The results of the Public Spending Review – to be announced on 20 October – will be another critical point to assess whether the Government is holding true to its commitment to Fairness: There has been much talk about major cuts to welfare spending – and cuts of up to 25% in public services, police, schools, libraries, social services, community care and much more,… Many local authorities are already starting to cut grants to local voluntary and community organisations, in anticipation.
But what has all this got to do with us as Churches?
Concerns for tackling poverty and injustice is at the heart of the Biblical story, from the Old Testament prophets through the Gospels and new Testament. Would the Old Testament prophets, have remained silent as the rich and powerful take from the poor and the vulnerable even the little that they have?
“Defend the helpless and oppressed; don't harm strangers, widows, orphans, or other innocent people.” Jeremiah
Jim Wallis describes it in these terms: Churches are very good at pulling people out of the river – but our task is also to go upstream and ask who is throwing them in in the first place.
For this reason, Church Action on Poverty is backing calls for the Government to introduce a ‘Fairness Test’ – a transparent process for assessing the impact of proposed tax rises or spending cuts on inequality of income, assets and access to services.
But the task of holding politicians to account for what they do on our behalf in Parliament is something all of us have a responsibility for – and Churches can play a key role in this task. Many already organise parliamentary ‘hustings’ with candidates during the Election campaign: But holding MPs to account is not something to be done only once every five years! Already, over 70 local churches and Churches
Together groups have signed up for Church Action on Poverty’s ‘MP Accountability Network’ – to hold our MPs to account for their own commitment to fairness and to protecting the poorest and most vulnerable through the difficult times ahead.
In a time of deep disillusionment in politics, hope is needed.
In a time of denial that there is any alternative to ‘more of the same’ economics, hope is needed.
In a time when despair seems the only rational course of action, hope is needed.
Can we inspire hope? Can we inspire belief that change is possible? Can we, in the churches and in other faith communities, build a powerful movement for change?
Yes we can.
Niall Cooper is National Coordinator of Church Action on Poverty
www.church-poverty.org.uk
