The outcome of the UK’s coming general election seems not to be in doubt; the only question is the size of the Labour majority. Rishi Sunak’s controversial decision to call a general election early, and the difficulties faced by the Scottish Nationalists, means that if the polls are right, we shall see Britain’s first avowedly atheist prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer, in Downing Street next month. Naturally, neither the Church nor this paper will tell anyone how to vote. The bishops will ask Catholics to consider issues to do with the common good and social justice when they vote; these included support for the marginalised and the protection of human life from conception to natural death.
The trouble is that all too often there is no obvious candidate available for Catholics to support on this basis. The main parties are increasingly inclined to take a hostile approach to pro-life issues – consider the cross-party support for the draconian exclusion zones around abortion clinics. Few MPs show the forensic concern with the situation of those on benefits as did the late Labour MP Frank Field, a devout Anglican. Indeed, the best reading for Sir Keir, if he does become prime minister, would be Mr Field’s book, Politics, Poverty and Belief. That makes clear the connection between a religious and Christian perspective and a concern with social justice.
It is likely that the Labour benches will be even less diverse after this election – not in terms of ethnicity, gender or sexuality, but in social class. Many will be drawn from the new clerisy of the public sector and state bodies, and relatively few from the working classes for whom the party was founded. The days when Tony Blair could at least try to “do God” while in office seem very distant.
At present, in fact, the Christian perspective is perhaps best expressed by non-governmental bodies like Sir Iain Duncan Smith’s Centre for Social Justice, which lobbies for policy changes to reward work and support marriage in the interests of the poorest; we must hope that the policy proposals of this and other Christian bodies can be taken up by the main parties.
Most of the new intake of MPs are likely to be secular in outlook and background. And in this respect, they may reflect something of the changing nature of Britain, where Christians are now a minority. Last month a poll revealed that most Scots have no religious affiliation at all – a dispiriting state of affairs. However, it would be misleading to suggest that the present Conservative Party has been in any obvious sense Christian in aspirations, policies or personalities – with some honourable exceptions. Rishi Sunak is a practising Hindu and benignly indifferent to religious matters.
We should not, moreover, assume that an atheist prime minister will be antagonistic to religion. As Paul Goodman wrote in last month’s issue, Sir Keir is acquainted with the community spirit that religion engenders. Lady Starmer is a liberal Jew, and he and his family share Sabbath meals on Friday evenings. His mother was an active parishioner at her local Anglican church, and even his atheist father was friendly with the local vicar – to the extent of lending him the Starmers’ rescue donkey for Palm Sunday. The social cohesion that religion entails is something he knows about.
What is important is that Catholic schools should be allowed to flourish under a new government. Here the most important step was taken last month by Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, who began a process to lift the cap on the percentage of Catholic pupils Catholic schools are allowed to admit. This is unlikely to be reversed by a new administration – her counterpart, Bridget Phillipson, attended a Catholic school herself. So at a grassroots level, the Church may be able to continue to expand its schools and provide a Catholic formation for those who attend them. It is this work which has the greatest effect in enabling the Church to transmit its teachings and convey the love of God to a new generation – just as long as government leaves it free to do so.
If Catholic voters are hesitant about whom to vote for, then they should consider the potential legalisation of assisted dying. Sir Keir has already made clear his support for a change to the law. Catholics should ask their parliamentary candidates how they would vote on such a bill – and consider voting for a candidate who promises to oppose it.
<strong><strong><strong><strong>This article originally appeared in the June 2024 issue of the <em>Catholic Herald</em>. To subscribe to our award-winning, thought-provoking magazine and have independent and high-calibre counter-cultural Catholic journalism delivered to your door anywhere in the world click</strong> <mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color"><a href="https://catholicherald.co.uk/subscribe/?swcfpc=1">h</a></mark><a href="https://catholicherald.co.uk/subscribe/?swcfpc=1"><mark style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)" class="has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color">ere</mark></a>.</strong></strong></strong>
