CPAX Focus on

Sid Cordle

Sid Cordle MBE LLB BA MLIA(dip) http://www.scott-briscoe.co.uk

Sid Cordle MBE stood as a CPA Parliamentary candidate in Sheffield Hallam in the 2005 election. He has lived and worked in the Sheffield area for thirty years, spending six of them as a city councillor for the Ecclesall ward. His energy and enthusiasm for action in the local community have made him a widely respected figure in the Christian Peoples Alliance. He even managed to get down to London (quite a hike from Sheffield, as I know all too well) for the recent demonstration outside Westminster Palace against the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. Sid was kind enough to grant an interview to CPAX.

Mr Cordle, could you tell us a little bit about your background?

I'm 49 years old, and I run a company that supplies independent financial advice. I first got involved in politics at University; I stood as a candidate for Students Union president, and then spent a year as national co-ordinator of "Christians in Student Politics" under the UCCF. In 1977, I joined the Conservative Party. I stood for election to the City Council in 1978, was elected in 1982, and remained on the Council until 1988. During my time with the Prudential, I spent ten years on the National Executive of my trade union, the National Union of Insurance Workers and, in 1995, I led national pay negotiations.

I stood as a Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Sheffield Heeley in 1983, and for Sheffield Hillsborough in 1992. I joined the Christian Peoples Alliance in March 2004.

How did you get involved with the CPA?

I was very disillusioned with the Conservative Party over the removal of Ian Duncan Smith, and over the refusal to allow me to stand for Sheffield Hallam. [Editor's note - just about every Sheffield seat is a safe Labour seat; but Sheffield Hallam is where all the Tories live!]   It seems that I was too old, white, a Christian, and not a homosexual.

I met Jill and Charles Mclachlan at a meeting of the International Christian Chambers of Commerce, and it was they who invited me to join the CPA.

What made you want to stand as a Parliamentary candidate?

I always felt a call from God to go to Parliament - all my life.

How did your church react to your candidacy?

Very mixed. I find the normal pattern is that people greet the idea with enthusiasm, and then have second thoughts. Certainly that was the reaction of my church leader, especially as some in the church questioned the CPA's strong moral stance. When the election was called, however, he had me out in the front and had people gather round and pray for me, which was great. The active support I got from members of the church was poor - much less than I had expected.

How did your family deal with it all?

Sadly, I'm divorced. I have three children, aged 20, 18, and 16. The two that are of voting age both voted for me, though they didn't campaign for me. But because of the CPA campaign, opportunities arose for them to talk about Christianity in school.

Did you encounter a lot of opposition to the idea of standing?

The CPA didn't, and doesn't, have a good system for putting up candidates. It is geared only for last minute decisions, not long campaigns, and seems more designed to discourage candidates rather than to encourage them. We still have a very long way to go. I was determined, and that saw me through. Someone with less determination might well have given up on the idea.

What kind of support did you get from other Christians?

I did some telephone canvassing with address lists from a previous large church I had attended. I was very surprised that I only got the votes of about 10% of Christians. Many supported me in principle, but couldn't bring themselves not to vote for the party they usually vote for.

Do you think you failed, or succeeded, at the Election?

Both. I succeeded in putting Christianity and Christian issues onto the constituency's political map, which hadn't happened before. But I failed to get the support of large numbers of Christians and I failed to get any message over in the media.

Where do you go from here? What's next on the agenda?

We need to focus and plan for 2009. This will be a year when there are likely to be European elections and a General Election at the same time. We need candidates in all the European areas and at least a hundred General Election candidates to make an impact nationally. There is no point in putting up just nine candidates again.

Would you be willing to stand again?

Yes, very much so. I am keen to lead the rallying cry!

Mr Cordle, thank you very much.

Bless you.