Hello,
It's now just days before the 2024 Election, and it may be that you have been wondering which way to vote on Thursday.. Many prefer policies to personalities. The Christian Institute (christian.org.uk) has produced a very helpful summary of the different parties' positions on matters with a moral aspect. But their document (referred to in this synopsis, and partly from which these snapshots have been distilled) is 48 pages long and doesn't readily allow comparison between the parties. Hence this abbreviated version.You can read the abbreviated summary online (below) or download a PDF version for offline viewing and printing.
Labour were in power from 1997 to 2010. In that time, they passed a number of laws on matters of morality. The Conservatives came to power in 2010 (at first in coalition). Since then, they too have passed a number of laws on moral issues. The Christian Institute publication documents a number of these laws and related statements, but here are presented only ideas that we would be likely to see enacted in the next parliament, depending on who comes to power. Perhaps it could help you to make up your mind about which party to vote for. The BBC and other websites provide details of financial policies etc.
Refer to the following for source material (apologies to Scotland, Wales, Ulster and minor parties, but space allows only limited coverage):
Most points condensed from Christian.org.uk< Election Briefing 2024. I didn't ask the Christian Institute’s permission to distil notes from their document, and so they did not give it. See also other websites above. Any errors are my fault. Please email response to me at: PolicyCheck@outlook.com. I trust you find this document useful. PolicyMoralityMatters.uk
| Life & Death | LGBTQIA+ and Transgender Issues | Cohabitation & Sexual Morality | Marriage & Divorce, Children & Youths | Home Education, RE & Sex Education | Schools | Child discipline | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | Will have free votes on modernising abortion law Want liberalized abortion all-round. Support legal assisted suicide.Free vote on GM Babies. | Strongly agree with same-sex marriage. Not ok with legalized self-ID. Starmer: Trans women don't have the right to use women's spaces. | Supported legislation in 2019, extending civil partnerships to hetero- sexual couples. And will strengthen rights for cohabiting women. | Supported the Divorce, Dissolution & Separation Act 2020: no-fault divorce in England and Wales. Yes to stopping minors' routine puberty blockers. | 2016: No need to register /inspect Sunday Schools. Will legislate to register and count children taught at home. | Relationships Education at primary age. Parents to know content. 3,000 more nurseries to open.. Free primary school breakfast clubs. | KS wants England & NI to criminalise parental smacking, as in Scotland and Wales. |
| Conservatives | Have held conservative views abortion but now more open-minded. Like- wise on assisted suicide. Legalised GM baby creation for research in coalition (2010-15). | Protected characteristic of sex in the Equality Act means biological sex – for the whole of the UK. Generally against same- sex marriage in the past. Don't recognise self-ID. Created LGBT+ Envoy. | Will continue to deliver for LGBT people. In the past, were against legal rights for cohabitees. | 30 hours free childcare a week. Family Hubs to support families. Child Benefit per household rather than an individual. Fine social media companies who fail to keep children safe. | Create a CNiS register (Children Not in School). | Ban mobile phones in the school day. 2 hours of PE every week in primary and secondary schools. Parents will have a right to see what their child is being taught in school. | Have consistently upheld parents' rights to "reasonably chastise". |
| Liberal Democrats | Apparently abolish all laws on abortion, so that it's an individual choice. Approve of no-protest zones for abortion clinics Support assisted suicide. | Make conversion therapy a criminal offence. Medical reports not necessary for Gender ID. Recognize non-binary ID 2019:CofE & C of Wales to do same sex weddings. | Supported legislation for civil partnerships for all, and Gender Recognition. Extend some legal rights to cohabiting couples. Decriminalise prostitution. | Support no-fault divorce. Supported adoption by homosexual couples. In 2019 they hoped to scrap the Married Couples Tax Allowance. Support kinship care/family carers. | Primary schools must teach Sex Education. In 2019 to include consent, LGBT+& explicit images in 'Sex & Relationships'. Want to register 'children who are not in school'. | 2017: State-funded Church schools to lose rights to 1. employ only Christians, apart from RE 2.admit likeminded pupils. | Supported criminalising parental smacking, in Scotland. |
| Reform | Generally: leave abortion /assisted suicide to an individual’s conscience” - the mark of free society. Don’t impose public mor- ality on private individual. | Schools, public toilets & changing areas must provide single-sex facilities. Reform not in favour of gender ideology. | Nigel Farage (in 2010): Proposed decriminalising & regulating prostitution. | Increase support for marriage in the tax system. Reopen young offenders'.training camps Better child maintenance National social care plan. | Not in Contract. UKIP / Brexit view: RE optional. Schools to teach own RE. No compulsory SRE, PSHE/Citizen Education. Favour Home Education. | Would ban transgender ideology in schools. Tax relief/independent school Cut university numbers. 2-year Uni courses. No interest on Student loans. | Not in Contract. UKIP / Brexit view: Need a law to establish beyond doubt schools' right to discipline pupils showing unacceptable behaviour. |
| Greens | Remove criminality from abortion laws. Would allow GM Babies. Would change law on assisted dying. | Ban Conversion Therapy for sexual orientation and gender ID. Support gender Self-ID without a spouse's OK. Allow an 'X' gender for non-binary passport holders. | Will seek to decriminalise "sex work". Agree with same-sex marriage, in Anglican Churches, too. Supported legislation for civil partnerships for all. | Previous commitments: Ban size zero fashion models. National Youth Volunteering Programme for under-18s. National body to regulate youth clubs. | Support parents' right to home-educate children. Abolish requirement for Christian school assemblies. | Approve of statutory Relationships Education at primary age. Stop all state-funded schools advertising pro-life advice End high-stakes testing.. Abolish OFSTED. | Criminalise parents who smack their children. |
Summary notes only. Full Topic coverage in Election Briefing 2024, Christian.org.uk and parties’ own websites. KS=Sir Keir Starmer; RS=PM Rishi Sunak
Please email response to me at: PolicyCheck@outlook.com. I trust you find this document useful.
