20th October 2001
CPA Annual Consultative Assembly
I would like to begin by thanking each one of you for staying the course through this day! It’s been a long day and I am sure you will agree with me that it has been a very worthwhile day. A lot goes into making such an event happen, and while I know that David will be thanking all those who have helped, I would like to take this opportunity to thank David, Sunita and Tony for supporting me personally and for all their hard work in making this event the success that it has been. Let’s give them a round of applause.
Friends and fellow Christian Democrats
I would like to begin by thanking each one of you for staying the course through this day! It’s been a long day and I am sure you will agree with me that it has been a very worthwhile day. A lot goes into making such an event happen, and while I know that David will be thanking all those who have helped, I would like to take this opportunity to thank David, Sunita and Tony for supporting me personally and for all their hard work in making this event the success that it has been. Let’s give them a round of applause.
It’s now been over two years since I got involved with the CPA and this is our 2nd Annual assembly. It may be early days, but I thought it would be useful to look back, take stock and look ahead.
A question that I am often asked is: So how’s CPA doing? In the business world, it is relatively easy to assess success. The bottom line usually speaks for itself.
For a start-up business, one measure of success is just surviving. Year one results are greeted with relief and year two is really doing well - a call for celebration! Well, it’s year two and we’re still here! But just so we don’t get carried away with celebrations, let me remind you of the advise given to me by the late Professor Michael Fogarty. He said to me that it had taken forty years for him to see the first cohort of Christian Democrat candidates fighting elections in the UK since the beginnings of his involvement in the Christian Democrat movement in the UK. He was, as you know the father of Christian Democracy in the UK. And he went on to tell me: ”It may take another forty years before you win any seat. But never give up on this vision.”
It is clear that we have enjoyed a degree of success. We came top of all the minor parties in the London Mayoral elections, technically winning a seat on the Greater London Assembly under the D’hondt’s rule. We have also benefited from media opportunities that are clearly the result of our successful showing in the London elections. After appearing on Radio 4’s ‘Any Questions’, I asked the producer how come I was invited to participate when previous attempts to appear on this program were refused? Her reply was, and I quote: ’You can’t argue with 100,000 votes!’ We live in a democratic society and there are no short cuts to earning the right to be heard on the national and local media. There are also no short cuts to renewing the Christian foundations of our democracy. We must engage in the democratic electoral process and fight this battle on the political turf. And the good news is that we can now do this with even greater confidence!
We have a BRAND that has been tested, a brand that is now established and a brand that is known for quality, integrity and independence. Let me illustrate this by sharing with you a recent experience. I was at a dinner where I met a former Labour Minister who told me how the Government panicked when we initiated the cross party campaign against their proposals for the discriminatory visitor’s bond scheme. A disgraceful scheme that they were eventually forced to withdraw because as this former Government Minister put it to me: “We were afraid of losing lots of votes to the CPA during the London elections”. Not bad for a party that had only been campaigning for a few weeks, and had at that time less than 100 members!
If the Government had bothered to test their proposals against the Christian values that they and all other parties claim to follow, they would never have dared to pursue such a scheme. It confirms to me the importance of our continued existence to be a voice that can speak unashamedly from a Christian perspective. Because we are the CHRISTIAN Peoples Alliance and not ashamed to publicly speak from a Christian standpoint.
It was Mother Teresa who called people not to measure their lives by how far they were successful, but how far they were faithful. Meeting today, the CPA continues in the path of being true to our call: to address the fundamental needs of our society from a perspective of hope.
Our aim is to give the electorate an alternative worth voting for. That is a task that requires us to persevere, even when the circumstances seem adverse. We mustn’t lose our edge. We must be faithful.
Pope John Paul puts it another way. He urges us to be "signs of contradiction". Lets look at what that might mean.
The CPA came into existence because of demands to secularise politics and because so many policies were being adopted that undermined the value of the human person.
Our country needs to rediscover its Christian roots and renew the case to the wider public that the Gospel should shape both law and policy. Without this, secularism will take an even firmer grip.
