Your guide to the next five years of Labour government Change begins.
“Christians and the Labour Party share key values that make up the heart of who we are. We share the abiding sense of the dignity and worth of every human being, the desire to tackle injustice, and the determination to care for those who are vulnerable and find themselves on the margins of our society.”
Keir Starmer
411
The number of Labour MPs elected. Their highest ever figure is 418, under Tony Blair in 1997.
174
The size of the Labour majority. This is the third largest ever, excluding the National Government of 1931.
40
4
Keir Starmer is just the fourth Labour leader to win an overall majority at a General Election.
14 in opposition
The number of years Labour spent while the Conservatives were in government.
5
The number of key missions Keir Starmer has set out.
The number of Bills put forward in the King’s Speech. This is higher than normal, and includes bills to renationalise the railways, introduce a conversion therapy ban, and strengthen workers rights.
37 The number of Labour MPs in Scotland, marking a resurgence of Labour as an electoral force there. In 2019, just 1 was elected.
33.7%
Labour’s share of the vote in the General Election. This is considerably down on the figure Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party lost the election with in 2017.
177
The number of Labour Peers in the house of Lords. This is in the minority, and Keir Starmer will be expected to appoint further peers to represent Labour there.
43
The number of Labour MPs we are aware of who claim a Christian faith. We know of many others within the Conservatives and other parties.
1900
350
The number of new MPs in the House of Commons, across all parties.
244
The number of seats the Conservatives lost.
The year the Labour Party was established. 2024
Sir Keir Rodney Starmer was born on 2 September 1962. He was born in London and raised in Surrey. He attended the selective state Reigate Grammer School. As he routinely told people during the election, his dad was a toolmaker and his mum a nurse.
In 1985, he achieved a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Leeds and then a postgraduate Bachelor of Civil Law from Oxford University in 1986.
He was a socialist from a young age. At the age of 16, he joined the Labour Party Young Socialists. And when he was 32, he wrote an article in Socialist Lawyer in which he said “Karl Marx was of course right’ about the pointlessness of trying to bring about change through abstract declarations of fundamental rights.
Having been called to the bar, he practised mainly criminal defense work with a particular focus on human rights. In 2002 he was a appointed a Queen’s Counsel (QC).
In 2008, he became Director of Public Prosecutions. During his tenure, he dealt with several very high profile cases.
For example, he oversaw an investigation into the Stephen Lawrance murder. Lawrence was a black British 18-year old who was murdered in a racially motivated attack on 22 April 1993. Despite six people being arrested, no-one was charged. A report in 1998 found that the original investigation was incompetent and the Metropolitan Police was institutionally racist. In 2011, Starmer announced a new investigation, which led to two perpetrators being convicted of murder in 2012.
It was during this time that he also oversaw changes to the policy about individuals who were convicted of helping people have an assisted death. Mr Starmer, a vocal supporter of law change, adopted a more lenient posture.
In 2015, Mr Starmer was elected as an MP. Initially appointed Shadow Immigration Minister by Jeremy Corbyn, he resigned from that role in June 2016 as part of a protest against Corbyn’s leadership. Later that year he accepted a new position under Corbyn as Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the Eu-
In 2020, he won the leadership of the party, running on a clear left-wing platform, having secured 56.2% of the vote.
His major focus as leader of the Labour Party was to reposition the party and adopt a more centrist position, and to restore its credibility. He expelled some Corbyn supporters and placed a great emphasis on expelling antisemitism from the party.
After the Tories won Hartlepool in 2021, following a by-election, he briefly considered resigning as leader. But over
2022, the polls began to move in his direction. The chaos and resignation of Boris Johnson and then Liz Truss further strengthened his position.
Just prior to the 2024 election, Mr Starmer set out Labour’s five key missions. They are:
• Kickstart economic growth
• Make Britain a clean energy superpower
• Take back our streets
• Break down barriers to opportunity
• Build an NHS fit for the future
Mr Starmer’s willingness to work under Jeremy Corbyn led to some of his most uncomfortable moments during the 2024 election. When he ran for leader, his did so on a fairly explicit left-wing platform.
However, he is not wholly ideological and has demonstrated a pragmatic approach to being leader, willing to shift Labour more towards the centre-ground in order to win the election.
He is pro-Net Zero and has consistently voted along generally pro-immigration lines, although he is now speaking about reducing levels of immigration. He voted against measures to raise the threshold for when you start paying income tax. He’s voted against proposals for British troops to engage in military action overseas. He voted for same-sex marriage. He has also generally voted against measures to reduce corporation tax.
Reports suggest he will particularly make use of three other senior ministers, in a quartet: Angela Rayner as Deputy Leader, Rachel Reeves as Chancellor and Pat McFadden will be involved in making key strategic decisions.
According to one former member of the Shadow Cabinet, Mr Starmer will: “govern in the way in which he runs the Labour Party. He’s no-drama Starmer. He’s very methodical and analytical. He just gets on with things, he wants to fix problems.”
He will apparently create cross-departmen-
tal boards responsible for driving progress across Labour’s five missions. Each board will draw on private sector expertise and could include outside experts.
Starmer strongly supports assisted suicide and has signalled he wants to make the process for changing gender easier and less cumbersome, although he doesn’t support gender self-ID.
He has also said he supports a ban on conversion therapy and has voted in favour of imposing abortion laws on Northern Ireland.
Starmer is an atheist and was in a ‘loosely Church of England home’. His wife was raised in a Jewish home and they are raising their two children in the Jewish faith, despite the fact neither are especially religious.
Starmer has praised the work of churches and the contributions they make to the common good of society. In a recent interview with Premier Christian Radio, he said:
“It’s sometimes said that the Labour Party owes more to Methodism than it does to Marx, It’s certainly true that the history of the Labour Party owes a huge debt to the Christian tradition.”
He caused controversy when he praised Jesus House in Brent Cross. He initially said: “From rolling the vaccine to running the local food bank, Jesus House, like many other churches across the UK, has played a crucial role in meeting the needs of the community.” However, under immediate fire from Labour’s LGBTQ+ group, he then released an unreserved apology for going to the church on social media.
