{"id":687,"date":"2021-03-03T08:55:10","date_gmt":"2021-03-03T08:55:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jointpublicissues.org.uk\/?p=9536"},"modified":"2021-03-03T08:55:10","modified_gmt":"2021-03-03T08:55:10","slug":"an-introduction-to-the-2021-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/standrewsurcrustington.org.uk\/?p=687","title":{"rendered":"An introduction to the 2021 elections"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

There are elections happening across England, Wales and
\nScotland on Thursday 6 May. <\/p>\n

What are the Churches doing?<\/h3>\n

In terms of the number of eligible voters it will be the
\nbiggest expression of democratic opinion outside a UK General Election.<\/p>\n

However, the elections
\nhappening in different nations and places around Britain are for different
\npositions<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In Scotland, it will be a Parliamentary Election, with all
\n129 MSPs being elected.<\/p>\n

In Wales, the same is true for the Senedd and its 60 MSs.<\/p>\n

In England there will be a widespread round of elections to
\nlocal councils and metro mayors.<\/p>\n

6 May 2021 will also see the elections that were due to take
\nplace last year but that were postponed for 12 months due to Covid-19: for the
\n40 Police and Crime Commissioners across England and Wales, and London\u2019s Mayor
\nand London Assembly.<\/p>\n

Unlike a UK General Election, the issues at stake are going
\nto vary considerably depending on which election is happening in your area. <\/p>\n

So, what\u2019s a role of the Church in all this?<\/h3>\n

In the past many congregations have held hustings or election
\nmeetings, allowing their community to come together in a public forum to put
\nquestions to the candidates. <\/p>\n

This act of civic generosity is not about pushing the
\nchurches policy agenda, but instead providing a platform for constructive
\ndebate and helping to inform voters about the choice that they face: a more
\nactive participation in democracy than just putting an x in a box. It can be a
\nway of demonstrating support for democracy and the democratic process itself,
\nwhich after the scenes in the US Capitol last month, we are perhaps more aware
\nof its fragility and need to be protected.<\/p>\n

Due to the Covid-19 restrictions on social distancing and events, we don\u2019t expect there to be any in-person hustings this year. Because of this we\u2019ve revamped our hustings information and guidance with ideas about how to take them online.<\/a><\/p>\n

As we approach the election there may be opportunity for
\npreachers and church leaders to reflect on some of the big issues that face the
\nwhole of society: Covid-19, Brexit, poverty, the climate crisis and so on. The
\nlaunch of a new preaching video
\nand podcast series Politics in the Pulpit
\n<\/em>by JPIT\u2019s Beth Allison-Glenny will be a really useful resource<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As individuals, and as church communities, we can pray for
\nthe election: for candidates, agents, campaigners, for returning officers and
\npolling place staff, for those doing the count, for journalists and for voters.
\nCarol Wardman, the Bishops\u2019 Adviser for Church and Society for the Church in
\nWales has written this prayer for the elections:<\/p>\n

\n

Incarnate God,
at our creation you made us not separate from the world, but of the same substance;
and you entrusted us with the care of the Earth and of one another.
You gifted us with intellect, imagination and freedom to consider different models of government; and you call to public service women and men with hearts and minds
     set on creating a harmonious and flourishing society.
Grant us, we pray, the discernment to use wisely our privilege of choice at this election,
treating with respect all those who put their time, energy and talents at our disposal.
Guide both electors and candidates with insight, compassion and unselfishness,
that together we may understand what are your priorities,
and make our homeland here on Earth a place where all people and all of your creation can thrive.
Amen.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And, once the elections are over, it is time for the Church
\nto renew and build relationships and connections with political
\nrepresentatives. The \u2018Meet
\nYour MP<\/a>\u2019 and \u2018Meet Your MSP\u2019<\/a>
\nprogramme could easily be adapted to \u2018Meet Your MS\u2019, \u2018Meet Your Mayor\u2019, \u2018Meet
\nYour PCC\u2019 and so on. <\/p>\n

Through participation, dialogue, the sharing of ideas and
\nexperience and reminding those in positions of power and influence of their
\nresponsibility to everyone they represent, particularly those who struggle
\nagainst poverty and marginalisation \u2013 this is kingdom work.<\/p>\n

<!–
\n–>
\nSource<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are elections happening across England, Wales and Scotland on Thursday 6 May. What are the Churches doing? In terms of the number of eligible voters it will be the biggest expression of democratic opinion outside a UK General Election. … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-urc-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/standrewsurcrustington.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/standrewsurcrustington.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/standrewsurcrustington.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/standrewsurcrustington.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/standrewsurcrustington.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=687"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/standrewsurcrustington.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/687\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/standrewsurcrustington.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/standrewsurcrustington.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/standrewsurcrustington.org.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}