One question that was asked during the Any Questions program that I participated in related to the question of the need to change the laws relating to underage sex. I made the point that the roots of our constitution were Christian and that any review must be made in that context. Jonathan Dimbleby argued against the point I was making that the roots of our constitution were Christian. His point was that given that less than ten percent of the population were churchgoers, why should Christian valkues be allowed to dictate how we live and are governed? I was pleased that I had the opportunity to stick to my guns and insist that as long as our constitution was rooted in the Christian faith, then that must be the basis of any review of this legislation. Another thing that I learnt was that a Bishop was always invited to be a member of this panel to ensure that a Christian viewpoint was always reflected as part of any debate This practice has now been discontinued.
The decision this week by judges to refuse Diane Pretty the right to commit suicide is not an end to that issue. We should expect renewed attempts to create rights that have never been part of our legal tradition. As well as a legal appeal, there will be attempts to change the law.
The Labour government is continuing with its pressure to legalise cloning of human beings. Despite political and religious opinion across Europe that is opposed, in the next few months this issue will re-appear on parliament's agenda. Then there is the issue of how far politicians of all parties are willing to accept the maxim that every person in Britain - regardless of their colour, sex, age or religion - is made equal in the sight of God. After the devastating events of September 11th and the daily experience of ordinary citizens living with fear of more deadly attacks, there is a temptation facing all of us to look for people to blame. I am sure I am not the only one here who has friends looked at suspiciously in the street because of their race or colour.
As a party, we must continue our message of reconciliation: God calls us to love our Muslim neighbour and to pray for those whose message is one of hate. Bombing raids in Afghanistan will come to an end in due course. But the fear and suspicion in the centres of many of our inner cities where minorities have become the majority population will take many months to heal and overcome. That is why as Christian Democrats we must face down ignorance and hatred: we must overcome evil by doing good. This is not a time to be hiding in political or religious ghettoes. We have to reach out with understanding and with love. So how far is the CPA making a difference? Well, we are still contesting elections and putting forward fresh approaches to political challenges. That is why the Mayflower Declaration is so important.
But not just words, action as well. In this district in Spring Alan Craig showed what can be achieved through grassroots, community action when he stood in the Newham Borough by-election. His backing by 34 per cent of voters is perhaps the highest vote achieved by a Christian Democrat in British political history. Here, in the heartland of multi-racial, deprived Britain, the people are turning to this party and what it stands for as the radical, compassionate alternative to the government.
Our message from the beginning has been fighting for racial justice, seeking inner city regeneration and a society based on values and compassion. Alan's example must be pursued by us all. This is officially the poorest district of London. We will continue to show bias to the poor and as long as I am serving you as leader of this party I will return us time and again to our commitment to bring hope where it matters most.
We have looked back and we have taken stock. So what about the future. What is on the horizon?
Local elections are being held next May across the London boroughs and Metropolitan Authorities. We have always maintained that we would focus on PR elections, but to become known and to establish ourselves as a real alternative, we need to get on the ballot box.
Elections will follow for Europe, Wales and Scotland. And London again. And we plan to field candidates in each of these elections.
And what are our prospects?
Do not underestimate your achievement in the backing you gave to our campaign last year. 100,000 votes in 100 days was just the start of what can be done. At the end of the campaign, most people had still not heard of us and churchgoers who might have backed us lacked the information to do so. As we press forward, active at the grassroots, people will put their trust in us.
Groups bigger than ours do not have the backing from voters that we have. For example in Scotland in June, the Scottish Socialist Party won considerable publicity in their General Election campaign, compared to what we received. Yet they won fewer votes than we did. So did the Socialist Alliance and the Socialist Labour Party in the London campaign.
Don't forget, London is bigger than Scotland in terms of voters - 10 percent of the electorate. Our achievement continues to resonate and we must work to justify continued trust by the people.
One of the factors that have earned us the trust of people is our passion to build a society that cares.
A society that cares first of all for the vulnerable and dispossessed. It may not be popular, but we will be an advocate:
For asylum seekers, and criticise racist legislation and practice when we see it,
For older people who still have much to contribute to society, but who are frequently forgotten.
