Election 24: Hopes and Fears

Many Britons are tiring of the His Majesty’s current government. The Tories have been in so long (since 2010), that even if we do not lay all the blame for the nation’s current woes at their feet, many would still prefer a period of change. Sir Keir Starmer is looking increasingly competent and serious, a marked contrast with his predecessor. And even if I did know who to vote for at the General Election whenever it is called, I would not tend to share it on here.

A local clergyman must feel even more strongly about this government and appeared on my Labour candidate’s latest election leaflet. Having fewer scruples about formally endorsing a political candidate, he is named and photographed. I emailed him to ask whether he supported certain Labour policies, but no reply was received from the reverend gentleman.  

A change in government could well do the country good; it also prospers democracy to allow newer talent the experience of executive power, and to give a tired party five years with which to lick its wounds and regroup. Yet I fear the next few years. Both major parties are talking about banning 'conversion therapy', much to the cheering of ‘liberal churches’ and secularist pressure groups. This term is so poorly defined that it would be perfectly possible for a Christian minister to serve jail time for urging a congregation to be celibate before marriage, or for same-sex marriage to be rejected on theological grounds. Insisting to a six-year-old with male genitalia that he is a boy might even send parents to court. I and others like me will be pressured to ‘tone down’ our views, to remain silent, to bend with the wind.

I marvel at the state’s inconsistency regarding law and order. Pro-Palestine marchers can publicly call for the death of Jews while the police look on, but a Christian minister anticipates the possibility of jail for teaching Christian doctrine. What have we come to?