Politics is for People

  Years ago Shirley Williams (remember her?) wrote Politics is for People, a carefully reasoned, socially compassionate and morally intelligient plea for political processes and institutions that served rather than exploited, that gave due weight to social justice, that aimed at increasing and sharing more equally, the opportunities that arise from a country's wealth and work. Some would say she was a failed politician - failed to get elected on two occasions, went into academia in Harvard, and is now Baroness Williams of Crosby, retiring from the House of Lords as leader of the Lib Dems in 2004. But that book was visionary in a reasoned and morally cogent way.

Politics is for people. Indeed. It seems a long way away - and I don't just mean a long time ago - over twenty five years. It seems a long way away since politicians could write such a book and find that the public bought and read it as if its contents were genuinely meant. Contemporary political realities are more often junk food standard than organically sound.

The degree of self interest, party self-preservation, power at any price maneouverings, patronising spin, wheeling and dealing with large corporations and global companies,  - oh and the odd military adventure based on balsam wood moral foundations to spread the gospel of democarcy western style in places where democracy has no cultural or religious roots. Politics is for people would now sound like spin, another polystyrene promise, used once and thrown away as disposable.

So what keeps us Christians from becoming cynical non participants in the political processes intended to make governments accountable? Why do we as people, bother about politics which seem to be less about people like us, and more about the politician, the party, the bottom line, whatever terminology best describes the dominant public perception of self-interested, not to be trusted politicians?

Why will I vote in our elections on May 3?

1. Because I believe in our capacity to do things right, to make fair decisions, to at least want a fairer society, even if it doesn't always work out that way no matter how hard we argue and try.
2. Because I don't believe every politician is in it for themselves, as if good people who want to make a difference were somehow absent from the hustings, and allergic to public life.
3. Because though a lot of political life is manipulative, unprincipled, power-mongering and at times exploitative - there are people in there who care, who want the voice of ordinary folk to be heard and their life desires given a chance. I'm with them - if I can spot them!
4. Because I don't think I can claim to be a follower of Jesus, and ignore the possibility that my ballot paper, along with those of others, can make a difference to who become the decision makers.
5. Because I will pray for guidance, and I'll use the commonsense and ethical passion God has given in casting my vote.
6. Because what I'm looking for is the candidate nearest to the values that underpin human flourishing and social compassion - and if they are good politicians - good as effective operator and good as principled person, then they have my vote, my support, my prayers.

And the question of which party they belong to will be largely secondary. The party manifesto is less important to me than the personal track record of getting stuck in on behalf of the people - listening to our voice, speaking our case, caring about local outcomes, and displaying unashamed bias towards those pushed to the edges.

And yes all the above is idealistic, even generalised, and lacking political sophistication - which is ok with me, cos I'm dead unsophisticated so I am.