For young couples seeking to start-up in life and give priority to their children but who find they are taxed more heavily than those who don't take the path of married commitment.
In education, we care for the 70 per cent of parents who, according to polls this week, worry more about alcohol and drug abuse than whether their children pass an exam. We will take steps to tackle pervasive advertising of unattainable lifestyles and consequent under-age drinking. We shall promote faith-based schools that parents are crying out for their children to go to. Despite continuing centralism, local authorities carry many responsibilities where Christians have played a formative role. The most important is education.
SCHOOLS
In this year’s Annual Report of the Chief Inspector of Schools, it was found that there is “still widespread underachievement in RE”. Weaknesses in teaching the subject were due, he said, to weak subject leadership, a high percentage of non-specialist teachers and low priority given to RE.
It is not easy to bring answers. However, it is the job of the politicians to win consensus for change and to see change through. Politics is about priorities. If Maths was being taught poorly - or by subject teachers who would rather do something else, we wouldn’t wring our hands and say it didn’t matter or let’s abolish Maths. Action would be taken. A vote of the CPA would be the mandate for renewal and for action to achieve the highest standards.
There are some Christians who naively believe that Religious Education, worship and spiritual concerns are matters for home and church alone. They will not want the CPA pushing these issues up the political agenda. But there is no such thing as a neutral classroom. Schools, like town halls, are not value free. We live in a world of competing worldviews and among these are relativism, secularism, atheistic humanism, post-modernism, new age pantheism and scientism, as well as the traditional world religions. It does matter what children learn and all Christians should be concerned about the learning of all children.
We hear much about the rights of children and young people and yet an education that fails to help them in this search for truth and virtue fails them spectacularly. It is this positive pursuit of Biblical Christian Truth that we seek to uphold within our schools for it is in schools, second only to the family, that values and beliefs are acquired. Families and schools are not, and indeed cannot be, neutral.
Undoubtedly both home and school play a significant part in shaping the views and attitudes of children and young people as they develop and mature into adulthood and the role of the school must be considered seriously. In the overwhelming majority of schools most teachers are not committed Christians.
The majority of parents in Britain, however, continue to describe themselves as being Christian and wish their children to encounter Christian values and beliefs in their schools. The CPA will ensure parental wishes are listened to by the political establishment.
What we argue for here is that Christianity should find a prominent place across the whole curriculum as schools discharge a prime responsibility to promote the spiritual, moral, cultural and social development of children and young people. And nationally, the CPA will work to tackle many of the other challenges facing the place of Christianity in our schools. We need more Christian teachers. We need more Christian parents and Christians in the community to serve on Governing Bodies and so influence the development of schools. And of course, by being elected to the Council, the CPA can work to ensure that Christians are appointed by the LEA to serve as governors.
In social services and health we will seek to uphold the dignity of those dependent on care and seek to renew the Christian ethic and sense of vocation that once motivated people working in these sectors. Yes and we will look at ways of increasing the funds for health. And if that means changing the monolithic structure of the NHS and resurrecting Christian hospitals and places of long-term care, we will find ways of doing it.
We want to be radical and innovative. Some of you may know of an innovative scheme that was implemented by the Jubilee Centre’s Michael Schluter in Sheffield and Newcastle. In Sheffield, he launched an Employment Bond raising £800,000. The project was implemented next in Newcastle and £2million was raised for this. I am chairing the East London Employment Bond that is targeting the boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets and Hackney and my board has committed to raise £50 million! And South London and West London have also expressed an interest!
For the environment and farming - as we return to biblical ideas of stewardship and care for the world God entrusted to us, the earth can be redeemed and renewed again.
But to reach these goals, your role is essential. We need long-term funding - even if just a few pounds a month in standing orders - use those forms. We need candidates to run for their councils - a response form is in your pack. We will give you training.
We need you to tell your friends and church contacts. Get a group going. Ask us for help to set one up.
And we need you to pray.
