Church Leaders Call for Truthfulness and Respect in Election Campaign

Wednesday November 27 2019

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev Colin Sinclair, and nine other Scottish Christian leaders have urged political campaigners to show truthfulness and respect in the approach to the General Election.

With the country going to the polls on December 12, a statement issued today calls for ‘the flourishing of local communities’ and ‘the realisation of a fairer, more equal and more just society’.

It adds: “We are all entitled to our own opinions and strong beliefs, and debates sometimes do get passionate and vigorous. But let us ensure that truthfulness and integrity are at the forefront of what we say and do.”

In addition to the Moderator, the statement is signed by leaders from the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the United Free Church of Scotland, the Methodist Church, Quakers, Scottish Unitarian Association, Salvation Army and the Congregational Federation in Scotland.

The full statement reads: “As the UK General Election approaches on 12 December, we would like to remind people of the hope that we share as we approach this special time of year – of new life and a new world, and the inspiration this gives us to create a better society for us all – one in which we truly care about those around us.

“We would like to take this opportunity to encourage people to be prayerful as they vote and make decisions that will affect the future of our country.

“We would urge people to treat those who are standing for public office with respect and to use a tone in our debates that recognises the human value in all of us – even, and especially when, we disagree.

“We are all entitled to our own opinions and strong beliefs, and debates sometimes do get passionate and vigorous. But let us ensure that truthfulness and integrity are at the forefront of what we say and do.

“As people of faith, we believe in the flourishing of local communities and the importance of acting to make sure this can become a reality. There are many issues which divide us but many more that can unite us – and the realisation of a fairer, more equal and more just society is one of them.”

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