A plea to the new Labour government

The Labour Party have won the majority of seats in the new parliament and will form a new UK government.

Graham Nicholls Director of Affinity commented:

The trustees and Council members of Affinity wish to congratulate the Labour Party on their victory in the General Election. We assure Sir Keir and his Cabinet of our prayers, that they would govern well with mercy and justice, preserving peace and safety for all.

Our primary task is to preach the good news about Jesus Christ to the nation and live this message out in our lives, and we trust that such fundamental freedoms will be upheld. We also want to assure you that our churches and agencies are committed to working constructively with the incoming government on all matters, including the role churches can play in building social cohesion, relieving poverty and isolation, promoting human dignity, and working for justice.

However, we have some concerns about certain aspects of the new government’s social policies, particularly the plans to enact a ban on so-called conversion therapy. While we unequivocally condemn genuine abuse, which is already illegal, we believe this ban could lead to spurious accusations against those who seek the freedom to live out their Christian faith, including parents and pastors who uphold the Bible’s teachings on sexuality and gender.

We look forward to collaborating with the new Faith Minister and the network of Faith Advocates in this important work, both nationally and locally, and trust that the voice of our 1,200 churches and ministries will be heard.