Archbishop says he is not backing Conservatives
-15/03/05
Following reports in the press and media suggesting otherwise, the Archbishop of Westminster has issued a statement saying that he is not supporting or endorsing the Conservative Party.
Following the publication yesterday of the pre-election document of the catholic bishops of England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-OíConnor also spelled out his position in a series of interviews with the BBC, ITN and Sky, on BBC Radio 4 and Five Live.
He also said that he didn’t consider abortion to be a party political issue, although he hoped that it would feature as an election issue.
When asked whether he was endorsing the Conservative Party, his response was; “Absolutely not.”
“The bishops and I are not endorsing any of the parties. We have issued a document in advance of the partiesí manifestos which makes clear what the Catholic Church believes are important issues.
“We believe these issues should weigh in the consciences of Catholics, and of all voters, when they come to vote” he said.
“The issues are varied. We believe that Life issues ñ abortion, euthanasia, and stem-cell research ñ are vital. But a better deal for the worldís poor, and respecting the rights and dignity of migrants, are also life issues ñ they all touch on the dignity of the human person. We believe that the treatment of migrants, and the conditions of the worldís poor, are also vital issues, as is care for the environment and the conditions of our overcrowded prisons.”
“The bishops always tell Catholic voters before an election: think about all these issues. Elections should seldom, if ever, be single-issue referendums.”
“There is a point at which religion and politics touch. There are moral issues which affect the good of society as a whole about which I, as a religious leader, cannot stay silent, because the Gospel is not silent on them” he said.
“When I commended Mr Howardís call, I also commended the Government on its initiatives to tackle debt and poverty. In neither case was I sending a covert message. My message to the political parties is an open one: please take these issues seriously when you draw up your manifestos.”
“I have welcomed Mr Howardís call for a reduction in the time limit on abortions as a step in the right direction, just as I have welcomed every such call from any politician, whatever their party. This is not a party-political issue: the question of abortion is usually left to a free vote in the Commons. Many MPs from the Labour and Liberal Democrat parties would agree with Mr Howardís recent remarks, just as many MPs from all parties welcomed the Prime Ministerís call last year for the abortion law to be reviewed.”
“I am glad, however, that the issue is now in the public arena. There is a shift in public mood over abortion, which the political parties have begun to detect. People believe there are simply too many abortions, that they are too easily available, and that they occur far too late. I hope this issue can now begin to be addressed by our political leaders.”
“But I also hope that migrants and refugees do not become political footballs. I hope we can transform our jails into genuine places of redemption. I hope that care for our earth and its future will be high on the partiesí manifestos.”
“I would like this election to be about the big moral issues facing this country, as well as about the smaller issues which affect peopleís daily lives. I am not telling people to vote for this or that party. I am asking the parties to listen to the voice of the Church when they come to draw up their manifestoes. And I am asking voters to weigh these issues carefully in their consciences, because these are matters which deeply affect who we are as a society and what we exist for. I hope everyone will listen carefully.”