Tamworth Hustings - An Assessment

Just in case you thought the hustings had gone and you were safe, I have to do one last post on it to follow up and assess.

Well it happened and having set up during the day I was extremely encouraged to find people waiting outside when I arrived to lock up. By the time we started the place was pretty full:

The candidates were on great form and provided some informative answers and some great (and at times quire sparky) discussion.

And so it is right that I say 'thank you' to some people:

First thank you has to go to my family (and especially Wendy) for putting up with the last few weeks of me being a real hustings pain - and especially to Wendy for lumping in all the kit:

And setting up and buying the tea, coffee and biscuits (and water) and the like and then helping to take it all down again and load the vehicles (thank you also Lia' and Tobi'). I'd forgotten that one of the joys of being the sound man was that everyone vanishes and you're left stopping off Gaffer tape and wounding (properly) the cables and the like. Happy days or what?

Secondly, thanks for to the five candidates:

Carol Dean, Jan Higgins,  Nicola Holmes, Chris Pincher, Jenny Pinkett for turning up and being so engaged and willing to engage after the event too. I hope you all found the evening profitable and enjoyable too :-)

Thanks go to Esther for providing a signing service for the evening. All too often churches seem to think that as long as you can get a wheelchair through the door then they are disability friendly but large print and signers (and subtitles where needed) are all essential - and the event need to make it accessible to everyone - and thanks to Esther (and Jackie Eales for putting her in the frame) we did!

TCR FM were excellent and showed the worth of community radio as they broadcast the whole of the hustings event to those who would otherwise have been unable to attend and so made democracy that little more accessible. TCR FM is a real, but sometimes undervalued, treasure - take some time to find out about it here. Thank you Mike Thomas and to Dan for the tech' support :-)

Oliver Harrison needs a nod for diving in to provide refreshments of the more traditional tea and coffee and the audible refreshment with the political challenge that is the traditional heckler! Now signing him up for the Deanery Morris Dancing Team now he's proved his abilities.

So too does Jessica Harrison, a lady who opened the St Editha's bookshop on the night of the hustings and someone who works tirelessly to provide a great fairly traded goods (and more besides) outlet.

Thanks to Graham Criddle, Bob Smith, Helen Machin for their support of this event.

So good to see church making the difference to our town yet again.

Tamworth Hustings Today's the Day!

In case you haven't noticed, there is a Hustings event taking place at St Editha's Church, Tamworth a7 7:30pm

Here's the poster (for one last time - honest):

And here's the equipment that will make it all heard:

Just like the old days - the car is full of PA kit

(Now where's the Gaffer Tape?)

And here's the venue all set up and waiting for you (you are coming, aren't you?):

See you tonight - bring your questions and make a difference to Tamworth by voting, 

and voting intelligently!

CHURCH MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Tamworth Hustings - ONE day to go

It's all quite steady state politics as far as the polls are concerned:

Conservatives 34%

Labour             33%

UKIP                13%

Lib Dems          9%

Green Party      5%

One of the pundits on the BBC was saying that the six week election period was making the whole thing the most boring election on record and pointed out that viewing figures for the debates were lower than five years ago. Another was saying that there were perhaps more undecided voters than ever and more were saying that they were willing to change their vote should they hear something that persuaded them it would be the best thing to do (best for them or their party or what I wondered: Lots of naughty encouragement to vote tactically to undermine others in this election)!

Where I am, some of the Christians I have encountered are telling me that they have no idea as to who they should vote for, some looking to maintain their traditional allegiances whilst others are looking for 'Christian' stuff and others still are looking to see stuff that isn't 'Christian' so they can vote for the last man (or of course woman) standing.

Many of the older folk I chat to are telling me that it's time to 'do something' positive, but what that thing is, and what area it is to be found in, they aren't sure: Just something different please.

The first time voters are apparently being wowed by their big issues and the bold promises of some to address them. Interestingly some are digging deep and challenging the ability of people to keep their promises should they be elected: Others are reading the headlines and, ignorant of substance, telling me that they vote for them because it sounds good.

So it is still all to play for - are you decided?