He plays football at an amateur level. He supports Arsenal.
He is a vegetarian and believes this is better for yourself and the environment. By his own admission he was something of a ‘party animal’ at university. He implied he took drugs while a student.
Since Labour’s landslide election win, the new Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has appointed the Cabinet. But what do we know about the key players? And what interest do they have in Christianity and the issues CARE works on?
The first female chancellor in UK history, Reeves has spent the early part of her tenure warning that the country’s finances are in a worst state than was previously thought. She’s spoken openly about the faith of her grandparents who were members of the Salvation Army and describes herself as a practising Christian. She has tended to abstain on issues of conscience, such as abortion and assisted suicide, although occasionally she has voted in favour of them.
Yvette Cooper has been Shadow Home Secretary before and now finally has the chance to do the role herself. She also previously served in the Cabinet under Gordon Brown, first as Chief Secretary to the Treasury and then as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. She once said during a radio interview that she didn’t really ‘do God’ and was ‘vaguely agnostic’. She was instrumental in 2015 in defeating an amendment to clarify that sex-selective abortion is definitely wrong.
David Lammy has been an MP since 2000, and held a variety of junior ministerial positions under New Labour, before spending time on the backbenches. He has also called himself a committed Christian. In a speech at Christian Aid’s annual lecture in 2022, he said he kept in his sights: “Jesus, a man willing to challenge power: not simply saying ‘This is sad’, but ‘This is wrong.’” He has said his Christian faith informs his politics and guides his decisions.
Having grown up in poverty, Angela Rayner became pregnant at 16 and has spoken about the positive difference New Labour’s Sure Start centres made to her as a new mum. She entered politics after working for the trade union Unison. She now holds one of the most important briefs across government, not only as deputy prime minister, but being responsible for the housing and local government department too. She does not have a Christian faith and has been a vocal supporter of policy positions at odds with orthodox Christian faith.
Wes Streeting has been open about having a Christian faith. He attends an Anglican church and according to the Church Times, he loves the smells and bells of the High Church. He has said he believes in the virgin birth and has defended the Archbishop of Canterbury when he’s intervened in
politics. As a gay man, he has also spoken about struggling to reconcile his faith with his sexuality. He has said how he is conflicted about the introduction of Assisted Suicide legislation, although he did vote in favour of it in 2015.
Phillipson is also Minister for Women and Equalities, and in both roles, will bear responsibility for Relationships and Sex Education, and policies around gender ideology. During the election she declined to say whether Labour would scrap the Conservative-proposed ban on teaching in schools about gender identity. She is a Roman Catholic who once told the Guardian: “For me, being Catholic has always been about a wider sense of social justice, social action, the value and worth of every individual.”
Shabana Mahmood is the first Muslim to hold the post of Justice Secretary. Her list of challenges is long, especially around overcrowding in prisons. She has said her faith is central to who she is. She also said the media’s treatment of Christian Kate Forbes, who ran to become SNP Leader, was disgraceful. She has previously said she would vote against the introduction of Assisted Suicide, and does not support self-ID for transgender people.
A former leader of the Labour Party, Miliband’s role is vital because the Prime Minister has made creating GB Energy and securing energy supply for the future one of his key missions. His parents fled to Britain to escape the Nazi persecution of Jews, and has spoken positively about Britain’s generosity in welcoming refugees. Although he is not religious, he has said that he does not want Christians to feel marginalised.
With major conflicts ongoing in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as questions about defence spending across NATO, John Healey will face many challenges. A veteran of the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, he has supported church initiatives to tackle poverty and human trafficking in the past.
As Culture Secretary, Nandy is determined to improve and expand the Online Safety Act, which still needs to be implemented in full (including age checks on all online porn). However, she has also attracted criticism for her position on transgender rights, recently suggesting that trans-women (biological males) should be allowed to compete within women’s sports.
Jonathan Reynolds has served in a number of Shadow Ministerial positions, including as a Shadow Transport Minister and Shadow Treasury Minister. He is particularly concerned about areas like poverty, homelessness and inequality. He is the chair of Christians on the Left and has an active Christian faith.
Work and Pensions Secretary: Liz Kendall
Transport Secretary: Louise Haigh
Science Secretary: Peter Kyle
Environment Secretary: Steve Reed
Northern Ireland Secretary: Hilary Benn
Scotland Secretary: Iain Murray
Wales Secretary: Jo Stevens
Leader of the House of Commons: Lucy Powell
Leader of the House of Lords: Baroness Smith of Basildon
Margaret Thatcher once said that “the problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money”. Labour has regularly been met with suspicion on the economy, and its reputation for fiscal prudence lay (somewhat unfairly!) in tatters after the world financial crash during Gordon Brown’s premiership. This time Labour are looking to play it safe, and will seek to contrast themselves with the Conservatives, and particularly Liz Truss’ disastrous mini-budget.
Probably, yes: the Chancellor Rachel Reeves recently claimed there was a £22 billion hole in the finances for this year, which is being interpreted as preparing the ground for tax rises. They have reaffirmed their manifesto promise not to raise National Insurance, income tax and VAT, but inheritance tax and capital gains tax have been suggested as potential areas the Chancellor might target. Having said that, it’s worth remembering that at its worst, the tax burden imposed by the Conservatives was the highest it had been since 1945…
Well, it’s all part of the drive to prove their credentials around the economy. On one level, the two-child benefit cap, initially introduced as an austerity measure under David Cameron, feels very un-Labour: repealing it would lift 300,000 children out of poverty. But, keen to show they are a safe pair of hands, and to not make unfunded promises, this has become a flagship example for making tough decisions. It has already been met with opposition within Labour, with seven MPs having the whip removed for rebelling against the government over it.
Assisted Suicide has risen up to the top of the headlines again in recent months, with fresh impetus provided by Esther Rantzen’s intervention. Keir Starmer was a prominent campaigner for changing the law when it was
last debated in the Commons, and has promised Parliamentary time for a further debate. But Assisted Suicide will remain a matter of conscience, meaning a free vote, and some individuals within Cabinet are known to be opposed to it. The debate will probably be settled by the large number of new Labour MPs, many of whose views are unknown.
