Much has already been written; even more is yet to be. But while the politicos, specialists and analysts pore over the ‘UKIP effect’, the scale of the BNP vote, the lack of a Lynton Crosby, the absence of a ‘big theme’ or ‘strategic idea’; the inadequacies of George Osborne and the effect of the televised debates, there is far more to be gleaned from the voting patterns of faith groups. If David Cameron made one mistake during this election campaign, it was his decision to sideline the Christian majority. It is one thing to ‘love bomb’ the Liberal Democrats and to court the minority faiths, but quite another purposely to rile and alienate Christians.
The Prime Minister professes ‘a fairly classic Church of England faith that grows hotter or colder by moments’.
Thus is he the embodiment of the English national spirituality.
Yet he denigrates and misrepresents the Church of England; he proclaims that ‘it is mainstream Britain which needs to integrate more with the British Asian way of life, not the other way around’; and he asserts that if Jesus were around today he would be supporting ‘gay rights’.
Such comments seemed purposely crafted to provoke and cause offence. The Church of England - traditionally the Conservative Party's spiritual wing - was not attracted by the temporal 'broad church' on offer.
Mr Cameron did not criticise the homophobic Mosques or misogynistic Gurdwaras; he did not exhort Muslims, Sikhs or Hindus to integrate with the British way of life; and he did not suggest that Mohammed, Guru Nanak or Krishna, were they around today, would support ‘gay rights’.
All genuine Christians are every bit as concerned with poverty, family breakdown, injustice and ‘Broken Britain’ as the Prime Minister. They may differ in the solutions, but they will talk to each other, debate, listen and learn. David Cameron has consistently refused to listen to Christians, even eschewing the pre-election offer of a high-profile interview with one of country’s most senior and respected religion journalists. This would have reached tens of thousands.
Considering that the Conservative Party was just 16,000 votes short of an overall majority, such a decision seems inexplicable.
The country faces the worst economic crisis it has ever experienced in peacetime. It is Labour’s fault, and they have been judged and found wanting. If we are to reform education, eradicate welfare dependency, halt inflation, stem the increase in unemployment and minimise home repossessions, we must now support the most stable option on offer, and that is the Liberal-Conservative coalition.
It may not be ideal, but it is the least worst option or lesser evil.
And we are commanded to pray for them.
