1. His identification with the poor and marginalized. The Labour party has always had a commitment to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves”. The Bible contains over 2,000 verses which speak about poverty and justice. Many theologians speak of God having a “bias to the poor”. There has been a continual attempt in the Labour party to reflect this bias, through structural change rather than mere handouts.
My response: I do believe that there is a role for the state in helping the poor but let's not forget that God's command was for us to love our neighbour as individuals. We cannot fully discharge our responsibility to the neediest members of society via compulsory taxation. The Roman Catholic principle of subsidiarity teaches that government should never usurp the central caring roles of the family and other intermediate institutions. For Labour, government action tends to be the first resort and the politically correct agencies of Labour's state have trampled on the free institutions of society, notably the two parent familiy by creating a benefits system that penalises living together.
2. His view that his Kingdom was more important than any earthly kingdom. Nationalism is nothing new. The Jews of the first century were hoping for a national Messiah to once more turn them into “a great nation”, again operating as the political powerhouse of their region. But Jesus confounded their desires. What they got was someone who announced that justice, mercy and compassion were to be extended to insiders and outsiders, friends and enemies alike. He was always clear that his and our primary allegiance should to be to “the Kingdom of God”, and not to any earthly kingdom. Labour has always had an internationalist tradition, favouring international co-operation and reconciliation to nationalism. This is expressed through attitudes to the European Union, peace-making in Northern Ireland and the Middle East and asylum.
My response: There is a difference between internationalism and multilateralism. Labour places too much faith in institutions like the EU and the UN. Although they are built on good intentions their record leaves a lot to be desired. Ask the people of Srebrenica, Rwanda or Darfur if the UN is a good institution. Ask the people who suffered from the Indian Ocean tsunami if they received urgent relief from the UN or from US military helicopters? The EU has become a selfish giant. Its aid budget is riddled with corruption and its agricultural policies hurt developing world farmers. Individual democracies tend to be better agents of international justice than multilateral bureaucracies.
3. In Jesus’ teaching there is a strong ethic of working for “the common good”, to serve a community, rather than our jobs purely being about wealth creation for ourselves. This is reflected in Labour’s investment in public services and a commitment to protect those services which will never have great market value, but immense benefit to the public. Fair progressive taxation ensures we all make progress together, rather than leaving some behind.
My response: Conservatives can sign up to this. The Tory commitment to cut back on welfare benefits for those earning more than £50,000 will actually make a Conservative government more redistributionist - at least in that respect - than a Labour government that is determined to extend state dependency up the income scale. But why the constant emphasis on materialism? Labour has become the materialist party. The deepest forms of poverty have worsened under Labour because it starts from the view that a child's first need is money - rather than the love of a mother and father. The three surest routes out of poverty - family, education and work - have all been penalised under Labour. Family breakdown is accelerating; ill-discipline in schools is at epidemic levels; and many poor families lose disposable income when they start to work.
4. Jesus firmly placed himself in the centre of the “Big Story” of creation and redemption. For Christians who believe that we are called to be part of God’s “Big Story” i.e. the restoration and reconcilation of all things, Labour’s policies of engagement sit much closer to this than opposing conservative theologies of escape for the privileged few to a separate heavenly realm. This is seen in Labour’s responsiveness to NGO and church campaigns to increase its already ground-breaking emissions cut target from 60% to 80% – the first Government to set legally binding Carbon emission targets.
My response: Labour have actually been missing climate change targets in recent years. Progress has slowed since the Tories left office. Much greenbelt has been lost. A third runway at Heathrow is Labour policy. Tories oppose it.
5. Trickle-down economics have been around since Old Testament times. They didn’t work then and they still don’t work now, despite the propaganda of the rich that tell us how important it is for us that they are rich. Evidence of God’s opinion on the subject is there throughout the Old Testament where for example, the concept of Jubilee is necessary, as God recognises that in our fallenness the rich will become richer unless there is a regular “re-calibration”. Every 50 years land is handed back. Jesus also had something to say about rich men, camels and needles. The introduction of the top-rate tax band and recent regulation of city excess are good examples of moving towards these ideals.
My response: I support the principles of Jubilee but Jesus was not against people using their talents to the full. The love of money, declares the Bible, rather than money itself is the problem. I support progressive taxation but I also support high achievement in arts, sport and wealth creation. It was the great preacher John Wesley who said: "Earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can."
6. The theological truth that we are all made in the image of God is the starting point for human dignity. We are therefore all imbued with God’s divine creativity, no matter how blurred or distorted this image has become through circumstances or bad decisions. Labour believe that no-one is beyond help, and that the dignity of work should be available for all those who are able - there is a focus on reducing unemployment and encouraging people into work. Fair employment legislation is ensuring that workers have rights, and that cheap labour is not abused. A minimum wage has been introduced successfully.
My response: Work for everyone? Youth unemployment is higher than in 1997. The unborn child is made in the image of God but most Labour MPs want to further reduce its protection. Most Tory MPs and candidates want laws that will protect unborn children that are capable of life outside the womb - ie at about 18 weeks of life.
7. Jesus was passionate about families as the building blocks of community and through Labour there has been unparalleled practical support for families through programmes like Surestart, rather than mere rhetoric.
My response: Marriage was important to Jesus, too. He blessed a wedding in the town of Cana. Gordon Brown abolished the last recognition of marriage in the tax system, creating the most anti-marriage tax system in Europe; something repeatedly condemned by repeatedly ignored churchleaders.
8. If we are all made in God’s image, then we have an inherent equality which Labour fights to recognise irrespective of social class, geography, race, colour or creed. There is now the potential of equality of opportunity through excellence in education for all, not only the privileged. There have been record levels of investment, including the City Academy programme. Another roadblock to equality of opportunity, poor health, has been impacted by massive investment in the NHS leading to drastically improved services and reduced waiting times across all medical areas.
My response: Educational inequality has got worse under Labour. Since Ed Balls became Education Secretary the freedom of Academies has been restricted. Conservatives want to give parents the opportunity to start new schools and the welcome mat has been put out to faith communities to lead the way in this. We'll also stop the attack on private schools. More money has been put into the NHS by Labour and the Tories are pledged to continue that investment but will also reverse the poor productivity in healthcare that characterises the Labour years which means taxpayers aren't getting value for money.
9. Jesus did believe that there was such a thing as society (e.g. - Love your neighbour as yourself) and that we are not just a collection of individuals. The very nature of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit fleshes out the importance of community. Labour’s attitude to community organisations has been evidenced by empowering legislation, enabling much more support from local councils.
My response: Many faith groups feel they are discriminated against by Labour. Harriet Harman's determination to impose Equalities legislation on faith-based groups is an attack on religious freedom. Tory peers defeated her attempts but a re-elected Labour government would have another go at attacking the right of churches to employ only Christians for their valuable welfare work.
10. In the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus warned against the hypocrisy of speaking on his behalf yet actually turning him away, by rejecting the pleas for hospitality of the naked, hungry and poor. The Department for International Development was created by the present Labour Government, and Gordon Brown has shown leadership globally on international development issues including debt cancellation and aid.
My response: Labour has done good work on global poverty and David Cameron has vowed to protect the international aid budget. During the Labour years, however, there has been almost no progress on reform of agricultural and trade policies that would do much more to lift the world's poorest people out of poverty.
It is not enough to express good intentions. It's more important to deliver. Labour did not use the years of plenty to deliver the kind of change that Britain deserved.