Hmmm, their position on this has been tricky to pin down for years. Initially, Keir Starmer’s Labour was in favour of self-ID (where just declaring you were a woman, irrespective of biology, would mean you would be treated as one). However, after seeing the backlash against the SNP, who tried to implement this in Scotland, Labour backtracked; by the election, Labour was publicly opposed to self-ID, and Starmer said that he had always supported single-sex spaces, and that gender ideology should not be taught in schools. Other key figures within the party have also changed their position; Health Secretary Wes Streeting had once said that “trans women are women”, but has now committed to Labour implementing the recommendations of the Cass Review.
The PM served as the Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union under Jeremy Corbyn between 2016 and 2019, and during that time spoke of his support for a second referendum on Brexit. However, since becoming Labour leader, he has disavowed his previous stance: instead, he has promised that Labour will not seek to rejoin the EU, the single market, or the customs union, and that he does not expect to see Britain re-enter the EU during his lifetime. However, it is likely that, after tension between the EU and the Tories, he will seek to pursue a more harmonious relationship with Europe.
One of the Conservative attack lines in recent years has been that Keir Starmer supported Jeremy Corbyn while he was Labour leader. The PM has been keen to put distance between them; Corbyn was expelled from the
Labour Party, and blocked from standing as a Labour candidate, eventually running against Labour as an Independent. When questioned why he campaigned for him in 2019, Starmer said that “he was certain that we would lose the 2019 election”, but that he wanted “good colleagues” to be re-elected.
This has been one of the common criticisms of Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, and the examples given above are far from the only ones. Changing your mind isn’t necessarily a sign of weakness - it can be a sign of humility - but some people feel they don’t know what Labour stands for. It’s doubly important to hold the Government to account for what they promised in their manifesto.
Absolutely! Although Christians might be wary of Labour’s positions on certain social policy areas, there will be others where Christians can seek common ground. Keir Starmer has appointed ‘faith champions’ within the Labour Party, and there are people of faith
within the Cabinet. Starmer said in a recent interview with Premier Christianity that he wouldn’t be offended by criticism from Christians: “It’s the job of the Church, of Christian leaders, and of individual Christians to call for justice, to speak out on inequality and advocate for those who don’t have a voice…with a Labour government, you won’t see politicians sent out to attack Christians for speaking out on their deeply held views.”
Ah, the big question! The size of the Labour majority should enable the Government to push through legislation without worrying about backbench rebellions, a luxury the Conservatives haven’t had recently. But no government will get everything right, and as Christians, we want to encourage grace in response to mistakes. And we know that any government can be derailed by external circumstances: five years ago, no one was predicting a pandemic, war in Ukraine and an energy crisis. Let’s all pray for wisdom for the Government: given the challenges the country faces, they’re going to need it!
One of the main ways we can hold parties, politicians and Prime Ministers to account, is to look at what they promised to do in their manifesto and hold them to it. As Christians, we believe in keeping our promises, partly because we follow a God who always keeps His promises to us.
• Labour’s biggest focus is economic growth and stability through tough fiscal rules and spending limits, an economic management approach they describe as ‘securonomics’. This is designed to contrast with the Conservatives’ handling of the economy under Liz Truss.
• They have pledged not to increase National Insurance, the basic, higher, or additional rates of Income Tax, or VAT. They have been coy on other potential tax rises, although they said they would change the law to tackle tax avoidance, abolish non-dom status and end the use of offshore trusts to avoid inheritance tax.
• Labour is committed to confronting poverty by: reforming the minimum wage, reviewing universal credit so it makes work pay, slashing fuel poverty, and banning exploitative zero hours contracts. They have also said they will retain the triple lock for the state pension, but they did not promise to abolish the two-child cap on benefits.
• Labour promised to tackle illegal immigration by creating a new Border Security Command to crack down on smuggling gangs, with new investigators, intelligence officers, and cross-border police officers, funded by ending the Rwanda scheme. They also intend to restore the Asylum System by hiring additional caseworkers.
• They have pledged to bring railways back into public ownership when private contracts expire, meaning all railways would be nationalised within this Parliament.
• They are promising longer sentences for criminals, are aiming to halve incidents of violence against women and girls, and to reverse the collapse in unsolved crime. They will also commit more funding to local policing.
• Labour is committed to reforming gambling regulation, regulating the use of AI within pornography and banning the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes.
• Labour have pledged to ‘make Brexit work’, but want to ensure that relations between the UK and the EU are improved, having pledged to remove trade barriers, prevent unnecessary border checks and cooperate on security.
• In the Middle East, they will continue to push for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the upholding of international law, and a rapid increase of aid into Gaza. They have called
Palestinian statehood ‘the inalienable right of the Palestinian people’.
• Labour will continue to provide support to Ukraine, have said they have an unshakeable commitment to NATO and the nuclear deterrent, and will spend 2.5% of GDP on defence when possible.
• Labour have promised to reform gender recognition law for trans people, whilst retaining the need for a diagnosis of gender dysphoria from a specialist doctor. They have pledged to protect single-sex spaces.
• They have also pledged a ‘full transinclusive conversion therapy ban’; it is unclear quite how this will impinge upon religious communities from their manifesto.
• There is no mention in their manifesto of abortion or assisted suicide, although Keir Starmer has promised elsewhere that there will be time for a debate on the latter within this Parliament.
• They say they will recruit an additional 6,500 new expert teachers, prioritising key subjects, and tackling retention issues.
• They will end the VAT exemption and business rates relief for private schools, to invest in state schools.
• They will address skills shortages by bringing forward a comprehensive strategy for post-16 education, including apprenticeships and help finding work for 18- to 21-year-olds.
• Labour will work with the private sector to double onshore wind, triple solar power, and quadruple offshore wind by 2030. They will also create a new publicly owned company, Great British Energy, to help keep energy bills down.
