The General Election 2010

Last year, SLIFG encouraged its members to vote in the elections to the European Parliament (see below). The same logic applies to the forthcoming General Election. If people of faith use their votes it will help to prevent the election of candidates whose values contradict those of the inter faith movement.

FROM THE SOUTH LONDON INTER FAITH GROUP

19 April 2009 (updated 19 May, after registrations closed)

To all members

The aims of South London Inter Faith Group (SLIFG) include:

• to advance understanding between people of different faiths particularly in the South London area, and to overcome prejudice and ignorance concerning these faiths;
• to support each other on issues of common concern such as religious discrimination and justice and peace in the community.

The SLIFG committee would like you to be aware that:

In the elections to the European Parliament which will take place on 4 June 2009, there is a strong possibility that the British National Party (BNP) will gain one of the 8 London seats.

Everything the BNP stands for runs counter to the ethos of SLIFG.

The whole of Greater London is a single constituency that will elect 8 Members (MEPs).

Voters will vote for parties, not for candidates (except independents). The parties choose their MEPs.

The voting system is proportional. So if the turn-out is small, as it usually is for European elections, the BNP proportion of the vote may become inflated.

Please make sure you vote on 4 June.

Vote for any party except the BNP and make sure that the congregations of your temples, mosques, synagogues and churches are informed about this situation and the importance of turning out to vote on 4 June.  A poster is available for your use. Encourage your friends of all faiths and none to vote.

(If anyone’s name was not already on the electoral register, it needed to have been added by 19 May in order to be able to vote on 4 June. For future elections, you can register at any time by filling in a registration form and sending it to your local electoral registration office, which is usually at your local council office.)

SEE ALSO WHAT THE INTER FAITH NETWORK FOR THE UK HAD TO SAY.
IFNet Circular 10/09
IFNet Circular 12/09