- Catholic Union Election Guide
The Catholic Union has published an election guide with some information and suggested questions for candidates and voters ahead of the General Election.
Catholics are one of the largest – and one of the most politically- and socially-minded – religious minorities in the country. For the 4.5 million Catholics in Britain, the election on Thursday 4 July is an opportunity to elect people who will work towards the common good and recognise the importance of faith to society.
We surveyed our members and supporters earlier this year and they shared their top five priorities for the General Election with us. These were as follows:
- Care for vulnerable people
- Religious freedom
- Family life
- Education
- Dignity of life
Our survey also found that over 90 percent of our members and supporters were planning to vote in the upcoming General Election – significantly higher than the national average.
It also revealed a strong link between politics and religion, with 92 percent of people saying that their faith and the teachings of the Catholic Church “help to influence” how they vote.
Read our election guide below.
- The Election Campaign Begins
Deputy Director of the Catholic Union, James Somerville-Meikle, writes:
It seems that a day is a long time in politics, never mind a week. When a friend messaged me on Wednesday morning to say he thought a General Election was going to be called, I found it hard to believe. Yet by teatime, the podium was in place and the Prime Minister announced the poll in the pouring rain. The week ahead will be a strange time in Westminster with the campaign having begun, but Parliament not being dissolved until Thursday. We await to see what decisions and legislation the Government can get out the door in the final week of this Parliament. But the centre of attention is now the election campaign, which will run until 4 July. As we reported last week, votes from Catholics will be important in shaping the next Parliament. In an election where more people than ever seem undecided how to vote, the Catholic Union will be working hard over the next few weeks to keep you informed about key developments and announcements. We will shortly be launching our election literature, which we hope will aid our members and supporters in their deliberations. Decision time will soon come around. - Catholics Getting Ready to Vote
The Catholic Union has found that participation by Catholics in the next General Election is likely to be extremely high.
A survey of the Catholic Union’s members and supporters found that just over 90 percent of responders were planning to vote in the upcoming General Election, which the Prime Minister has said is due to take place in the “second half of this year”.
The figure is significantly higher than the average turnout for national polls, showing the importance of Catholic voters going into this next election. Average turnout for the past three General Elections stands at 67 percent nationally.
The survey also found a strong link between politics and religion with 92 percent of people saying that their faith and the teachings of the Catholic Church “help to influence” how they vote.
The results from the survey add further weight to the contribution of Catholic groups and charities ahead of the next General Election. The 4.5 million Catholics are the largest religious minority group in the country and one of the most politically active.
The top five issues identified in the survey as being of most concern to Catholics ahead of the election were care for the poor, religious freedom, family life, education, and life issues.
The Catholic Union will be using the results of the survey to inform a special election publication which will contain some key themes and questions for candidates ahead of the election. Further information will be coming shortly.
James Somerville-Meikle, Deputy Director of the Catholic Union, comments: “These results show that faith is not something that can be put in a box and kept out of public life. Faith is hugely important in terms of motivating people to vote and in deciding how to use that vote. There are over 4.5 million Catholics in Britain so this is not a community that politicians can afford to ignore.
“This survey is the first step in our General Election plans. We want to make sure that the voices of Catholics in this country are heard loudly and clearly by those who seek to lead and govern us. Please add your voice to ours by becoming a member of the Catholic Union so we can continue this important work.”
Mike Kane, Vice President of the Catholic Union, comments: “This is a really important election. I strongly encourage Catholics in this country, and everybody, to get involved and make your voice heard. Whatever your views, please make sure that you vote. Taking part in free and fair elections is a great gift and we should not take it for granted.”