| Drugs, Alcohol and Gambling | Freedom of conscience/government regulation | Civil Liberty, Freedom of Speech, Censorship | Law & Order | Parliament | Constitution | Other issues | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labour | No change to drug laws. Committed to reducing gambling-related harm. | In previous years, Labour had a commitment to remove free-speech protection from “Incite- ment to homophobic hatred” law. | All hate crime to become an aggravated offence. Keep Human Rights Act. Ban dangerous bladed weapons.. | Restore neighborhood policing. Victims-first justice. No tolerance for violence against girls and women. Respect Orders to ban persistent offend- ers from town centres. | Reform House of Lords: No hereditary peers, max age, new appointments process. New Ethics & Integrity Commission will ensure political standards. | Scotland: no support for another referendum or independence, but will reset the relationship. Also with Wales. | Further online safety measures covering 'Legal but harmful' content. Support age-verification on pornographic sites. Keep restrictions on Sunday Trading. |
| Conservatives | Want to reform legislation and regulation governing gambling. Have rejected decriminalisation, but first time offenders to attend a drug-awareness course instead of prosecution. | In 2012, restored local council rights to pray at their meetings. Pledged that adult carers who uphold Biblical teaching on gender/sexual ethics would not be criminalised. | Police powers to prevent protests/marches posing a risk of serious disorder. RS:"Stating biological facts is not a crime." | 25-year prison term for domestic murders but "those who kill their domestic abusers will not face the same starting point." | Say the current system in Parliament serves us well. | Keep ban on prisoners voting from jail. Remain committed to the First Past the Post system for Elections. Sex offenders not to change their name. | Better online parental Controls/age verification. Extend £2 bus fare cap in England for the entirety of the next Parliament. |
| Liberal Democrats | Make a legal, regulated market for cannabis. Problem gambling harms to be tackled. In 2017: introduce minimum. alcohol unit pricing. | 2019: Protect, defend, promote human rights for all, against persecution; eg LGBT+ or Christians. | 2005-6: supported robust free speech amendments 2019: All hate crimes to be aggravated offences. Resist any attempts to weaken or repeal the Human Rights Act. | Police: better workforce diversity & mental health awareness. More restorative justice. Public to spot, avoid and report frauds and scams. Improve prison service. | Reform House of Lords with a proper democratic mandate. | Digital Bill of Rights, to protect privacy and free expression, without harassment or abuse. Support PR. | Support age-verification on pornographic sites. In 2010 voted to cut Church employment rights. Combat loneliness. |
| Reform | Farage: "Hate drugs. But that war has been lost, so perhaps better if we regulate it in some way. Life in prison for drug dealers / traffickers. | Water down the definition of "hate crime." General scepticism towards WHO WEF etc. Oppose the cashless society. | Social Media companies "should have no role in regulating free speech." Introduce comprehensive free speech bill. Scrap DEI rules (Diversity etc). Stop de-banking and cancel culture. | Zero crime tolerance. Prison for violent crime /possession of a knife. Bobbies back on the beat with less paperwork. Scrap woke policing. De- politicise police training - degrees unnecessary. | Replace House of Lords with a small democratic chamber. A referendum on PR for national voting. Professionals in tune with views of the current Government to replace Civil Service leaders. | Quit the ECHR. Reform the Human Rights Act. Introduce a Bill of Rights. Cut EU red tape and nanny state regulations. Review overseas aid (a previous idea was to replace aid with trade.) | Take illegal immigrants back to France. Much stronger measures all round to reduce immigration. Launch an enquiry into Social Media harms. Better benefits for mothers to stay at home. |
| Greens | Against FOBTs (fixed- odds betting terminals). Decriminalise personal drugs. More support for users. Maybe prescribe Class A drugs to users. | Disallow all opt-outs from equality and anti-discrim- ination laws by religious organisations. | Will protect the right to religious expression. Remove "insulting" words or behaviour from Public Order Act. Anti- protest & free-expression laws go. | Tackle hate crime, misogyny, Islamophobia and anti-Semitism. | Replace House of Lords with an elected chamber. They also want a new constitutional settlement. Votes for 16-year-olds; residence-based voting. | Defend the Human Rights Act. Support PR. Home nations to decide their own future. | Keep restrictions on Sunday Trading. Move to a four-day working week. |
Summary notes only. Full Topic coverage in Election Briefing 2024, Christian.org.uk and parties’ own websites. PR=Proportional Representation; CofE=Church of England; CNiS=Children Not in School; Harm Reduction: ie don’t say, “this is wrong”, reduce the harm it does; eg “Safe sex” and “Safer drugs use”.