CPA Annual Consultative Assembly
Ram Gidoomal CBE
I would like to begin by thanking each one of you for staying the course through this day! It’s been a long day and I am sure you will agree with me that it has been a very worthwhile day. A lot goes into making such an event happen, and while I know that David will be thanking all those who have helped, I would like to take this opportunity to thank David, Sunita and Tony for supporting me personally and for all their hard work in making this event the success that it has been. Let’s give them a round of applause.
Friends and fellow Christian Democrats
I would like to begin by thanking each one of you for staying the course through this day! It’s been a long day and I am sure you will agree with me that it has been a very worthwhile day. A lot goes into making such an event happen, and while I know that David will be thanking all those who have helped, I would like to take this opportunity to thank David, Sunita and Tony for supporting me personally and for all their hard work in making this event the success that it has been. Let’s give them a round of applause.
It’s now been over two years since I got involved with the CPA and this is our 2nd Annual assembly. It may be early days, but I thought it would be useful to look back, take stock and look ahead.
A question that I am often asked is: So how’s CPA doing? In the business world, it is relatively easy to assess success. The bottom line usually speaks for itself.
For a start-up business, one measure of success is just surviving. Year one results are greeted with relief and year two is really doing well - a call for celebration! Well, it’s year two and we’re still here! But just so we don’t get carried away with celebrations, let me remind you of the advise given to me by the late Professor Michael Fogarty. He said to me that it had taken forty years for him to see the first cohort of Christian Democrat candidates fighting elections in the UK since the beginnings of his involvement in the Christian Democrat movement in the UK. He was, as you know the father of Christian Democracy in the UK. And he went on to tell me: ”It may take another forty years before you win any seat. But never give up on this vision.”
It is clear that we have enjoyed a degree of success. We came top of all the minor parties in the London Mayoral elections, technically winning a seat on the Greater London Assembly under the D’hondt’s rule. We have also benefited from media opportunities that are clearly the result of our successful showing in the London elections. After appearing on Radio 4’s ‘Any Questions’, I asked the producer how come I was invited to participate when previous attempts to appear on this program were refused? Her reply was, and I quote: ’You can’t argue with 100,000 votes!’ We live in a democratic society and there are no short cuts to earning the right to be heard on the national and local media. There are also no short cuts to renewing the Christian foundations of our democracy. We must engage in the democratic electoral process and fight this battle on the political turf. And the good news is that we can now do this with even greater confidence!
We have a BRAND that has been tested, a brand that is now established and a brand that is known for quality, integrity and independence. Let me illustrate this by sharing with you a recent experience. I was at a dinner where I met a former Labour Minister who told me how the Government panicked when we initiated the cross party campaign against their proposals for the discriminatory visitor’s bond scheme. A disgraceful scheme that they were eventually forced to withdraw because as this former Government Minister put it to me: “We were afraid of losing lots of votes to the CPA during the London elections”. Not bad for a party that had only been campaigning for a few weeks, and had at that time less than 100 members!
If the Government had bothered to test their proposals against the Christian values that they and all other parties claim to follow, they would never have dared to pursue such a scheme. It confirms to me the importance of our continued existence to be a voice that can speak unashamedly from a Christian perspective. Because we are the CHRISTIAN Peoples Alliance and not ashamed to publicly speak from a Christian standpoint.
It was Mother Teresa who called people not to measure their lives by how far they were successful, but how far they were faithful. Meeting today, the CPA continues in the path of being true to our call: to address the fundamental needs of our society from a perspective of hope.
Our aim is to give the electorate an alternative worth voting for. That is a task that requires us to persevere, even when the circumstances seem adverse. We mustn’t lose our edge. We must be faithful.
Pope John Paul puts it another way. He urges us to be "signs of contradiction". Lets look at what that might mean.
The CPA came into existence because of demands to secularise politics and because so many policies were being adopted that undermined the value of the human person.
Our country needs to rediscover its Christian roots and renew the case to the wider public that the Gospel should shape both law and policy. Without this, secularism will take an even firmer grip.
