Who should we vote for?

My parents spoke to me of their political views and I’m sure that I initially voted for a political party based upon their perspectives. Once in work my views were influenced and challenged by my vocation, my career. My desire to progress within the military spoke volumes about which political party I should aspire to follow and support. Is this the proverbial ‘cart before the horse’ though?

As I ‘matured’ (better than getting old) my views changed. Influenced by scripture I felt the need to look through the lens of others rather than my lens. Should I vote for a party which would:

• lower my tax rate but cause misery to others by reducing benefits?;
  • Do I know sufficient about those who need benefits? Is that just one person or an anecdotal story?
• sanctioning those seeking employment, treating people as data rather than humans?;
  • Again what sample of people do I actually know who have been sanctioned to say that were wrong?
  • Have I been in that situation myself?
  • If not, what might it be like?
• maintain funding for absolutely vital services when costs were increasing at a far higher rate?
  • Have we been in Hospital recently and suffered delays which we felt caused further angst and worry?
  • Have we spoken with medical staff to gain a glimpse of the problem felt on the ‘front line’?
  • Can we sustain such a huge necessity without extra funding?
  • Could I pay a bit more?
• maintain defence spending for a threat which has yet to materialise or we could never have an adequate response?
  • Having served in the RAF I now struggle with the vast spending on such infrastructure as Trident when the original threat has developed and annihilation beckons if we were to respond with nuclear weaponry. And what of those military who suffer so when they leave the Forces and struggle to return to ‘civvy street’, with many suffering from mental issues?

Perhaps if you have a faith we might wish to consider what we sing in worship this Sunday, what we pray (each day or) this Sunday and see whether they are in agreement with our political desires for the General Election in June.
In one song we might sing:

I surrender all to you
Everything I give to you
withholding nothing
withholding nothing

Read more: William Mcdowell – Withholding Nothing Lyrics | MetroLyrics

So if we give all, withholding nothing, should our political views focus upon what would be best for us? Here are some of the ‘current policies’ from the Conservatives, Labour and then Liberal Democrats and the Green Party- there are other parties participating in the election and these policies may well change in the run up to the Election.

Perhaps we need, as a Church, to consider voting:

“For the Kingdom rather than for the tribe”

What would help our community, our neighbour? Put aside the media influences and consider that commandment “Love One Another”; where can we show unconditional love to all in the way we vote at the General Election?

What are your thoughts?