*This is a modified version of a previous post*

So as predicted a general election has been called and we will have the chance to vote for a new government and our local representatives in less than a month. Soon manifestos will be published, the promises will be made, the debates and hustings will begin. This coming Sunday our church will welcome some of our local candidates for a Q&A.

Voting is a freedom and a privilege and a responsibility, don’t duck it due to busyness, apathy, lethargy or confusion. If I vote, there’s a chance I may not get my choice, if I don’t vote that chance becomes a guarantee. Personally, I don’t think there’s any excuse for not voting. It is after all the height of laziness not to bother doing something you only have to do once every 4 or 5 years.

Now is the time to do the reading and praying and thinking about who to vote for and why. Here are some resources to help you (updated):

General Resources

• The BBC News Election 2010 site is excellent
• MySociety have good general resources

Christian Resources

• *New* Why bother? is aimed at young Catholics but has some good stuff for engaging young people
• *New* Consider signing the Westminster 2010 Declaration of Christian Conscience
• The Evangelical Alliance have launched a general election website and Slipstream have a podcast on refreshing politics
• Care have a good resource called Make the Cross Count
• The Bible Society are behind SUSA a new resource website
• Take a look at the cross party Christians in Parliament
• I find the Jubilee Centre quite helpful and their Votewise Now book (review)

Political Parties

• Labour Party and the Christian Socialist Movement
• Conservative Party and the Conservative Christian Fellowship
• Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrat Christian Forum (website currently under construction)

Contrary to popular belief that there are just two (or 3) political parties that matter there are a myriad of smaller political parties. Voting for them is not a wasted vote because it represents your choice for something such as:

• Green Party
• UKIP
• and also the BNP. I certainly don’t advocate a vote here, but more than likely you will hear about them, you will get something through your door, if you live in a white working class area, if people bother to vote, they may be tempted to vote for them. So be informed and think about how you would respond to someone who may want to use their vote in this way. An election is no time to stick our heads in the sand and wish it would all just go away.

I’ve not included the nationalist parties of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales partly because I don’t live there and partly because I’ve also no idea about other local parties.