One question that was asked during the Any Questions program that I participated in related to the question of the need to change the laws relating to underage sex. I made the point that the roots of our constitution were Christian and that any review must be made in that context. Jonathan Dimbleby argued against the point I was making that the roots of our constitution were Christian. His point was that given that less than ten percent of the population were churchgoers, why should Christian valkues be allowed to dictate how we live and are governed? I was pleased that I had the opportunity to stick to my guns and insist that as long as our constitution was rooted in the Christian faith, then that must be the basis of any review of this legislation. Another thing that I learnt was that a Bishop was always invited to be a member of this panel to ensure that a Christian viewpoint was always reflected as part of any debate This practice has now been discontinued.
The decision this week by judges to refuse Diane Pretty the right to commit suicide is not an end to that issue. We should expect renewed attempts to create rights that have never been part of our legal tradition. As well as a legal appeal, there will be attempts to change the law.
The Labour government is continuing with its pressure to legalise cloning of human beings. Despite political and religious opinion across Europe that is opposed, in the next few months this issue will re-appear on parliament's agenda. Then there is the issue of how far politicians of all parties are willing to accept the maxim that every person in Britain - regardless of their colour, sex, age or religion - is made equal in the sight of God. After the devastating events of September 11th and the daily experience of ordinary citizens living with fear of more deadly attacks, there is a temptation facing all of us to look for people to blame. I am sure I am not the only one here who has friends looked at suspiciously in the street because of their race or colour.
As a party, we must continue our message of reconciliation: God calls us to love our Muslim neighbour and to pray for those whose message is one of hate. Bombing raids in Afghanistan will come to an end in due course. But the fear and suspicion in the centres of many of our inner cities where minorities have become the majority population will take many months to heal and overcome. That is why as Christian Democrats we must face down ignorance and hatred: we must overcome evil by doing good. This is not a time to be hiding in political or religious ghettoes. We have to reach out with understanding and with love. So how far is the CPA making a difference? Well, we are still contesting elections and putting forward fresh approaches to political challenges. That is why the Mayflower Declaration is so important.
But not just words, action as well. In this district in Spring Alan Craig showed what can be achieved through grassroots, community action when he stood in the Newham Borough by-election. His backing by 34 per cent of voters is perhaps the highest vote achieved by a Christian Democrat in British political history. Here, in the heartland of multi-racial, deprived Britain, the people are turning to this party and what it stands for as the radical, compassionate alternative to the government.
Our message from the beginning has been fighting for racial justice, seeking inner city regeneration and a society based on values and compassion. Alan's example must be pursued by us all. This is officially the poorest district of London. We will continue to show bias to the poor and as long as I am serving you as leader of this party I will return us time and again to our commitment to bring hope where it matters most.
We have looked back and we have taken stock. So what about the future. What is on the horizon?
Local elections are being held next May across the London boroughs and Metropolitan Authorities. We have always maintained that we would focus on PR elections, but to become known and to establish ourselves as a real alternative, we need to get on the ballot box.
Elections will follow for Europe, Wales and Scotland. And London again. And we plan to field candidates in each of these elections.
And what are our prospects?
Do not underestimate your achievement in the backing you gave to our campaign last year. 100,000 votes in 100 days was just the start of what can be done. At the end of the campaign, most people had still not heard of us and churchgoers who might have backed us lacked the information to do so. As we press forward, active at the grassroots, people will put their trust in us.
Groups bigger than ours do not have the backing from voters that we have. For example in Scotland in June, the Scottish Socialist Party won considerable publicity in their General Election campaign, compared to what we received. Yet they won fewer votes than we did. So did the Socialist Alliance and the Socialist Labour Party in the London campaign.
Don't forget, London is bigger than Scotland in terms of voters - 10 percent of the electorate. Our achievement continues to resonate and we must work to justify continued trust by the people.
One of the factors that have earned us the trust of people is our passion to build a society that cares.
A society that cares first of all for the vulnerable and dispossessed. It may not be popular, but we will be an advocate:
For asylum seekers, and criticise racist legislation and practice when we see it,
For older people who still have much to contribute to society, but who are frequently forgotten.
