Church Leaders Urgently Call Politicians to Act on Poverty
In a joint statement released Friday 5th January, senior Christian leaders - including Bishop Mary, the Bishop of Llandaff, the President and Vice-President of the Methodist Conference and senior leaders of development agencies Christian Aid, CAFOD and Tearfund - have called on politicians to take urgent action on rising poverty in the UK and around the world saying that ‘the human cost of failing to take action now is too big and too damaging to ignore’.
The statement goes on to say poverty is ‘a consequence of political choices and priorities’, and with a General Election on the horizon, ‘this year must mark the beginning of the end for poverty’.
The signatories are calling on political leaders to set out clear plans to eradicate extreme poverty and halve overall poverty by 2030, in the UK and globally.
Patrick Watt, CEO of Christian Aid, is among the signatories. He said, "For millions of people this new year has been marked by poverty and desperation. Regardless of the causes of poverty, and whether it’s hitting people internationally or in the UK, the effects are strikingly similar.
"Partners and churches describe its crushing effect on people’s dignity and life chances, and its damage to the social fabric. The choices we make collectively about how to tackle poverty, both domestically and internationally, matter. As we approach a General Election, we’re hearing far too little from political parties about their ambition to end poverty, and build the common good. We must not let another year slip by while poverty rises.
"That’s why we’re coming together at this moment, to call for urgent action to address the causes of poverty, here and around the world.”
The statement is a clear demonstration of solidarity between agencies and churches working to tackle poverty globally and in the UK. In the statement, the churches and charities also signal their intention to work together throughout 2024 to mobilise church members to ‘put poverty on the agenda through practical action, prophetic words and courageous campaigning.’
As part of this, Christian Aid, the Trussell Trust, Church Action on Poverty and the Joint Public Issues Team of the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches have released ‘Act on Poverty’ - a resource for church groups to explore the impacts of poverty around the world and in the UK and take action ahead of the General Election. Designed for use during
Lent or later in 2024, the resource brings campaigners from the UK and global contexts into dialogue about the differences and similarities between their visions for an end to poverty where they are.
The course is being run in Chapter Arts Centre, Market Street, Cardiff, CF5 1QE over four consecutive Thursday evenings at the end of February – Thursday 29th – and on the 7th, 14th and 21st March at 7pm.
To reserve a place on the course, or to find out how you might run a course yourself, contact Rev. Andrew Sully, Head of Christian Aid Wales at asully@christian-aid.org