What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • The kind of political party I’d like to see

    I’m not a member of a political party at the moment, though obviously I have been in the past.

    Here’s the policies that would be to the fore in the kind of political party that I would like to see and which would get me back into making a more active engagement in politics:

    1. A burning desire to reduce absolute poverty across the United Kingdom
    2. An ambition to reduce relative inequality across the country.
    3. A narrative that focuses more on justice than nationhood.
    4. A reforming zeal for the institutions of government – House of Lords, PR and the EU Parliament to begin with but not limited to these.
    5. A localism that seeks to put power in the hands of local communities.
    6. An internationalism that seeks to redeem colonialism by unashamedly promoting progressive values (equality of men and women, LGBT rights, anti-corruption, anti-bribery) as it seeks to trade with the world.
    7. An ability to articulate what freedom for the individual means in a digital age.
    8. An acceptance that social security is here for the good of us all.
    9. A celebration of the relative peace and prosperity that the European Union has brought to a once warring continent
    10. A stable, mixed-mode economy.
    11. A secure National Health Service.
    12. Disestablishment of national churches

3 responses to “Another day, another new ministry now begins”

  1. Eamonn Avatar
    Eamonn

    Thanks be to God. I have family in New Westminster, and have been visiting there for the last 13 years. So I am acutely aware of how difficult and painful things have been in some parishes.

    Reply
  2. Eamonn Avatar
    Eamonn

    Interestingly, though +Michael Ingham has taken a great deal of flak over the blessing of civil partnerships, the pressure to provide a service of blessing came initially from the laity, about 20 years ago.

    Reply
  3. Father Ron Smith Avatar
    Father Ron Smith

    Thanks for this, Kelvin,

    I’m taking the liberty of putting this on my ‘kiwianglo’ web-site in New Zealand.
    We are always interested in your comments on the Anglican Communion around the world, and appreciate this titbit from your visit to New Westminster. Enjoy your sabbatical. God bless you and renew you for your return to Bonny Scotia.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Posts

  • Obituary on Radio 4 for the Rt Rev Derek Rawcliffe

    People might be interested in hearing Radio 4’s take on Derek Rawcliffe, former Bishop of this diocese. There is an obituary on Last Words. There’s a segment on George Shearing first and then the bit about Bishop Derek begins at 7′ 55”

  • Christchurch, New Zealand

    Turned on the radio an hour ago to hear about the devastating earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. Immediately began to think about New Zealanders whom I know and immediately realise who we will be praying for today in church in addition to those whom we have been thinking about in North Africa and the Middle…

  • The Census

    Does anyone think there is any mileage in trying to persuade the Jedi Knight people to write “Scottish Episcopal Jedi Knight” in the right box on the census return? It does sound like the kind of thing we might well have had, after all.

  • Sermon preached on 20 February 2011

    here is what I said this morning. The first thing that struck me on looking up the Bible readings for this morning was our first lesson from the book of Leviticus.