For young couples seeking to start-up in life and give priority to their children but who find they are taxed more heavily than those who don't take the path of married commitment.
In education, we care for the 70 per cent of parents who, according to polls this week, worry more about alcohol and drug abuse than whether their children pass an exam. We will take steps to tackle pervasive advertising of unattainable lifestyles and consequent under-age drinking. We shall promote faith-based schools that parents are crying out for their children to go to. Despite continuing centralism, local authorities carry many responsibilities where Christians have played a formative role. The most important is education.
SCHOOLS
In this year’s Annual Report of the Chief Inspector of Schools, it was found that there is “still widespread underachievement in RE”. Weaknesses in teaching the subject were due, he said, to weak subject leadership, a high percentage of non-specialist teachers and low priority given to RE.
It is not easy to bring answers. However, it is the job of the politicians to win consensus for change and to see change through. Politics is about priorities. If Maths was being taught poorly - or by subject teachers who would rather do something else, we wouldn’t wring our hands and say it didn’t matter or let’s abolish Maths. Action would be taken. A vote of the CPA would be the mandate for renewal and for action to achieve the highest standards.
There are some Christians who naively believe that Religious Education, worship and spiritual concerns are matters for home and church alone. They will not want the CPA pushing these issues up the political agenda. But there is no such thing as a neutral classroom. Schools, like town halls, are not value free. We live in a world of competing worldviews and among these are relativism, secularism, atheistic humanism, post-modernism, new age pantheism and scientism, as well as the traditional world religions. It does matter what children learn and all Christians should be concerned about the learning of all children.
We hear much about the rights of children and young people and yet an education that fails to help them in this search for truth and virtue fails them spectacularly. It is this positive pursuit of Biblical Christian Truth that we seek to uphold within our schools for it is in schools, second only to the family, that values and beliefs are acquired. Families and schools are not, and indeed cannot be, neutral.
Undoubtedly both home and school play a significant part in shaping the views and attitudes of children and young people as they develop and mature into adulthood and the role of the school must be considered seriously. In the overwhelming majority of schools most teachers are not committed Christians.
The majority of parents in Britain, however, continue to describe themselves as being Christian and wish their children to encounter Christian values and beliefs in their schools. The CPA will ensure parental wishes are listened to by the political establishment.
What we argue for here is that Christianity should find a prominent place across the whole curriculum as schools discharge a prime responsibility to promote the spiritual, moral, cultural and social development of children and young people. And nationally, the CPA will work to tackle many of the other challenges facing the place of Christianity in our schools. We need more Christian teachers. We need more Christian parents and Christians in the community to serve on Governing Bodies and so influence the development of schools. And of course, by being elected to the Council, the CPA can work to ensure that Christians are appointed by the LEA to serve as governors.
In social services and health we will seek to uphold the dignity of those dependent on care and seek to renew the Christian ethic and sense of vocation that once motivated people working in these sectors. Yes and we will look at ways of increasing the funds for health. And if that means changing the monolithic structure of the NHS and resurrecting Christian hospitals and places of long-term care, we will find ways of doing it.
We want to be radical and innovative. Some of you may know of an innovative scheme that was implemented by the Jubilee Centre’s Michael Schluter in Sheffield and Newcastle. In Sheffield, he launched an Employment Bond raising £800,000. The project was implemented next in Newcastle and £2million was raised for this. I am chairing the East London Employment Bond that is targeting the boroughs of Newham, Tower Hamlets and Hackney and my board has committed to raise £50 million! And South London and West London have also expressed an interest!
For the environment and farming - as we return to biblical ideas of stewardship and care for the world God entrusted to us, the earth can be redeemed and renewed again.
But to reach these goals, your role is essential. We need long-term funding - even if just a few pounds a month in standing orders - use those forms. We need candidates to run for their councils - a response form is in your pack. We will give you training.
We need you to tell your friends and church contacts. Get a group going. Ask us for help to set one up.
And we need you to pray.