• They will put failing water companies under special measures to clean up rivers and waters they have polluted; Ofwat will be given the power to block bonus payments to executives responsible and bring charges against those who persist.
• Labour promise to cut NHS waiting times with 40,000 more appointments every week. They will also retain Rishi Sunak’s smoking ban.
• They will recruit 8,500 additional mental health staff, and are promising mental health services for children and young people in every community.
• Labour will remove the right of hereditary peers to sit in the House of Lords, and introduce a mandatory retirement age. They are committed to replacing the House of Lords with an alternative, ‘more representative’ second chamber, although the public will be consulted on these proposals.
• They will give 16- and 17-year-olds the right to vote in all elections.
• They do not support Scottish independence or another referendum.
“The Labour Party owes more to Methodism than to Marx”. The adage, attributed to Harold Wilson, but probably predating him, stands in contrast to how some Christians might perceive the Labour party today, amid concerns about social liberalisation, particularly around conscience issues such as life and marriage.
Alastair Campbell’s famous statement ‘We don’t do God’ has become a byword for a lack of faith within Labour, despite the two central figures in New Labour, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, both having some form of Christian faith themselves. But the Labour Party, just like the Conservatives, the Lib Dems and others, has indeed been shaped by Christian teaching from a variety of traditions, including Christian socialism, Catholic teaching about the common good, and yes, Methodism.
Many histories of the Labour Party reference the Tolpuddle Martyrs, a group of six farmers in Dorset, most of whom were Methodists (and indeed, three of whom were lay preachers). Seen today as the forerunner of trade unions, the group campaigned against the reduction in agricultural wages in 1833-4, refusing to work for less than 10 shillings/ week at a time when reductions to 6 shillings/week were being planned.
They were convicted of swearing a secret oath and sentenced to penal transportation to Australia, before eventually being pardoned and brought home amid protests and petitions in the UK a couple of years later.
Christian socialism, based around principles of co-operation and helping those most in need (and not to be confused with later forms of socialism, which have em-
Keir Hardie, the first Parliamentary leader of the Labour Party
phasised nationalistion), is thought to have begun in the 1840s and 1850s.
Adherents included: F. D. Maurice, an Anglican theologian who found himself stirred by the plight of the poor in London, and who was involved in the founding of early co-operative associations; John Malcolm Ludlow, editor of The Christian Socialist Newspaper and the co-founder of the Working Men’s College, still active in London today; and Charles Kingsley, an Anglican priest whose well-known book ‘The Water Babies’ tells the story of a young chimney sweep and questions child labour.
A different perspective was provided from the Catholic church in the late 19th century, with the publishing of ‘Rerum Novarum’ by Pope Leo XIII, subtitled ‘On the conditions of labour’, and now seen as a seminal text within Catholic social teaching. The Pope was critical of socialism, which he believed would lead to the destruction of the family unit, but spoke powerfully against the dangers of unfettered capitalism, which he believed would lead to greed and would harm the poor. He wrote about the inherent dignity of all workers, made in the image of God, and about how workers should be paid a fair, living wage; he opposed child labour and flagged his concern about work which was dangerous to workers, specifically mentioning the mines; he opposed state interference into the building blocks of society (such as the rights of parents and families); he reaffirmed the right of individuals to own private property; he spoke of how the poor “should be specially cared for and protected by the government”; and he wrote in detail about the principle of “the common good”. A number of Catholic Labour MPs continue to cite his work today.
The Labour party was founded in 1900 after the Trades Union Congress sponsored a conference to unite the unions under a single party banner: the first ever Parliamentary leader was Keir Hardie. Hardie had worked in the coal mines from age 10, had become a leader of a trade union at 23, and was an ardent Methodist and a lay preacher; commenting on his political views, he is reported to have said: “The impetus which drove me first into the Labour movement, and the inspiration which
has carried me on in it, has been derived more from the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth than from all other sources combined.”
Christians continued to play a crucial role in the development of the Labour Party as the years went by and the party began to grow in influence (first becoming the elected government in 1924 under Ramsey McDonald).
Of particular significance was the economic historian and social critic R. H. Tawney, a Christian socialist who, anchoring his views in the fundamental equality of every human being, spoke forcefully against capitalism, advocated for free, universal secondary education, and for reforms within healthcare. His work, and the writings of his friend, the Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple, who coined the term ‘welfare state’, helped pave the way for Labour’s welfare reforms in the aftermath of the Second World War.
Although Labour was out of power in the 1950s and early 1960s, Harold Wilson, Prime Minister from 1964 to 1970 and 1974 to 1976, was a member of the recently formed Christian Socialist Movement, which has since been renamed Christians on the Left, and continues to maintain links with Christian MPs within the Labour party.
More recently, although Tony Blair and Gordon Brown have been criticised for introducing socially liberal policies, both men also spoke about the influence of Christian faith upon their politics; indeed, Blair once wrote a piece for The Telegraph entitled, ‘Why I am a Christian’ (something it feels difficult to imagine being written by a politician today!). Gordon Brown, the son of a Church of Scotland minister, was reluctant to speak about his own faith, although he has been a fervent opponent of the introduction of Assisted Suicide.
Today, there continue to be Christians, from a variety of backgrounds and denominations, at almost every level within the Labour Party, from Ministers and MPs to local councillors and activists. We give thanks for them, and, recognise, with a new Labour government that “there is no authority except that which God has established” (Romans 13:1).
As ever, at CARE we will seek to work together where common ground can be found, provide gracious challenge when things should be critiqued, and pray for our leaders irrespective of whether we voted for them or not.
After a General election in which record numbers of Conservatives lost their seats, and in which there is a massive number of MPs who have never sat in Parliament before (335), the make-up of the House of Commons is very different to previously.
Christians on the Left have said there are 43 Labour MPs who identify as Christian who affiliate with them, and there are many more among the Conservatives, Lib Dems, and other parties. Not all new MPs have yet been open about their faith, and so below we have only profiled those whose faith is widely known.
Christian believers in Parliament hail from a variety of church traditions and denominations: they will not all have the same views on ethics, or feel they can always take a stand on the same issues. But let us pray that all of them might reflect something of Jesus and be salt and light in bringing God’s better story to the House of Commons.
