Photo row highlights discrepancy between churches and politicians of faith
-12/04/05
On the day that a prospective parliamentary candidate described in official literature as a ëcommitted Christianî publicly apologized for doctoring photos to support his partyís immigration policy, the religious thinktank Ekklesia has announced the launch of a new forum which will examine the relationship between faith and public policy, and in particular the way that immigrants and asylum seekers are used for political gain.
The Conservative candidate for Dorset South, Ed Matts, is pictured on the front page of today’s Times newspaper twice today, under the headline “Spot the Difference”.
The Times revealed that a picture in the Tory candidate’s literature showing him with Ann Widdecombe, a catholic and former Shadow Home Secretary, holding placards bearing a tough message about immigration, were falsified.
He said that the message had been generalised to reflect Conservative policy which would limit immigration and asylum.
Mrs Kachepa, the Malawian asylum-seeker at the centre of the row has said she does not want to be a tool for campaigning, and feels that she is ìbeing used.î
However, the Labour party, whose leader recently addressed churches over the relationship between faith and politics, and whose policies have also been presented as being tough on immigrants and asylum seekers, is now trying to gain political advantage by calling for the Conservative candidateís deselection.
Ekklesia is pointing out that the episode highlights a discrepancy between repeated warnings from churches that immigration should not be used as a ëpolitical footballí on the one hand, and the actions of many politicians with a religious faith on the other.
A new ëWestminster Forumí will be launched in two weeks time to examine the relationship of faith and spirituality to public life.
The forumís first event will look at immigration and asylum and the treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers.
Speakers at the event on Wednesday 27th April will include Sir Andrew Green from Migration Watch UK and Rev Vaughan Jones from Praxis, which works with displaced people in the East End of London.
Vaughan Jones, an Ekklesia associate and director of Praxis said; ìPolitical leadership has been very weak in defence of those being tortured and oppressed. However the church have consistently supported the right of asylum both in its spirit and its letter.
ìAny Christian engaged in political life has to take seriously the demands of faith, the views of the church leadership and their own conscience. The whole experience of the Bible leads Christians to defence of people in exile.î
He continued; ìThe debate surrounding both asylum and immigration has been severely obscured by political leadership and the media. The Christian duty in politics is to open up the truth.î
The first meeting of the Westminster Forum takes place on Wednesday 27th April at 6.30pm at St Matthew’s church in Westminster. The subject under the spotlight at the Forum’s first meeting will be the morality of immigration control. The two speakers invited are; Sir Andrew Green from Migration Watch and Vaughan Jones from Praxis, which works with displaced people in the East End of London. Attendance is by ticket invitation only and meetings take place under Chatham House rules. Tickets are free and can be obtained from Ekklesia 020 8769 8163 [email protected]