The Prime Minister has called a general election for Thursday, 4 July. In this section you will find information and guidance on key issues of importance to us, as Catholics, to help inform how we vote.
Gospel values inform how we look at the world as Christians. These values can also offer a different way of looking at politics, a way that puts the common good before self-interest.
Throughout this election season we will be seeking answers which will help the poor, the marginalised, and the vulnerable. We seek a society in which all families can flourish and where we care for our common home, where we offer a welcoming hand to strangers in need, where we look out for those struggling to get on. Families are the heart of our communities and society.
We seek, therefore, political leaders who can reflect and share these values. But this is not just about leaders, it is about us. We are not merely the passive recipients of politics but active citizens. An election is the best time for us as Christians to speak out, to get involved, and to lead. We hope that these resources will help in that endeavour.
There are many issues of interest to Catholic voters. Here we focus on seven:
Criminal Justice, Domestic poverty, family life and taxation, Education, Environment, International relations, human rights and peacebuilding, Life Issues, Migration
Please note, if you haven’t registered to vote in the general election, you must do so by 23:59 on Tuesday, 18 June 2024. If you are eligible, you can do so here: gov.uk/register-to-vote. Photo ID is necessary in order to be permitted to vote. Use this link for more information: gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate
President of the Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, is asking voters to be active rather than passive to engage with politicians on the key issues. “You want to know what your candidate will think and say on your behalf when that candidate gets into Parliament,” says the Cardinal. “I would like to put forward a theme for us all to think about. How do we seek to construct a society in which families can flourish? That’s the bedrock”. Watch the message below.
A Catholic understanding of criminal justice has three aims: retribution, rehabilitation and redemption.
Promoting the preferential option for the poor and ensuring that an economic environment exists in which families can flourish.
Seeking to protect the Catholic ethos of our schools and to promote the core principles of Catholic education.
Every organisation and individual in society has a particular responsibility to look after and nurture our common home.
Catholic social teaching promotes global disarmament, working for peace, conflict resolution and upholding universal human rights.
As Catholics we share the view that everyone has an intrinsic value from conception to natural death and beyond to eternal life.
As Catholics, caring for people on the move has always been an important aspect of how we live out our faith.
Some of our offices, agencies and partner organisations have produced resources or guidance on the general election.
