s gross value to the economy in 2012 is £11.1bn , about 1% of the UK Gross Value Added (GVA).
Government should encourage churches and the voluntary sector in assisting those who are socially excluded or at risk of social exclusion. At present, 25% of welfare payments are made to such people as cash or cash equivalent.
However, the unequal 'equalities legislation', impacting upon the charitable status of churches, and the over-regulated health and safety requirements, interfere with the role and extent to which churches can assist low-income earners, immigrants, indigenous people, refugees, widows, orphans, alcohol and substance abusers, and other victims of violence and injustice. The Christian Party will address these.
Christian Party Members of Parliament will:
- Promote social justice and measure government policy against the aims of social justice.
- Reform the benefit system to eradicate the risk associated with leaving the welfare system and entering work.
- Address the need for affordable housing for first time buyers close to one's family.
- Promote policies to reduce family breakdown.