Today is election day. Here in the UK elections happen a lot more quickly than they appear to in the United States. So much so that if you are a lazy blogger you don't get around to blogging about it until election day.
Since the last government allowed creation of "saviour siblings", allowed the creation of animal-human hybrid embryos, expanded embryonic stem cell research, removed the requirement to consider the need for a father in relation to IVF treatment, introduced gay marriage, introduced "Equality" laws which discriminate Christians in favour of people who disagree with them and attempted to apply the Badman report I thought it wise to find out the views of my candidates on these issues.
For me the most critical issue is that of human life. Discrimination against people for their beliefs or restriction of home-education just doesn't fall under the same category as destruction of life. It was also the issue I least expected any candidates to agree with me on.
I contacted five of my six candidates and four replied. (I live in the safest labour seat in the country so the Labour candidate knows she doesn't actually need to do anything to get in.) Three of my candidates are pro life! I actually had a choice of three candidates. And since I know who will win, I don't need to do a tactical vote for a candidate I don't like to stop a worse one from getting in.
Here are some selected quotes from the replies I received:
Candidate A:
Yes, all human life born and unborn should be protected.
Candidate B:
I believe all babies have the right to life. I would be in favour of a reduction in abortion limit. As a practicing doctor I have a history of not taking part in any abortion - so my stance should already be clear.
Candidate C:
I am pro-life and would support a reduction to the current abortion limit (ideally 12 weeks in all but the most serious of cases). I am particularly concerned that abortion is being used as a form of contraception without people fully understanding the full implication of what they are doing, both to the unborn child but also mentally to themselves.
A lot is made of Human Rights, but very little is made of the right to life of the unborn child.
Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
...I have real sympathy for people and their families in this situation. However, I would be extremely uncomfortable for any relaxation of the law to all assisted suicide in the UK as this could lead to pressure being brought on the old, sick and vulnerable to end their lives.
Candidate D seemed to view the law as a means of "harm reduction" and does not see any need to change the law. But since his party wants to abolish all church schools I wouldn't have voted for him anyway.
I intend to let the candidate I voted for know that I voted for him and also that one of the key reasons was his pro-life stance. I will also write to the new MP once she is elected to express my concern that she will not attend to concerns raised by constituents since she did not reply when she was supposedly campaigning.
If you feel so inclined, please pray that good people will be elected throughout our land and that the new government will improve the law on pro-life issues.
Also, if you are in the UK, please consider writing to the new Prime Minister as part of the
Paper Baby Campaign.
