Politics will clearly be a hotly debated issue this spring as the country moves towards a General Election on Thursday 7 May.
Last week Prime Minister David Cameron kick-started the run-up to what he called ‘the most important election for a generation’. Speaking to Conservatives at Dean Clough in Halifax, he unveiled the first election poster for his party’s campaign urging voters to stay on the road to a stronger economy. Halifax is a key marginal seat in the next election if the Conservatives are to fulfil their goal of achieving a majority in Parliament.
Halifax Minster is running a programme of public debates on topics affecting society in Britain today with Stephen Timms MP speaking about Faith and Politics in the first debate on Thursday 22 January at 6.30pm.
Stephen Timms is Member of Parliament for East Ham and the Shadow Minster for Employment. He is also the Labour Party Faith Envoy and Chair of Christians on the Left.
People often say you shouldn’t mix faith and politics – and, that if you do, you’re asking for trouble. And there is no shortage of examples from around the world they can point to. But Stephen Timms will set out a contrary argument: that faith is an excellent starting point for politics. He will claim that religious faith is the source for the crucial values to make politics work.
Click here to find out more about this event and other’s in this series.
There are two other debates before the election. Crime and Punishment with Baron Adebowle, CBE on Thursday 5 March and also a General Election Husting on Thursday 16 April. Democracy is a precious thing, and we lose it at our peril. The reverberations of the economic crash in 2008 are still dominant in British politics, and how to deal with the deficit the country still carries. Immigration, the NHS, and Devolution are key areas for debate. Come and listen to some of those who are standing for the Halifax constituency, and encourage people to come out and vote at the General Election.
Partners in this series at Halifax Minster include Halifax Minster, Linda Riordan MP, Calderdale College, Halifax Opportunities Trust, The Halifax Courier, The University of Huddersfield and Calderdale Council. The aim of the Minster Series is to engage the people of Calderdale in the things which really matter, and some of the challenges the church and society is currently facing. It also tries to engage young people with politics and encourage their voice to be heard and debated.
These events are free and you can book your place by contacting the Minster Office on 01422 355436 or email: info@halifaxminster.org.uk