Do you have a concern you'd like an answer for with regard to the way it might be handled by the next government or your MP should they be in opposition?

Get to st Editha's tomorrow and get stuck in

Tamworth Hustings - 2 days to go

As usual, let's look at the polls:

Conservatives 34%

Labour             33%

UKIP                13%

Lib Dems          9%

Green Party      5%

A little fluctuation but generally we have a rather static picture before us - all the more reason to come and ask questions and get out and vote.

Lots of questions on HS2, Overseas Aid, freedom of speech and religious tolerance colliding with those who want to shut the door on immigration, cut the money our nation gives and those who want, and don't want, to see euthanasia made legal.

Just a foretaste of what is to come on Thursday night - so put your TV onto record and drag yourself down to town (and there's always the King's Ditch micro pub afterwards for a post mortem drink).

Come and make politics something enjoyable and be the difference in our town.

Tamworth Hustings: THREE days to go and we have a signer!

That's right - a signer (not a singer like the predictive text wants me to book apparently)!

One of the important things in life is to be inclusive and this means that as we come to This Thursday's Hustings we are not only wheelchair accessible (or 'easy access/access-friendly' as a sign I saw recently had it) but we are going to be catering for those who are deaf too!

But first, how's the polls looking? Let's take a look see:

Conservatives 34%

Labour             34%

UKIP                14%

Lib Dems          8%

Green Party      5%

Seems like the UKIP have upped their share by 1% to the detriment of the Lib Dems and the top two are neck and neck for the photo finish.

The questions for the first half of the evening are in and we are now looking for cautions for the second session (which you can bring with you on the night and ask for yourself if you wish).

The evening will be broadcast and it's looking like a great evening in prospect - so get their early!

There will be tea, coffee and biscuits (all fairly traded good) and the bookshop will also be open - so there's loads to encourage you to come (as if the political aspects weren't enough.

See you there I hope!

Tamworth Hustings 5 days to go

Everyone is telling me that this is destined to be one of the most closely fought elections there has ever been - and it is definitely the most closely fought election since the last one! -  they are also telling me that there is a real difference in financial policies and there is a real difference in housing and in health and the welfare state and immigration and the like: but when I ask, not a single should can tell me anything: They all point to personalities!

Then they either applaud or engage in as hominem or vitriol or historic dislike of a particular party or (often now dead) significant figure. 

Now I am silly enough to believe that voting should be done on policies of the parties and the candidate before you. There will be times when the party line has to be toed (oh that this was the case with the Church) but there are times when the viewpoint and personal values of the MP are in display - and when that happens, what do you expect them to be standing for - if you don't ask, you won't know will you?

Polls appear static today - but there's a long journey before the ballot box is engaged - remember popularity can go down as well as up!

Conservatives 34%

Labour             33%

UKIP                13%

Lib Dems          9%

Green Party      5%

Tamworth Hustings - 6 days to go: Where's the questions?

Well the Lib Dems have apparently seen a rise of one point as their popularity rises and the leaders remain static. But will that be the way our constituency votes?

Conservatives 34%

Labour             33%

UKIP                13%

Lib Dems          9%

Green Party      5%

Are you happy with the election thus far?

Do you know what the parties stand for and what they promise to do and (sometimes more importantly) what they promise not to do?

Do you have questions over what you have read or heard?

There's so much information and disinformation on offer and there are so many people who portray things regarding the parties and the candidates that are mistaken and sometimes just downright lies.

Want to to know the truth? The send in your questions - or bring them in with you on the Hustings at St Editha's on the 30th and help yourself vote intelligently. You are coming aren't you?

You can also post questions here if you like - just send me questions.




Should you be doing this Vicar?
This is a question I was asked recently on Facebook. The conversation went (exactly) like this:

• 

  A Friend My feelings are that the Church shouldn't get involved in politics.

  21 April at 18:41 · Like
• 

  Vic Van Den Bergh But the Church is people and people need to vote intelligently - we're not being political we're being responsible citizens.

  21 April at 22:15 · Like · 1
• 

  A Friend Unbiased then.