Carla Lockhart (DUP MP for Upper Bann)
One of a number of Christian MPs within Northern Ireland, Carla Lockhart has spoken out against the imposition of abortion upon Northern Ireland, saying that she believes she has been put in Parliament ‘for such a time as this’, echoing the language of Esther. She has commented: “I will continue to be a voice for the voiceless. I believe that God has me in Parliament to be that voice.” She has also repeatedly raised concerns around transgender ideology.
Danny Kruger (Conservative MP for East Wiltshire)
The son of tv presenter Prue Leith, Danny Kruger is well-known as an evangelical Christian, and has been outspoken in his belief that the only stable basis for society is the marriage of one man and one woman. He has also spoken about abortion. Within the last Par-
liament, he served as chair for the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Dying Well, opposing the introduction of Assisted Suicide.
Florence Eshalomi (Labour MP for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green)
Florence Eshalomi is one of Labour’s faith champions and has worshipped at her Catholic church in Brixton for as long as she can remember, saying, “the Church has been an anchor of my life”. She has regularly spoken in Parliament about her faith, and has even tweeted Bible verses from her Twitter account!
Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative MP for Chingford and Woodford Green)
Former Conservative Leader Iain Duncan Smith was brought up in the Church of England before converting to Catholicism. He co-founded the centre-right think-tank the Centre for Social Justice in 2004, to advocate on behalf of the poorest within society. He has repeatedly spoken about the benefits of marriage, and the harms that come from family breakdown. He has also said that his political hero is William Wilberforce.
Janet Daby (Labour MP for Lewisham East)
A former Shadow Minister for Faiths, Janet Daby has written previously, “When asked why I’m a Christian, I immediately think of what a clear decision it is for me. I am being offered eternal life through Jesus in a heavenly place…We live and we die on earth but heaven is eternal.” She served on the Labour frontbench as Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, before being pressured to
resign over speaking on behalf of registrars with a religious objection to same-sex marriage.
John Glen has said how he came to a “living faith” when he attended university, and has shared about how his faith informs his decision-making within Parliament. He has acted as the chairman of the Conservative Christian Fellowship, has attended Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and is currently the Shadow Paymaster General.
Marsha De Cordova came to faith in her mid20s through the witness of a friend inviting her to church, and has spoken of how she feels God opened doors for her to become an MP. She is an Officer of Christians in Parliament, and having been registered blind herself, has served as Vice Chair of Disability Labour, and was previously Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities.
Rachael Maskell (Labour MP for York Central)
Rachael Maskell has spoken openly about her Christian faith and the Christian roots of the Labour movement, and has been outspoken on behalf of pro-life policies in Parliament. In the run-up to the General Election she wrote about how, through politics, she is “seeking to serve the One who created this world out of an explosion of indescribable love, with a longing to restore all into union with Him, the ultimate upholder of equality, fairness and justice.”
Rebecca Smith (Conservative MP for South West Devon)
A new Conservative MP in this Parliament, Rebecca Smith became a Christian at age four, and has said that she has known God’s faithfulness for forty years! She says her faith shapes everything she does, and has said that she felt called into politics to stand as an MP, beginning her journey by doing work experience more than twenty years ago with Christian MP Gary Streeter!
Ruth Jones (Labour MP for Newport West and Islyn)
A regular church-goer, Ruth Jones continues to volunteer at a local night-shelter. Within the gender debate, she has acted about the importance of biological sex. She said in 2021, “My faith and relationship with Jesus gets me through the day! I feel supported and cared for by him in everything I do whether that is speaking in the chamber, meeting constituents or in my life outside of Parliament.”
Stephen Timms (Labour MP for East Ham)
Well-known to CARE for his thoughtful, evangelical Christian faith, Stephen Timms has served in Parliament for 30 years. He joins his local church every week to pray together for his work in the Commons, and has chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Faith and Society. He has recently been appointed as Minister of State for Social Security and Disability.
Tim Farron (Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale)
Arguably the best known Christian in the House of Commons, Tim Farron came to faith at eighteen, a decision he has called “the most massive choice I have made.” He came under fire from the media around his views on homosexuality while he was leader of the Liberal Democrats. He hosts the podcast, ‘A Mucky Business’, about the intersection of Christianity and politics, and regularly tweets about his faith.
A number of Christian MPs have now left Parliament, whether as a result of losing the election or deciding not to stand. We are so thankful for their faithfulness, in some cases across decades, and believe that much fruit has come - and will continue to come - as a result of their dedication and service. We invite you to join us in praying for them in their next steps. They include, but are not limited to:
Sir Stephen Timms has been MP for East Ham, formerly Newham North East, since 1994. Having previously attended Cabinet as Chief Secretary to the Treasury under Tony Blair from 2006-2007, he was recently appointed as Minister of State for Social Security and Disability within the Department of Work and Pensions.
Congratulations on being elected! How are you settling into your new role?
Thank you. I am settling in well. I have been MP for East Ham for over 30 years now, so I am fairly used to the workings of parliament.
What were your reflections on the wider General Election campaign, and on the result?
I am clearly pleased with the outcome of the election as a Labour MP. There was a great degree of scepticism from the public about politics as a whole throughout the campaign. People struggle to believe that politics can improve their lives after the challenges they’ve faced in the last few years. I think Labour’s restrained campaign fitted the public mood, in that sense. It makes it very important that we deliver – even over-deliver – and that politicians conduct ourselves well to begin to restore people’s faith in politics.
It’s been fourteen years since we last had a Labour government: what excites you most about being the ruling party again?
The opportunity to affect real change. As an opposition MP, you have some influence, to speak in Parliament and campaign for your constituents, but your ability to change government policy is limited. Now we are back in government, we have an opportunity to make decisions and pass legislation that reflect Labour values. I am excited to be part of that change and I believe it will benefit the country.
We know that no party can ever perfectly reflect Jesus, but what do you think are some of the biggest strengths of the Labour Party from a Christian point-of-view?
