Election Results 2026 - Oh Dear!
by Sara Forrest, Commission Member
Sadly the result of the elections indicates that sowing division, hatred and promising revenge are popular with large numbers of the electorate. I have avoided the news and not bought a paper today because I don’t want to read lots of people I don’t know theorising about why the results are as they are.
How would anybody actually know why any individual chose a particular party?
I reckon I will be praying the Serenity prayer more often
“God grant me the
Serenity to accept the things I can’t change
Courage to change the things I can and
Wisdom to know the difference.”
But I am NOT powerless.
If I read the papers/internet and see that there is discussion about doing something I thing is wrong or misguided, I can draft a quick email to my local councillor or MP telling them how I feel and requesting that they take my concerns into account.
If enough people send emails to their politicians promoting ideas of love, tolerance, acceptance and reducing poverty and environmental damage .
If I used social media, I could express such views there instead.
If people of faith take lots of little actions like that our country will avoid electing an individual who likes what is happening in an autocratic state where even the elected politicians of the ruling party will speak against what is happening ‘off the record’ to trusted friends/journalists/influencers.
I remember a Jewish colleague in early 80s Manchester telling me to stay vigilant because after the Jews in this country were forced to leave through persecution the Catholics would be next in line.
A friend has just returned from visiting her sister in Florida, she was saying how welcome she was when people heard her accent. The number of Canadian visitors, apparently some winter in Florida, and spend the rest of the year in Canada, has significantly dropped since the last election and many businesses, even ordinary stores are struggling with the loss of income and the rising cost of their fuel.
Apathy about the direction of travel in our UK politics does not reflect what Jesus taught us about the best way to live.
There is something that we can do.
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