As the General Election Dust Settles....

And so the dust starts to settle after Thursday's unexpected General Election result.



I have posted a few thoughts on FaceBook in the past few days, but wanted to revisit my thoughts on the General Election and also to reflect on a response to a majority Conservative government.

My first thought is the genuine anger on FaceBook at "the electorate", and anger presumably spread beyond that social networking site.  People are angry with "the electorate" for choosing a Conservative government, saying they got it badly wrong.

It is worth pointing out that we live in a democracy where people are free to vote as they choose.  The "electorate" didn't get anything wrong; individual voters have expressed their preference in their constituencies and, as a result, the Conservatives have a majority.  That's how our British democracy currently works!

It is also worth pointing out that due to our current electoral system the Conservative won a parliamentary majority even though only 37% of voters voted for them.  63%, the majority, did not vote for them.  More people didn't want a Conservative government than did.  This will continue to happen until we agree to a proper system of proportional representation in our elections, instead of our manifestly unfair first part the post system.

There has been much debate about why Labour didn't do better in the face of an unpopular government.  Some have suggested that Ed Milliband may have been the problem, that people just did not see him, for whatever reason, as a credible Prime Minister: even though a friend who knows him well has assured me he would have been a great PM.  Otters have suggested that the people still do not trust Labour with the economy, despite the fact that the economic collapse under the Gordon a Brown government was largely the fault of the bankers.  Still others have suggested that there was so little perceived difference between Labour and the Conservative on the big issues that people decided "better the devil we know".  In direct contrast, others still suggest that Labour has moved too far to the left for most voters, as it did in the 80s, and made itself unelectable.  Former Labour PM Tony Blair has suggested they need to move back towards the centre.

The SNP were also a factor in Labour's defeat.  The actual number of seats they won in Scotland made not difference, but the Conservatives managed to successfully generate a fear of a left wing Labour/SNP alliance to scare voters into supporting them.  It is always a matter of concern to me when the politics of fear is used; one only has to look to Germany in the 1930s to see where that can potentially lead.

Whatever the reason, the Conservatives won the General Election.  The Labour and Liberal Democrat parties now have to dust themselves down, choose new leaders and rebuild their credibility in the eyes of the electorate.  I pray that they will do so because strong opposition that calls the government to account is good for democracy.  An opposition leader who is seen by all as a credible Prime Minister is also a good thing for democracy.

As for those of us who are Christians, are not politicians, and are unhappy with the result, what can we do?  Complaining about the results in social media achieves nothing.  That is not to say that social media isn't a good platform for political comment and protest as it manifestly is, but considered criticism that challenges and makes people really think is far better than angry protest.

What we can do us to become more politically active.  Those who say Chrustianity and politics don't mix have obviously never read their Bibles properly.  We can be active by joining one of the political parties and helping with their campaigning.  We can be active by supporting those causes we believe in; by helping others and showing them the love of Christ who is concerned for all.  The parable of the sheep and goats suggests that we cannot be neutral when it comes to welfare and justice: we are called to be active in helping others.

And just in case you are wondering what I'm going to do..... amongst other things I'm joining the Green Party!