There is an oft-repeated phrase that Labour owes more to “methodism than Marxism.” You can see Christianity’s influence both in the history of our party – in Keir Hardie and R.H. Tawney, for example – and around the current cabinet. I believe Labour’s focus on the poor and most vulnerable in society is closely aligned with Christian teachings. I was also heartened by Keir’s letter to faith leaders on 10 June, promising a “strong partnership” with faith groups, and his interview with Premier Christianity, promising to listen to criticism from Christians. I am particularly pleased with his pledge to promote local faith covenants. I believe it shows a Labour Government will neither ignore nor simply instrumentalise faith.
We’ve heard a lot about Labour’s five missions in recent weeks.
What are some of your own personal priorities going to be?
I am now the Minister for Social Security and Disability, so much of my focus will be on improving our social security system. I will leave announcements about my priorities there for now! My focus also remains on my constituents in East Ham. It is a privilege to serve them, and I will continue to run surgeries and handle casework for them.
At CARE, we’ve been concerned at
the decline in people being able to ‘disagree well’ within politics. Is this something you’ve witnessed too, and what do you think can be done to combat it?
Unfortunately, I have witnessed increasing ugliness in our politics. The Election campaign was difficult, and I know many colleagues faced awful harassment. However, I do believe that it is a minority of people driving it. Most people I met when campaigning were courteous even when they disagreed with me. I think part of the issue is that an increasing number of people only consider ethical issues through a political lens. There is little public discussion about ethics that does not focus on politics. It leaves some people measuring their actions only by the political “ends” it achieves, not whether they’ve acted rightly or wrongly to the person in front of them. Politicians can challenge this trend in our conduct, but we as Christians should also think carefully about how we can better model and teach Christ-like ethics.
It was such an encouragement to us to see you and many other Christians be elected a few weeks ago. Why is it so important that Christians are prepared to stand for political office?
I am very encouraged by the number of Christians standing in and succeeding at the election. Christianity cannot be limited to just being an individualistic gospel – our faith changes everything, including politics. We need Christians in politics to speak to the unique vision of the Gospel, to speak for the poor and vulnerable, and to model Christ-likeness in how they live and lead.
I would appreciate prayer as I take on my ministerial duties and my constituency. I would also appreciate prayer for the new MPs in Parliament – especially those who are Christians. Parliament is a unique and, for new MPs, overwhelming workplace. Pray for them as they handle the challenges and joys of their new roles.
With the first Labour Government in 14 years, the media attention has understandably focused on the party in power. But that doesn’t mean all the other political parties have gone away. Labour may have won 411 seats, but that still leaves another 239 MPs who belong to other parties. It is the job of these parties to provide accountability in the House of Commons.
bour looking to govern from the centre, the Lib Dems are likely to push them from the left, such as on the two-child cap on benefits.
The Conservatives are the largest opposition party, and therefore His Majesty’s Official Opposition. Having been in Government since 2010, the public is familiar with many of its faces and factions. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has vowed to stay on until his successor is chosen on 2 November. The Conservatives’ time in opposition will rest on who succeeds Sunak and the direction they choose to take the party. The party has been openly divided in recent years, and suffered losses both to Reform and the Lib Dems/Labour. A number of candidates have thrown their hat into the ring, with early favourites being Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick and James Cleverley. Tory MPs whittle down the list of contenders down to two, but the membership, who tend to lean further to the right, have the final vote.
The new leader has an uphill task to repair public trust in the Party and rebuild a reputation for competency and integrity. They are likely to focus on points such as immigration, defence, and taxes. Other dividing lines in the culture war will be seized on to ward off the rise of Reform, such as weaknesses from Labour in the transgender debate.
The Lib Dems, having benefitted from tactical voting, are led by Ed Davey and are the third largest party in Parliament. With La-
Their election campaign particularly focused on the environment, the discharge of sewage into rivers, and social care (one of the most complex issues facing Britain). On other areas, such as foreign policy, social policy and the economy, the Lib Dems will struggle to create dividing lines with a Labour party which broadly shares common, internationalist, socially liberal values.
The Lib Dems performed particularly well among middle-class voters. With the Tories likely to gravitate towards Reform voters, the Lib Dems may look to drive a wedge between them and the Tories, emphasising dividing lines like the EU, the environment, and human rights.
Having experienced a number of scandals and failures in the delivery of public services, the much reduced SNP, led at Westminster by Stephen Flynn, will be a quieter presence at this Parliament. As ever, they will look to create dividing lines wherever possible between the interests of Scotland and the Westminster Government in a bid to boost the nationalist cause.
But with a Labour Government that is looking to rule from the centre-left, and their own damaged reputation, they are likely to have less success now in making the case for independence. Expect to see them focus
more on delivering on devolved areas such as education, health and transport through the Scottish Parliament, and a greater profile for their MSPs.
The newest party on the Westminster scene (their only previous MP having defected from the Conservatives), Reform’s number of seats doesn’t reflect their 14% of the national vote. Having focused their efforts on punishing the Tories, they will continue, led by Nigel Farage, to hold the Conservatives’ feet to the fire. Given their strong (and sometimes inflammatory) rhetoric, we will hear more from Reform than their size would suggest.
Claiming to be the true voice of conservatism in the UK (and that the Tories have been captured by liberals), you can expect immigration, the culture wars, and economic liberalism to be central talking points, as well as calls for voting reform to strengthen their rising momentum. It remains to be seen whether their election success this time is a flash-in-the-pan, and to what extent Nigel Farage will throw himself into life as an MP.
The Greens, led by Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsey, have never had such presence in Parliament. Performing particularly well among the young, they will pressure Labour strongly on left-wing causes. Although they have a particular focus on the environment, they will call for radical reform of Britain’s economy, a more relaxed approach to immigration and a more extreme version of social liberalism. They stand well placed to benefit if Labour pushes ahead with electoral reform.
