What kind of Britain do we want?

The election is over. Many claims and promises have been made by each of the political parties. But do we have a clear idea from any of them of what kind of Britain they want? Or where they think our society should go?

Single-issue politics is not enough to answer this question. It is right for us as Christians to fight on some issues such as abortion and euthanasia, homelessness and Sunday trading, but we also need a bigger vision for the kind of Britain we want.

Take one area of public life as an example. All main parties speak a lot about their belief in the family as a cornerstone of society, and their wish to strengthen families as a way of supporting children, reducing crime and making Britain a better place.

Yet, most of the debate on the family this election has concentrated on tax breaks and other economic incentives - as if giving people more money was the key factor in strengthening family life. Where was the definition of the family as something broader than parents and children? Where was the case for a pro-active family policy which would encompass all the issues impacting on family relationships - from social care and housing to employment and family law?

Even where money is concerned, politicians have missed the chance of enhancing family commitment and encouraging mutual support. Both the Tories with their ‘Personal Equity Plans’ and the Labour Party with their ‘Individual Savings Accounts’ have promoted forms of savings based on the individual rather than the small group. They don’t seem to have made the connection between the way they encourage us to save and spend money as individuals and our lack of inter­dependence in other areas of life. In other words, neither party is promoting a consistent social vision.

The public apathy that was so much a feature of this election finds its roots here. Without vision the people perish. Getting our health needs seen to more quickly, or having an education system providing good technical understanding, are important in themselves. But when they are not part of some greater goal, some vision pointing beyond ourselves to some higher ideal, they fail to capture our imagination or inspire our soul.

That vision is also needed for genuine consensus. Alliances built on stealth and spin will not support long-term changes.

The social aspects of biblical teaching provide a vision we can learn from. Relationships are at the heart of that vision, as Jesus himself emphasised (Matt 22: 34-40). Relationships, within and between families and other larger social groupings, should therefore be the touchstone by which we assess the policy visions on offer.

The theme of relationships opens up debate on the issues that matter most to us as human beings. And it provides a vision which is consistent with biblical teaching and which can be shared across all parts of society.

It is time for us Christians to move beyond simply critiquing the views of others to setting the agenda ourselves for the future of our country. If we are clear about the kind of Britain we want, we need to tell the public what it is and seek to convince a wider public to join us in campaigning for it.

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