culminated in the Socialist Christian League and the
Society of Socialist Clergy, along with many like-minded
individuals coming together over a period of two years in
the upstairs room of a Bloomsbury pub and hammering
out six policy documents in a publication called Papers
from the Lamb.
They also in that room in 1960 came together to form the
Christian Socialist Movement whose first chair was
Donald Soper.
And so, here I sit, in the upper room of the Lamb on a
sunny day 55 years after our founder members first sat
splitting into sub-committees and discussion groups to
talk about common ownership, equality, international
peace, Christian unity, Christians in Soviet Russia, and
the obligations of prayer and of thought. I sit here and can
feel the history of a whole movement in this small room.
And I’m struck by the fact that those six topics chosen by
our founder members are still prevalent today. We’re
still discussing equality, peace, unity, and the
common good. Even the actions of Moscow are
still in our news.
Keep focussed on the mission
Stephen Beer
After Labour lost the 2010 General Election we realised
we needed to reconnect politics with people. We needed
to rebuild a broad-based coalition around our values that
was inclusive and whichgave a voice to many who felt
politics no longer did anything for them. It would be a
real shame if Labour let these results tempt it away from
this mission.
The local and Euro election results have generated
political shockwaves. Sure, we are not the only country in
Europe where the main parties have faced a voter
backlash. But we need to take time to work out the
implications for the General Election here next
year.
This will take a while, though some
data may help shed some light.
The Ashcroft exit polling finds
that 60% of UKIP voters were
sending a protest message
to the main parties. Half
said they would stick
After a couple of hours drifting
with UKIP at the
through the history of our
General Election
movement, I’m brought back to
next year, with
the 21st century by a
one in five
familiar noise. As the
intending to vote
kitchen sends food
Tory and one in ten
down to the bar,
planning to vote Labour.
they’re ringing a
That suggests that the Tories
bell. It’s the
have more problems but also could
Westminster
attract back more UKIP votes. However,
Quarters and I’m
we know that UKIP targeted not only
struck by the fact we’ve
Conservative council seats but Labour as well,
come from meeting in a bar
such as in Grimsby, and with some success (see
to meeting and working in the
Rotherham, Sunderland, and Doncaster for other
houses of parliament where those
examples of UKIP success). A YouGov poll for Channel 4
chimes ring out every 15 minutes.
In the clock room in Parliament, is
in- News found that compared to other parties, UKIP voters
tended to be older and drawn more from C2DE social
scribed the prayer ‘All through this hour/
Lord,
be my guide/And by Thy power/No foot
shall slide. grades. Channel 4 News states the opinion poll also
A great prayer to keep you on the right path, and one that found that “Most UKIP voters feel ignored by politicians
and are nostalgic for the 1980s and early 90s, a period
is sent up every 15 minutes from Parliament. And
apparently, from this pub whenever a meal is ready for a most of them believe was a better one in which to bring
up children.” There is something about the politics of the
hungry tourist.
main parties which is not working for these people.
I hope that next time you’re at a Christians on the Left
Christians on the Left helped lead Labour’s new
event and you see Andy, Stephen, or even myself stood
engagement with communities with the launch of its
tall at the front, that you remember that we stand there
Labour Neighbours project back in 2010. We have long
proudly as Christians on the Left looking to the future,
helped Labour candidates connect with faith groups in
but we do so standing on the shoulders of giants.
their constituencies; we broadened this out to encourage
local Labour parties to think about who were their
neighbours and how they could get to know them. This
coincided with a rediscovery of the community
organising which had inspired President Obama and