Occupying broadly centre-left, socially liberal policies, much like the SNP, expect to see Plaid Cymru looking for dividing lines
through which they can champion the nationalist cause. With Welsh Labour having been in power in the Senedd since its inception, the case for an independent Wales is considerably behind that of Scotland, but they will capitalise on dissatisfaction with the Labour Party to make their case, particularly through strengthening their number of seats in the Senedd.
Usually, independent MPs do not have a coherent policy programme. However, this time five of them had a common thread, standing on explicit pro-Gaza platforms, in areas with large Muslim communities. While they are unlikely to hold much sway within the Commons, the impact of sectarian independents may remain, particularly affecting Labour, who lost one high profile MP (Jonathan Ashworth), and almost several others to a largely unified Muslim voting bloc.
Sinn Féin refuse to take their seats in Westminster due to their Irish Republican convictions. However, their haul of 7 seats is their highest ever, and gives them a strong base to work off in building a long-term cumulative case for independence.
Having been the largest party in Northern Ireland for much of the past 20 years, the DUP has been punished for recent scandals and perceived ineffectiveness, losing ground to other unionist parties, such as the UUP and the TUV, even in strongholds like North Antrim.
Well, the country has spoken: Sir Keir Starmer is our new Prime Minister, and the Labour party will be our Government for the next five years. At CARE, we do not support any particular party or candidate). In our team, we have a wide range of political leanings; and I imagine that is the same among our supporters!
Those who support Labour will be excited by the prospect of change; after 14 years in the wilderness, the time has come! For staunch Conservative voters, the last couple of years have been depressing, looking ahead to the prospect of electoral oblivion. And there will be many of us who just do not know what to think. Amid low voter turnout (the second lowest in a century), and a genuine ambivalence towards Labour (with only 34% of the vote), it felt like an election where many did not know who to vote for. Here are some thoughts which I hope will prove helpful.
If you feel discouraged by UK politics, there is still much to be thankful for. The privilege of being able to vote isn’t something to take for granted in a world where many do not have it. Jeremy Hunt, acknowledging the Conservative loss, said this:
“A message to my children, who I sincerely hope are asleep now. This may seem like a tough day for our family as we move out of Downing Street, but it isn’t. We are incredibly lucky to live in a country where decisions like this are made not by bombs or bullets, but by thousands of ordinary citizens peacefully placing crosses in boxes and bits of paper. Brave Ukrainians are dying every day to defend their right to do what we did yesterday and we must never take that for granted.
Don’t be sad, this is the magic of democracy.” We can give thanks that the election passed peacefully and fairly; that despite threats of violence, no candidates were injured; and that we have a voice which is listened to, even if just in a small way. And we can be thankful that our choice of candidates is, generally, between decent, hard-working people, who want to serve the country and their constituents, even if our preferred candidate lost.
It can be easy to despair when the results at election-time don’t go the way we wanted them to…or indeed, the reverse, to become overly excited!
Fears about Labour are well-rehearsed: will they decriminalise abortion, or introduce assisted suicide? Where do they really stand on transgender issues? But no party has a monopoly on Christian truth. Many Christians were angry at the Conservatives providing less money for foreign aid. Others spoke against the impact of the Rwanda policy, in particular, on vulnerable women who have been trafficked. In all parties, I am sure, Jesus would find things to affirm, from the Conservative emphasis on personal responsibility, to the value Labour places on representing the vulnerable. And in all of them, I am sure, he would find things to critique.
David once wrote, “Some trust in chariots and
some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7). Keir Starmer is not our saviour, even if you are a Labour supporter. That does not mean that we should not look for him to do good (we should!), but he is not our ultimate source of hope. He, and the Labour Party, are as tainted by the Fall as the rest of us.
All parties have, embedded at their core, some sort of political theory, a lens through which they view the world, whether it be authoritarianism or libertarianism or Marxism. Christians are to begin with a different lens: God’s Word. The Bible is the lens through which we analyse the world, by which we can affirm or critique what we find.
No party has a monopoly on Jesus. So be cautious in either rejoicing too much or despairing too much, in the aftermath of our one-sided election results.
It’s one thing for Labour to win a landslide; what matters more is what they do next. When the Tories won the 2019 General Election with such a strong majority, no one expected the chaos which ensued! But this isn’t just relevant to the ruling party. For us as Christians, our work doesn’t end when we cast our vote; it matters what we do next.
In 1 Corinthians, Paul teaches about changes of status. His primary concern was not whether people were married or unmarried, circumcised or uncircumcised, or slaves or free. Similarly, his primary concern might not have been whether we had a Conservative government or a Labour one.
What Paul was more interested in was how they acted in the circumstances in which they found themselves: “Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.” (1 Corinthians 7:19-20).
While we have a Labour government, that is the situation to which God has called us at the present time; while we have a Conservative government, that is the situation to which God has called us. Either way, the instruction is the same: “each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has
called them” (1 Corinthians 7:17).
Our call is to be faithful, whoever is in power: for some, that might look like working directly with our political leaders to support them. In other cases, it might be holding them to account. In all cases, it will at least look like praying for them (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
4. God will work his purposes out…whatever they
It can seem almost trite to say that ‘God is in control’, particularly if the election didn’t go the way we wanted. But that does not make it any less true. We trust that God will work out His purposes. And sometimes those purposes may be confusing. Within the Psalms, we have plenty of examples of that. David sang, “How long, Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1-2).
It might seem like Keir Starmer is in control; in one sense that is true, for God has, graciously, delegated authority to human kings and governments. And yet they cannot truly direct the course of history, any more than the greatest of kingdoms or empires which came before.
For we also know that God is sovereign: there is nothing outside His control. And one day, when we reach eternity’s shore, we will look back and see how His plans and purposes coalesced, even those which didn’t make sense at the time. After all, Jesus promised to build His Kingdom, not to build the United Kingdom.
And so, regardless of our political leaning, let’s cast our eyes towards the One who holds history in His hands. For one day we will see that all things, all seasons, and all governments have worked for His glory.
“God is working this purpose out, as year succeeds to year; God is working this purpose out, and the time is drawing near; nearer and nearer draws the time, the time that shall surely be: when the earth shall be filled with the glory of God as the waters cover the sea.”
