Church leaders have issued a joint statement telling people not to vote for the BNP in next week’s crucial Newton by-election. They fear that if a BNP councillor is elected it will ‘threaten the heart of the community’.
A letter signed by half-a-dozen clergy in Hyde has been sent to voters urging them not to vote for the far-right party.
The by-election on Thursday follows the death of Labour councillor Margaret Oldham last month. In last May’s elections the BNP took second place. And with the recession biting, worries are mounting voters may turn their backs on the mainstream parties.
The Rev Richard Lamey, of St Mary’s Church, Newton said: "We are intending to deliver this letter to as many people as possible in the ward to urge people to go out and vote on 5 February — and to vote for parties which do not foster fear and hatred. We are concerned at the possibility of a BNP councillor in Newton, hence our taking this unusual step."
In the letter, the church leaders condemn the ‘racist history and policies’ of the BNP. It states: ‘We believe that the election of a BNP councillor would threaten the heart of a community which is essentially open and welcoming, kind and hopeful. Whoever we elect in Newton next week will have a major impact on our daily lives. And when you do vote, think about the type of society you want Newton to be, and then vote for a party which does not rely on racial hatred and the fostering of division. Newton is better than that.’
The letter is signed by: Fr Philip Bennison (St Stephen’s Church, Flowery Field); The Rev Nic Bentley (Rosemount Methodist Church); The Rev Alan Bolton (Rosemount Methodist Church); The Rev Eric Breeze (Flowery Field Church); The Rev Richard Lamey (St Mary’s Church of England Church, Newton); Fr Denis Maher (St Paul’s Roman Catholic Church, Hyde).
Anthony Jones, local BNP spokesman, said: "These men speak only for themselves from an unelected position. They are cossetted against the current economic climate. They don’t have any real fears over losing their jobs. The council and the clergy are clearly worried the BNP will win that seat."
Tameside Advertiser
Showing posts with label churches. Show all posts
Showing posts with label churches. Show all posts
January 30, 2009
June 13, 2007
Racist letters sent to churches
A number of churches daubed with racist graffiti and swastikas in Lancashire also received offensive letters. The graffiti was painted on the Baptist Church, St Peter's and St Paul's Church and The Methodist Church in Rishton near Blackburn.Lancashire Police said two garages, a fish and chip shop and a library were also vandalised. The force said it was treating the incidents extremely seriously and investigations were ongoing. Insp John O'Reilley, of Lancashire Constabulary, said: "Some written material has been posted through some of the addresses. It is consistent with the type of language and graffiti written on the outside of the premises so we are following that through as well."
BBC
March 23, 2007
Cameron calls on churches to fight racism and exploitation
The leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron, has commended churches for leading the commemorations of the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade and called on Christians to fight its lasting legacy - racism.
The leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron, has commended churches for leading the commemorations of the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade and called on Christians to fight its lasting legacy - racism.
He joined leading African and Caribbean Christian leaders at the Conservative Christian Fellowship’s Wilberforce Address on Tuesday night, dedicated this year to the slave trade abolition.
Speakers at last night’s event spoke extensively on racism as the lasting legacy of the slave trade. In his Wilberforce Address, Mr Cameron praised key abolitionist William Wilberforce for his role in securing the abolition of the slave trade but pointed to the victims of modern day slavery – human trafficking.
Addressing the scourge of racism, Mr Cameron appealed to young black people to “find role models in the history of the abolition movement”.
Rev Katei Kirby, General Manager of the African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance, said, meanwhile, that problems in today’s society, including disrespect for human life, disregard for authority, and a “disdain” of belief and faith were modern legacies of the slave trade.
She said that moral and political leadership was needed to overcome the slave trade’s legacy of racism and to ensure that every ethnic group in Britain is embraced. She called for better understanding and government investment “in the present and the future of those disenfranchised by the negative legacies of the slave trade”.
But when asked if an apology for the slave trade was needed, Mr Cameron said, “I don’t actually think that one generation can meaningfully apologise for something that a previous generation did.”
Instead, he said that “true reparation” was actually “to make sure that Africa has a chance for peace, prosperity, stability and all the advantages we have in the West”.
“It is to Britain’s eternal shame that we supported the slave trade but it is to Britain’s eternal pride that we helped to stamp it out,” he said.
Pastor Agu Irukwu of Jesus House, a leading Pentecostal church in London, echoed Mr Cameron’s sentiments, saying that an apology would always be regarded as “hollow” unless African, Caribbean and Caucasian communities were to “come out of their comfort zones and engage with each other”.
Mr Cameron said the way forward lay in helping African nations to develop. “We should be doing all we can to promote indigenous economic development,” he said. “This means producing trade tariffs and helping African nations develop the institutions for economic growth.”
He also committed his party to bringing about the “proper” representation of black men and women in parliamentary life, acknowledging that the Conservative Party had failed to do this effectively in the past.
Mr Cameron called for members of the African and Caribbean community to use the anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade to make a change by getting more involved in politics.
Other key speakers and panel members at the event included the Rt Rev Dr James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool, and Bishop Wayne Malcolm of Christian Life City.
Christian Today
The leader of the Conservative Party, David Cameron, has commended churches for leading the commemorations of the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade and called on Christians to fight its lasting legacy - racism.
He joined leading African and Caribbean Christian leaders at the Conservative Christian Fellowship’s Wilberforce Address on Tuesday night, dedicated this year to the slave trade abolition.
Speakers at last night’s event spoke extensively on racism as the lasting legacy of the slave trade. In his Wilberforce Address, Mr Cameron praised key abolitionist William Wilberforce for his role in securing the abolition of the slave trade but pointed to the victims of modern day slavery – human trafficking.
Addressing the scourge of racism, Mr Cameron appealed to young black people to “find role models in the history of the abolition movement”.
Rev Katei Kirby, General Manager of the African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance, said, meanwhile, that problems in today’s society, including disrespect for human life, disregard for authority, and a “disdain” of belief and faith were modern legacies of the slave trade.
She said that moral and political leadership was needed to overcome the slave trade’s legacy of racism and to ensure that every ethnic group in Britain is embraced. She called for better understanding and government investment “in the present and the future of those disenfranchised by the negative legacies of the slave trade”.
But when asked if an apology for the slave trade was needed, Mr Cameron said, “I don’t actually think that one generation can meaningfully apologise for something that a previous generation did.”
Instead, he said that “true reparation” was actually “to make sure that Africa has a chance for peace, prosperity, stability and all the advantages we have in the West”.
“It is to Britain’s eternal shame that we supported the slave trade but it is to Britain’s eternal pride that we helped to stamp it out,” he said.
Pastor Agu Irukwu of Jesus House, a leading Pentecostal church in London, echoed Mr Cameron’s sentiments, saying that an apology would always be regarded as “hollow” unless African, Caribbean and Caucasian communities were to “come out of their comfort zones and engage with each other”.
Mr Cameron said the way forward lay in helping African nations to develop. “We should be doing all we can to promote indigenous economic development,” he said. “This means producing trade tariffs and helping African nations develop the institutions for economic growth.”
He also committed his party to bringing about the “proper” representation of black men and women in parliamentary life, acknowledging that the Conservative Party had failed to do this effectively in the past.
Mr Cameron called for members of the African and Caribbean community to use the anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade to make a change by getting more involved in politics.
Other key speakers and panel members at the event included the Rt Rev Dr James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool, and Bishop Wayne Malcolm of Christian Life City.
Christian Today
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