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| Church of England urges 'fresh moral vision' from politicians | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Church of England has called for politicians to deliver a "fresh moral vision" ahead of the general election. | |
| In a letter urging congregations to vote on 7 May, the House of Bishops does not endorse a political party but encourages debate on issues such as nuclear defence and the economy. | |
| It defends its "right and duty" to enter into the political debate. | |
| Conservative MP Conor Burns said the letter was "naive", but David Cameron said he welcomed the move. | |
| The 52-page letter says "it is the duty of every Christian adult to vote, even though it may have to be a vote for something less than a vision that inspires us". | |
| It says the country needs "a new approach to political life that will change the political weather as decisively as did the administrations of 1945 and 1979", referring to changes in government under Clement Attlee and Margaret Thatcher. | It says the country needs "a new approach to political life that will change the political weather as decisively as did the administrations of 1945 and 1979", referring to changes in government under Clement Attlee and Margaret Thatcher. |
| "The ideals that the Big Society stood for should not be consigned to the political dustbin," the letter adds. | "The ideals that the Big Society stood for should not be consigned to the political dustbin," the letter adds. |
| New politics | New politics |
| The letter is the first of its kind to be issued by the Church but follows interventions by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby, who has been critical of tax avoidance and the proliferation of food banks. | |
| The Church addresses issues in a number of policy areas within the letter. | The Church addresses issues in a number of policy areas within the letter. |
| On the economy, it credits politicians for helping Britain avoid the same financial instability as other European countries, but criticises them for turning the banking crisis into a "political football". | On the economy, it credits politicians for helping Britain avoid the same financial instability as other European countries, but criticises them for turning the banking crisis into a "political football". |
| It says the Church is in favour of the living wage and talks about a "burgeoning of in-work poverty", adding that "the greatest burdens of austerity have not been borne by those with the broadest shoulders". | It says the Church is in favour of the living wage and talks about a "burgeoning of in-work poverty", adding that "the greatest burdens of austerity have not been borne by those with the broadest shoulders". |
| On Europe, the Church says there is an "enduring argument for continuing to build structures of trust and co-operation between the nations of Europe". | On Europe, the Church says there is an "enduring argument for continuing to build structures of trust and co-operation between the nations of Europe". |
| When talking about defence policy, the letter says "shifts in the global strategic realities mean that the traditional arguments for nuclear deterrence need re-examining". | When talking about defence policy, the letter says "shifts in the global strategic realities mean that the traditional arguments for nuclear deterrence need re-examining". |
| 'Fresh look' | 'Fresh look' |
| The Bishop of Buckingham, the Right Reverend Alan Wilson, who helped write the letter, said it was not a guide on how Christians should vote. | The Bishop of Buckingham, the Right Reverend Alan Wilson, who helped write the letter, said it was not a guide on how Christians should vote. |
| "We're not telling people how to vote but why to vote," he said. | "We're not telling people how to vote but why to vote," he said. |
| Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said the letter was to address the problem of people's "cynicism and disenchantment with professional politicians" and help them "take a fresh look at things". | Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said the letter was to address the problem of people's "cynicism and disenchantment with professional politicians" and help them "take a fresh look at things". |
| Conservative MP Nadine Dorries told the programme she believed the letter had "glaring inaccuracies" regarding the economy and said the Church should be more concerned with issues people wanted to hear its views on, such as abortion. | |
| "The Church is always silent when people are seeking its voice and yet seems very keen to dive in on political issues when actually no-one is asking it to," she said. | "The Church is always silent when people are seeking its voice and yet seems very keen to dive in on political issues when actually no-one is asking it to," she said. |
| She said the bishops had a "very definite left-wing leaning to their message" and questioned whether the Church had the moral authority to discuss equality, having "only just accepted women as equals and brought in women bishops". | She said the bishops had a "very definite left-wing leaning to their message" and questioned whether the Church had the moral authority to discuss equality, having "only just accepted women as equals and brought in women bishops". |
| However, the prime minister said he was "keen for anyone to intervene in politics". | However, the prime minister said he was "keen for anyone to intervene in politics". |
| Mr Cameron said: "We want to have a political debate in this country. | Mr Cameron said: "We want to have a political debate in this country. |
| "We've created an economy with genuine growth, real jobs and real security and I would say to the bishops, I would hope they would welcome that. | "We've created an economy with genuine growth, real jobs and real security and I would say to the bishops, I would hope they would welcome that. |
| "Because work does bring dignity, it does bring self-reliance, it does enable people to provide for their families; it creates a stronger society as well a stronger economy." | "Because work does bring dignity, it does bring self-reliance, it does enable people to provide for their families; it creates a stronger society as well a stronger economy." |
| 'Honour the meek' | |
| Conor Burns, MP for Bournemouth West, said the letter was "naive" in not taking into account the recession and the risk posed by countries like Iran. | |
| Paul Whiteley, professor of government at the University of Essex, said the letter's policies were a combination of the Green Party, SNP and "perhaps a bit of Labour". | |
| He said it had been a "long time since the Church of England aligned with the Conservative Party". | |
| But the Reverend Graham James, the Bishop of Norwich, said he thought it was "much more even-handed than that". | |
| Asked whether people reading the letter could be persuaded to vote Conservative or UKIP, he said: "I believe they could be." | |
| He added: "There are people of all political traditions within the Church of England and we want that to continue, but, as I say, the manifesto the Church works to is that of the teaching of Jesus. | |
| "In the sermon on the mount, it is the poor, it is the meek, it is the peacemakers who are blessed, that is the good news, so we do seek a society in which the poor, the meek and those who make peace are honoured." |