Arthur Campbell Ainger
Sunday
Sovereign God, You “change times and seasons; You depose kings and raise up others”; we commit to You our country of the United Kingdom, and ask that in this new season of Labour government, You might bring “peace and prosperity” to our land. Please help our new leaders, and our Prime Minister, to make good and just decisions, that help our nation to echo Your heart and resemble Your Kingdom. Amen.
Monday
Lord Jesus, we ask that You provide wise and godly counsel to our new Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer. Create in him a teachable spirit, a soft heart, and ears which are attentive to sound counsel. By Your grace, would You guide his heart and mind to glorify You, as he serves our country. Amen.
Tuesday
Lord, thank You that Your mercies are new every morning. We ask that our new Labour government would love mercy and act justly. Help them to respect the value and dignity of all people, and we pray that they might be especially compassionate and attentive to the needs of the poor and vulnerable. Lord, hear our prayer. Amen.
Wednesday
God of justice, we ask that Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership would model integrity in politics. We pray that this would be a season in which trust in politicians would be restored, in which promises are fulfilled rather than broken, and in which our leaders look to serve others rather than to puff themselves up. Amen.
Thursday
Father God, we thank You that You grant to each of us different gifts and abilities. We pray for the new Labour Cabinet: we pray that You might grant them wisdom, and lead them to seek good counsel from the right people as they seek to run their departments, and that in every area of our society - whether it be education, health or the environment - we might be a nation which “acts justly, loves mercy, and walks humbly before You our God.” Amen.
Friday
Sovereign Lord, would You protect and encourage those in Government. Would they find confidence in knowing that their identity can be found in You alone and does not need to be based on the media’s perception or public opinion. We pray that they would be courageous and resilient in the face of adversity, and we pray too for safety and protection for all our elected politicians. For Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Saturday
Lord Jesus, we pray for effective and gracious Christian presence and influence in political debate. Strengthen those You have placed in the corridors of power to wisely explain Biblical truth, allowing the truth about human flourishing to be attentively listened to and courageously acted upon. We pray that the United Kingdom might begin to look that little bit more like Your Kingdom, and that the people of our nation might turn their eyes towards You. Amen.
In the aftermath of the Election result, let us commit our nation before God in prayer. Here are seven ways you can be praying for Keir Starmer, the Labour party, and all those in government at this time.
Ross Hendry, CEO of CARE
At CARE we focus on three ‘E’s: Engaging the Church, Equipping politicians, and Empowering future leaders. That means that working alongside parliamentarians and watching parliamentary business closely is our bread and butter! We believe working with politicians and authorities is a means by which we can promote the inherent dignity of every individual within the UK and seek their flourishing.
At CARE, we are completely party-neutral and will work with anyone who agrees with our policy calls, irrespective of whether they are a Christian or not. So much of our work depends on relationships, and as well as reconnecting with many of our existing friends who were re-elected in July, we are also building relationships with the 350 new MPs who have been elected.
In doing so, we will be forging alliances on a whole range of important issues. And we will be journeying alongside and supporting a number of Christian MPs and Lords, encouraging them in their work and helping them to serve faithfully. In the process, we provide informative briefings and research to help Parliamentarians engage in key debates; we equip them to take up bold, practical policy calls that are full of hope; and we assist them directly in everything from writing speeches to drafting amendments to bills.
In all our lobbying and parliamentary engagement, we want to speak and act with both truth and grace, recognising the dignity of those with whom we disagree. That is why we have had an unrivalled reputation in Parliament for more than forty years.
We are relentlessly people-focused. This is not simply a slogan for us: it is a crucial distinctive: we do not simply care about making
noise or winning arguments. Instead, we are determined to see every human being flourish as God intends them to.
We are rooted in God’s Word, and are focused on keeping God’s better story - a story of creation, revelation and redemption - at the heart of political decision making. We believe that every human being is made in God’s image and that life is precious from conception through to its natural end.
And it is precisely because God cares about all of human life that we want to bring His love and wisdom to tackle a number of issues which people face at a variety of stages within life. Some of these policy areas will be new, such as supporting children in poverty, and the crisis in young people’s mental health and the difficulties some experience around identity.
Others are areas we have long worked in, such as combatting the rates of family breakdown, the harm caused by pornography, and the challenge to older people from assisted suicide. Adding these newer issues to our historic causes seems particularly timely as we look to work together with a new Labour Government, alongside other MPs, Peers and civil servants.
We are excited about how God is at work in politics and CARE’s role in this story. But all our work is done in partnership with you. Your generosity, and God’s grace, are what enable us to do what we do.
Please pray for us in the upcoming months: we are sure we will face serious challenges, but we are also looking ahead to great opportunities. We know that without the Lord, we can do nothing, so please pray that He will provide all that we need. We long to see Politics Renewed and Lives Transformed through our work in the parliaments and assemblies of the UK; to God be all the glory.
Scan here, or visit care.org.uk/donate. Your donation to CARE enables us to continue to work towards a culture and society reflecting a better story for everyone.
CARE (Christian Action Research and Education) | Chief Executive Ross Hendry | Co-Founder Rev Lyndon Bowring | 53 Romney St, London, SW1P 3RF | 020 7233 0455 | mail@care.org.uk
CARE is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales at 53 Romney Street, London, SW1P 3RF Company No: 3481417 | Charity No: 1066963 | Scottish Charity No: SC038911
Image Credits:
Front Cover: Sir Keir Starmer MP, The Prime Minister (Holborn and St Pancras, Labour), 24/07/2024 ©House of Commons. Used under the Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) license.
Page 14: Keir Hardie by Arthur Clegg Weston, bromide cabinet card, circa 1892, NPG x13173 © National Portrait Gallery, London. Used under the Creative Commons license.
Page 20: Stephen Flynn MP (Aberdeen South, Scottish National Party), 15/05/2024 © House of Commons. Used under the Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) license.
Page 22: Sir Keir Starmer (Labour, Holborn & St Pancras), 15/05/2024 © House of Commons. Used under the Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) license.
Pages 8. 16, and 18: MP portraits licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0.