  21 April at 22:16 · Like
• 

  Vic Van Den Bergh I have to be for a number of reasons, but yes - totally unbiased. My job is to provide a level playing field for others to get questions asked and make up their own mind.
  
  For a Cleric to use their position to engage in bias would be an abuse of the role.

  21 April at 22:18 · Like · 1
• 

  A Friend Yes I agree, mine too.

  21 April at 22:19 · Like
• 

  Vic Van Den Bergh I'm only doing the hustings because people keep telling me that they don't know who to vote for because they don't know what they stand for - church is about providing solutions of all kinds.

  21 April at 22:27 · Like
• 
  

  One of the things Church must never do is find itself unwilling (or unable) to give answers for its actions.

  
  

  

  
  

Tamworth Hustings - 7 Days to go: A two horse race?

You might think it is a two horse race as the latest figures look like this:

Conservatives 35%

Labour             34%

UKIP                13%

Lib Dems          8%

Green Party      5%

But of course it isn't! Every player has the potential to influence the overall result and that's what the hustings event is all about.

The hustings will be split into two sessions, the first of which will feature questions from the community. These will be sent to the candidates by Monday 27th so that they can prepare an answer in their own words (rather than merely read from their manifesto).

The second session will feature questions taken from those present (and you can ask them yourself if you wish) and this, last time we did a hustings event, was the more challenging part of the affair for me as it got close up and personal (but not too personal or offensive).

So let's have those questions sorted - the polls tell us that this is a two horse race but of course with 650 races in the overall competition this provides us with 650 chances for an outsider - and it could be your question that settles it where you are.

Whilst 326 seats marks the overall victory for whichever party would form the government, here at home it's a different battle that contributes to the whole.

So get thinking about what matters to you and if you're not sure what your candidates think:

Ask the question

Tamworth Hustings - 8 days to go

And the scores on the doors this morning are:

Conservatives 34%

Labour             34%

UKIP                13%

Lib Dems          9%

Green Party      5%

So with the first two parties being neck and neck, and the other three static, it is obvious that   each and every vote will indeed make a difference.


Why we should vote
In conversation with an enthusiastic and earnest Christian I found myself being challenged as to the hustings and told that we shouldn't be bringing politicians into the church building because, 'We should have nothing to do with the world!'

My response to this was, 'So we shouldn't be taking aid to nations where there is famine or war or natural disaster or any other need then?' And of course the answer, accompanied by incredulous raised eyebrows, was a resounding passionate, 'Of course we should; 'The Bible tells us to act for those in need and to defend the weak and the oppressed.'

This enthusiastic young believer was, of course, quite right and provided me with the opportunity to introduce St Augustine of Hippo (City of God) and his (paraphrased) words:

'Those who are citizens of God's kingdom are best equipped to be citizens of the kingdom of man ... for Christians, through faith in Jesus (the Christ), acknowledge that they are already citizens of heaven who merely reside as sojourners in this world,'

and yet this world according to Augustine (bk 9 - sect.17):

'Does not live by faith but seeks an earthly peace and in the end what it proposes, in the well ordered concord of civic obedience and rule, is the combination of men's wills to attain the things which are helpful to this life.'

It is the prayer of every Christian that this world is peaceably and rightly governed - but if this is an honest profession then surely it should be met with honest endeavour to bring this about. We act not just with our lips but with our hands - and in this case the hands are require to place a tick in a box and thereby play our part in the process of bringing into existence that 'right government' we so often pray for.

Of course, as Augustine likened government as being little more than a gang of thieves and robbers who having bested other thieves and robbers, rules over the people, gives us the reason for why we should vote, for should enough right thinking people fail to vote the government that is elected will (by the application of simple logic) be that which those who think wrongly voted for.

To vote having sought out those candidates who support Christian values, to support those parties whose manifestos display the closest correlation between the attitudes of this world and the demands placed on us to act with justice, humidity and mercy, is to bring our faith to bear in the matter of this world - and by doing so perhaps the Kingdom of God might be brought just a little closer in our political dealings.

Just a thought.