Nine Christian Networks and churches have written to Andy Burnham, calling on the new Prime Minister to prioritise peace, sustainable economics and tackling root causes of social unrest. Highlighting the challenges of war and climate change that will frame Mr Burnham’s term, the letter encourages him to strike out on a different path to that of his predecessor.
It has been co-ordinated by the Fellowship of Reconciliation and signed by The Religious Society of Friends, the Community of Christ, the Anglican Pacifist Fellowship, the Methodist Peace Fellowship, the Iona Community Peace Common Concern Network, Quaker Asylum and Refugee Network and Ekklesia Network.
They want peace and diplomacy to be the focus of foreign policy and “not an ‘afterthought’ to ‘military might and deterrence '” with the letter highlighting the vital role the UK will have in electing a new United Nations Secretary General.
The group is calling on the new Prime Minister to implement a new “economic direction” moving away from an arms-industry-led model of growth and instead moving to one that prioritises activities that contribute to the common good. It then urges the Prime Minister not to “scapegoat” migrants and refugees and instead to tackle the “economic inequality” that sits at the root of much social unrest.
Director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation John Cooper told Premier Christian News why it was important to send the letter now: “We recognise that the new Prime Minister will have a unique opportunity in a time of increasing warfare and climate change to set a new tone, and we wanted to lay out a challenge to change course and instead point the country towards a world of peace rather than simply preparing for war”.
He said he was encouraged that Mr Burnham was someone who “has not hidden his Catholic faith, nor the fact that he's had a religious chaplain for many years. He's been heavily influenced by David Blunkett, a Methodist local preacher, and so what I'm hoping for is that, as part of this new leadership, while I’d love him to agree with us, at least he recognises the value that people of faith bring to public conversation about values, direction, and leadership”.