A new UK Government – how are evangelicals reacting?

A new Labour government is settling in, hundreds of new MPs are finding their way around the House of Commons, Islam is gaining momentum in politics, and Christians across the UK are watching closely to see how their rights and interests may be affected.

Christian Concern’s Head of Public Policy, Tim Dieppe points out that voter turnout (around 60%) was the lowest since 1945, and only 20% of the electorate voted for Labour. ‘This says a lot about voter apathy and the lack of enthusiasm in the country for the new government,’ he comments.

‘We now have a government that promised in its manifesto to ban conversion therapy and to make it easier to change gender. It has also promised to charge VAT on all independent schools, which includes lots of small Christian schools which struggle to make ends meet.

‘Labour MPs have campaigned to decriminalise abortion, and Kier Starmer promised a vote on assisted suicide. We need to pray for the new government and the new minsters of state. There are a lot of things for them to tackle. Pray that righteous laws are upheld and for unrighteous laws to be blocked. All the new MPs need our prayers. Do consider writing to your MP to offer them your prayers and support as they enter the new parliament.’

‘Make your Christian voice count,’ says The Christian Institute’s acting Director Ciarán Kelly. ‘These men and women need our prayers and the Bible instructs us to pray for them. They also need to hear from informed Christians prepared to urge them to pass laws which restrain evil and promote good.’

He urges Christians: ‘Get in touch with them, ideally in person, and let them know that’s what you’re doing. This is a great opportunity to start building a new constructive relationship, or renew an existing one.’

He added that many of the 5,000+ Christian Institute-supporting churches have invited their MP to a Sunday service and found them ‘more than willing’ to attend. Affinity’s director Graham Nicholls said: ‘Our churches and agencies are committed to working constructively with the incoming government on all matters.’

But in a plea to the new government, he expressed concern at certain aspects of Labour social policy - particularly the planned ban on so-called conversion therapy as it could lead to ‘spurious accusation’.

CARE’s CEO Ross Hendry called on the new Government to ‘model justice, integrity, and compassion’. He added: ‘A good Government will show justice and mercy, model integrity and have compassion on the most vulnerable people in society. ‘We believe there is a better story to tell for all people and especially the vulnerable groups we advocate for, and we will be engaging with politicians of every party who share our desire to realise positive change. We hope to see politics renewed and lives transformed in the years ahead.’

‘I’m praying the words of Psalm 72 that, God will give him wisdom and a heart for justice, that he will stand up for the poor and for children in need,’ says Gavin Calver, CEO of the Evangelical Alliance. ‘We look forward to working closely with the new minister responsible for faith groups and encourage the prime minister to appoint a special envoy for international freedom of religion or belief as soon as possible.’ But he added: ‘Any moves that disempower and harm the most vulnerable in society will be met with a robust response from evangelical Christians across the UK. Our heart is always to serve and advocate for those most in need and we urge the government to do the same.’

Miriam Cates, an evangelical Christian known for her stand for Biblical principles in parliament, lost her Penistone and Stocksbridge seat to Labour. Writing on Twitter, she said: ‘I’m disappointed not to be re-elected, I’m proud... to have played a part in a national campaign to protect women and children.’

On the day of the General Election, she said: ‘I fear the cultural and constitutional destruction that an unopposed Labour government would gleefully deliver... A Labour supermajority would supercharge divisive diversity legislation, and likely oversee an end to freedom of speech and religion as we know it and attempt to criminalise parents who try to protect their children from gender ideology.’

The Muslim Vote

‘What was new in this election’, says Dieppe from Christian Concern, ‘was the coordinated campaign to get Muslims voting en bloc exclusively on Islamic issues.’

Campaign group The Muslim Vote (TMV) was established in the UK only last year - co-founded by the head of the Muslim Association of Britain. It is an alliance of 23 activist organisations with a heavy focus on advancing Islam – to ‘empower the Muslim vote’. The group had some success in Muslim-heavy constituencies, boasting five independent candidates taking seats from Labour in Birmingham Perry Barr, Islington North, Leicester South, Blackburn and Dewsbury and Batley. It claimed to be ‘within a whisker’ of winning 10 seats.

The group described the results as ‘unprecedented... They send shockwaves through our political system’. But it’s just the beginning. It added: ‘This has always been a five election campaign.’

TMV has issued several demands to Labour, including recognising a Palestinian State and adopting the APPG definition of Islamophobia. Dieppe comments: ‘Adopting the APPG definition of Islamophobia would in effect introduce an Islamic blasphemy law.

‘The Labour Party has formally adopted the APPG definition of Islamophobia as part of its code of conduct. This means that any MP who is accused of being Islamophobic could be suspended or expelled from the party. The increased influence of Islam in parliament and across UK politics generally means there is a real chance of this becoming law.’

Losses and Gains

Christian MPs who kept their seats include regular en contributor Tim Farron (Westmorland and Lonsdale), Danny Kruger (Devizes), and MSPs Kate Forbes (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) and John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston). Gary Streeter, MP for South West Devon since 1997, did not seek re-election. Democratic Unionist MP and Christian, Ian Paisley Jr, lost his North Antrim seat by just 450 votes in what commentators described as a ‘bigger than seismic’ defeat.