Any election is about choices. But the widely different visions for the future course of the UK on offer at this general election mean its result will have decisive repercussions for years to come. We consider some of the major issues at stake and explore how Christians might approach them, in the …
Voting
Why I Vote
I vote because I want to speak on behalf of the voiceless I vote because I am a woman and I want to honour the suffragettes movement and say ‘thank you’ I vote because of my black heritage, for the slaves, for freedom and justice I vote because those under 18 years old can’t, and as a youth …
Three generations of women and the vote
This photo was taken in 2014 at a march held to commemorate a suffragette rally that took place in Walthamstow, east London, in 1910. This is my mother, my daughter and me, three generations marching together for equality and to honour the women (and men) who fought for the vote for all. So as …
Womanhood and faith
What the vote means to me Turning eighteen is a pretty big deal, suddenly you can buy alcohol, serve on a jury, buy fireworks and sue or be sued, just to name a few. Of the rather interesting and sometimes random things that you can do once you reach eighteen, I see voting as an incredibly …
A sacred place?
I grew up fascinated by the stories that I heard about suffragettes. I was also brought up to understand that voting is a very important responsibility. I was first entitled to vote at the 1997 general election and my parents made a bit of a fuss about it and were very keen that we should make our …
A hard won right
What the vote means to me 1974 was an exciting year in British politics, with two General Elections. I wasn’t old enough to vote, but the second fell on my 15th birthday – so I remember well having a day off school! From that day onwards I couldn’t wait to be 18 and to vote. In the 1979 General …
The privilege of challenging oppression
What does having the vote mean to me? In my ministry in Wakefield and in Yorkshire I have met many people from other countries who are seeking asylum. Commonly they are seeking refuge from oppressive governments which they have no power to oppose and no mechanism for changing. For me, being able to …
Celebrating the Representation of the People Act
This Tuesday, the 6th February 2018 marks one hundred years since the Representation of the People Act. Whilst the anniversary has led us to focus on women’s suffrage, it is important to remember that the Act did not grant the vote to all women. It granted the vote to all men over the age of …