Lib Dems - The Politics Series

Edit - you can now download the whole series as a free PDF, free iBook, or from Amazon.

After a brief hiatus - apologies, I was in America at #SVS2015 - we are resuming our Politics Series. Following contributions from Christians who are voting for UKIP, Labour and the Conservative Party, today I'm delighted to be hosting this interview with Claire Mathys who is the Director of the Liberal Democrat Christian Forum. For more on the series, do check out the introduction, or Johnny's post on why Christians disagree on politics.

-{ How would you describe your party’s political vision in one sentence? }-

Liberal Democrats care about giving everyone an equal chance in life, reducing the gap between rich and poor, and protecting creation – to build a stronger economy and a fairer society.

-{ What myth/accusation/misunderstanding about your party most frustrates you? }-

Some people think that the Liberal Democrat Party is a secular party and not the home of many Christians. Actually, over a third of members surveyed recently said they went to church or another place of worship regularly, and around a quarter of our MPs are Christians. Twelve Parliamentarians each wrote a chapter about their faith and their politics in the book 'Liberal Democrats Do God'. Many people see Liberal Democrat values and Christian values as very compatible.

-{ What one thing your party has done in the last 25 years makes you, as a Christian, most proud? }-

I'm proud that the Liberal Democrats decided to participate in the recent Coalition Government. It is always easier to shout from the sidelines and be idealistic – it is much harder to get your hands dirty and be prepared to make difficult decisions so that you can at least achieve some of what you want to do. Going in to a coalition, you know that you will not be able to achieve everything you want to – and that you will have to pay the reputational price for that, and put up with a lot of flack. But it was the right thing to do, and the strength of character shown by our party leaders and activists as they have fought tirelessly in government for what they believe in, makes me feel proud. As Christians we know that the right thing to do is not always the popular thing, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't do it.

-{ Is there any particular in your faith/Christianity that motivates you in your political work? }-

When I read the Bible I see that God calls us to stand up against injustice, to free the oppressed, to treat each person equally because everyone is created by Him, and to care for the sick and vulnerable. This motivates me to become involved in politics, because - while you can follow this calling in practical ways to a certain extent, through social action and acts of charity - there is so much more that you can do to love and serve people if you participate in both the practical and the political. There is much poverty and inequality of opportunity in the UK and globally, and while we know this will never be eradicated completely, I want to play my part in making the UK a fairer and more just society.

-{ How did you first get into politics? }-

My family have always been fairly politically engaged, and I was brought up to see politics as an important way of participating in and serving your local community. I did work experience with my MP when I was at school, and then went on to study politics at university. Since I was a teenager I have been passionate about social action and social justice, and I spent a year working with the youth charity XLP in Peckham, South London, which helped me to begin to understand some of the issues faced by young people growing up in challenging circumstances. It gave me a motivation to want to fight for political change.

-{ Why should people vote and be involved in society? }-

Jesus was incarnational and got involved in all aspects of life in his community, and he calls us to do the same. We are not called to be in our own 'Christian bubble' but instead to participate in the world around us, being salt and light. We are to 'seek the welfare of the city' in which we find ourselves (Jer 29:7), and political action is one way we can do that.

-{ What is the most important area/issue this election? }-

This election must be about continuing to tackle the inequality in wealth and opportunity in this country. As a result of the economic downturn, many families have not had a decent payrise for years, despite rising housing and transport costs. We have had to take some tough decisions in Government to get the budget deficit down, but we now have to build a stronger economy and a fairer society, so we can all share in our country’s prosperity.

-{ What two policies/priorities which your party has this election do you want Christians in particular to know about? }-

Firstly, I want them to know that it was the Liberal Democrats who spearheaded the move to take poorer people out of tax (raising the tax threshold from about £6,500 to £10,000) and that we are now pledging to raise the threshold even further to £12,500. This will help the lowest earners most and do something to address wealth inequality.

Secondly, we will fight for equality of opportunity for all young people, regardless of the family circumstances into which they were born, by investment in education and continuing to expand apprenticeships which get young people into work. We have already delivered 2 million new apprenticeships in Government, as well as free school meals for 4-7 year olds and extra money for schools to spend on their poorest students (the Pupil Premium).

-{ What other five policies/priorities which your party has this election do you want everyone to know? }-

1. Better Mental Healthcare — We will reduce waiting times for appointments and treatment, and challenge the stigma around mental illness.
2. Tackling Climate Change — We will make the UK a leader on delivering low carbon cars and a zero carbon economy by 2050, and create 200,000 new green jobs in the renewable energy sector. 
3. Breaking the Cycle of Reoffending — We will tackle drug addiction in prisons and give offenders the skills they need to get a job once they leave prison.
4. Caring for 'the stranger among us' — We will end indefinite detention of asylum seekers.
5. Investing in the NHS — We will increase the NHS budget by £8 billion a year by 2019/20. 

-{ In a sentence, why should someone vote for your party on May 7th? }-

For those who believe in equality of opportunity, fairness for all and giving a voice to the most vulnerable in our society, the party to vote for is the Liberal Democrats. 

-{ Where can someone find out more about their local Liberal Democrat candidate? }-

The link below takes you straight to information about all the candidates standing in the General Election in different parts of the country: http://www.libdems.org.uk/general_election_candidates

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I hope this interview on the Liberal Democrat's policies and vision has helped you think through your vote if you link politics to faith. Watch this blog or our social media feeds for updates over the coming weeks. In the meantime, I'd love to connect with you via Facebook, or you can find myself and Johnny on Twitter.