May 5: Church’s role as moral voice in politics

REGARDING the current discussion about the relevance of the Church to political debate, may I submit that this represents a challenge to both Church and politicians alike.

Many have observed that technical and material advancement has not been accompanied by a corresponding moral progress. Political and social philosophies of both the Left and Right will surely continue to be undermined by human selfishness.

The message of the Gospel is a message of the need for human regeneration and the means to address it, the creation of the New Man, without which we are condemned to frustration and relative political failure.

Jesus declares that those who believe and follow Him are “the salt of the earth” and asserts that “without Me you can do nothing”.

Let the Church state with a renewed spiritual authority that the degree to which we are willing to submit to this process of divine reformation, both individually and collectively, is the only true measure of our progress.

From: TW Coxon, West Auckland Road, Darlington.

I WAS always of the opinion that elected governments of the United Kingdom were elected 
to govern fairly and equally with all, enjoying the same laws, benefits and responsibilities as legislated.

It appears that now, politicians of all colours, creeds and persuasions are hell-bent on breaking up the UK by granting special privileges to Scottish voters, the Welsh and also Irish sections of the United Kingdom.

We don’t want Scottish laws for the Scots or Irish or the Welsh. What we want is laws for the UK.

All these proposals generate hostilities and reawake nationalism as is apparent now in Scotland, thanks to Messrs Salmond and Sturgeon.

I hope the electorate will wake up and realise that politicians are only interested in preserving their own lucrative status and not the interest of the United Kingdom.

From: John Anthony Eteson, Hebden Road, Grassington.

I WAS related by marriage to the late Clement Attlee (my cousin having married his nephew) and can therefore remember clearly substantial financial messes various Tory governments were left to clear after the Attlee administration, after the Harold Wilson/Callaghan era and now the Blair/Brown period in office.

One should look ahead not backwards but should learn from history and can only conclude that a further period of socialist government would be disastrous.

Do we want or need this? Please think about it deeply, draw your own conclusions. The remedy lies in your own hands.

From: Mrs W. Abbott, Boulsworth Avenue, Hull.

HOW can Ed Miliband seriously believe that holding a meeting with the comedian Russell Brand will make “the election more interesting” (The Yorkshire Post, April 29). In my view, this is political showmanship at its worst. His last minute pledges appear to be nothing more than a ploy to win votes.

Glancing through the Labour party manifesto, I note that they claim that all their proposals have been costed – however there is no mention of where the money is going to come from.

However, before we are all lured into false security, it might be wise to remember that a manifesto has no legal standing. If the party elected fails to carry out the proposals contained therein, they cannot be held to account.

From: Eric Daines, Skelton, York.

FURTHER to DM Moore’s correspondence (The Yorkshire Post, May 1), let’s not blame just one party. It was Gordon Brown who removed the 10p rate of income tax and after criticism increased personal allowances in the November that year to compensate taxpayers.

However, the allowances for the over 65s were not increased thereby introducing the freeze on over 65s allowances, a freeze which has continued until parity with under 65s was achieved this year.

From: Phil Hanson, Beechmount Close, Baildon, Shipley.

BRITISH politics hit rock bottom when Ed Miliband said he wanted to be the first to under-promise and over-deliver. Miliband seems to have 
forgotten all that his Labour government did was over-spend and under-deliver.

That is reason enough not to trust this guy or his cohort of like minds.

From: Les Arnott, Athelstan Road, Sheffield.

SO the leaders’ debates between the two biggest parties and the Lib Dems (who are probably now the fourth party in England) have taken place. They were wretched, pathetic, execrable. Congratulations to David Cameron for excluding the man – Nigel Farage – he feared so greatly. It will have helped many to reach a decision.

From: June Warner, Kirk Deighton.

IN Strasbourg recently, there were 79 pages full of votes to be taken. LabCon and the rather lonely Lib Dem generally 
vote for what is best for the 
EU and hope that it will work 
out for Britain. Ukip MEPs vote for the British people first.

On those grounds alone, Ukip has my vote.

From: R Webb, Wakefield.

REGARDING David Cameron and his football gaffe, if he gets hammered in the polls, will he go back to his Villa?