As the rain dashed the first signs of summer, talk of an imminent General Election was also dampened this week with the Prime Minister reassuring politicos that they could take a summer holiday. That hasn’t stopped the party leaders from campaigning like it is campaign season with Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer making big speeches this week, largely aimed at wavering voters. The question of how people of faith might vote in the next election was the subject of a new report from Theos. It seems that the ‘Catholic vote’ is up for grabs as voting intentions amongst Catholics have “shadowed that of the general population since 2016.” We know from our own survey of members and supporters that Catholics look far more likely to vote than the population as a whole. This paints the picture of the Catholic community in Britain being a large (4.5 million), politically engaged, and open-minded section of the electorate. An ideal audience for politicians! We will all vote differently in this election – no individual or political party can claim a monopoly on Catholic Social Teaching. What is clear is that our votes will help to shape the next Parliament, whenever that election is called. Rain cannot delay play forever.
