What is the Christian Peoples Alliance?

The Christian Peoples Alliance is a political party for which Christians need not be ashamed to vote. And it's not a moment too soon. For too long, Christians have had to decide which of two evils is the lesser. In every General Election, it's always been "which conniving, manipulative, power-crazed bunch do I vote for?" - not a happy choice.

For Christians all over Britain, the Christian Peoples Alliance spells a new opportunity for Christians to get involved in politics. (If you don't think you should get involved in politics, you might want to re-read your Bible, and see just how often God puts His people into positions of authority.)

The goal of the CPA is to see God's will done in politics. Therefore it does not oppose practising Christians already representing a constituency, whether it be a Council ward or a Parliamentary constituency. (There was one exception, apparently, which is probably a good thing as it keeps everyone on their toes!)

Votes? Who needs votes?

Because the CPA seeks to obey God's will rather than to gain power, it is a rather unusual force in British politics. For example, a normal political party will measure success in terms of the number of elections won; but the CPA can win without receiving a single vote - but by the same token, if the CPA were not in God's will, it could gain every seat in sight and still be judged a failure.

Nevertheless, the whole point of the CPA is that it gives you the chance to vote for Christian principles in government. Insofar as resources allow (because running a political party costs a lot of money), the CPA provides an opportunity for Christians to have a genuine say in politics. Whether Christians take advantage of the opportunity is entirely between them and God; nobody has to vote for the CPA.

Nor, believe it or not, is it the CPA's task to persuade you to vote for them. Rather, it's your job to decide whether your local CPA candidate can represent you better than your incumbent councillor, MP, or MEP. The Christian Peoples Alliance has a responsibility to inform you of its existence, and therefore of your opportunity. The rest is entirely up to you.

Oh, come on - the CPA doesn't exactly refuse votes, does it?

Of course not. In fact, at the end of the last Millennium the CPA fielded a candidate in the election for Mayor of London, and received around a hundred thousand votes. Not bad for a new party. But why? Why do so many people support a brand new minority party?

I suppose it's because the CPA isn't actually all that new after all - it's little more than a new name for a long-standing collection of sound working principles; its policies are based firmly on justice, respect for life, reconciliation, active compassion, wise stewardship, and empowerment. All of these are godly principles, which will have most Christians nodding wisely and agreeing that yes, that's what we need in politics. (And then they go and vote for the Lib Dems. People are odd like that - always agreeing that A is a good idea, and then going and doing B instead.)

What's wrong with the Evangelical Alliance and the Christian Institute?

Nothing at all. The EA and the CI both keep a watching brief on the political scene, and that's a very necessary and important task which (I presume) they perform very well. I am no expert on their activities, of course, but I am delighted that they're doing what they're doing.

But they don't field candidates for elections! So it's impossible to vote one's support for their activities, in a way that Parliament must take seriously. That doesn't mean Parliament doesn't take them seriously. I don't know whether it does or not. But a councillor or MP or MEP has demonstrated, simply by the fact of being one, that he or she commands a majority of popular support within his constituency. By that very token, he or she cannot (or at least should not) lightly be ignored.

The Christian Peoples Alliance provides a mechanism by which Christians can actively record their support for Christian principles and values as a whole. For that reason, it is valuable.

So what do I do now?

Nothing, a little, something, lots, everything. It's entirely up to you. But remember this - a democracy gets the government it deserves. If you're prepared to vote for parties that legislate for homosexual "marriages", gambling deregulation, the murder of the unborn, and all the rest of it, then that's the kind of legislation you'll get. But if you would rather have a government that promotes social justice, personal freedom (and therefore personal responsibility), and the equitable and limited exercise of state power, then you're going to be disappointed, unless you actually do something to bring it about.

Read the Mayflower Declaration (an informal summary of CPA policies), and make up your own mind. You might surprise yourself.