The UK has a new Government.
The Labour Party won a sizeable majority with 34 per cent of the vote, beating the Conservatives into second place. The Lib Dems are now the third largest party at Westminster with 71 seats. Reform UK won five, with the Green Party and Plaid Cymru taking four each.
Sinn Féin gained the most seats in Northern Ireland, with the DUP reduced to five. In Scotland, the number of SNP seats has fallen from 47 to nine with one seat still to declare.
Policies
Labour has indicated what its policies are on several important moral issues, although some matters are devolved.
The party’s manifesto pledged to introduce “a full trans-inclusive ban on conversion practices”, and promised to make it easier for people to change legal sex.
On sanctity of life issues, the party vowed to give parliamentary time to discuss introducing a law on assisted suicide and to liberalise abortion.
But it did commit to strengthening protections to tackle “gambling-related harm”.
General Election results by seats*:
• Labour: 412
• Conservatives: 121
• Liberal Democrats: 71
• Scottish National Party: 9
• Sinn Féin: 7
• Democratic Unionist Party 5
• Reform UK: 5
• Green: 4
• Plaid Cymru: 4
• Social Democratic & Labour Party: 2
• Alliance Party: 1
• Ulster Unionist Party: 1
• Traditional Unionist Voice: 1
*One seat still to declare
Pray for MPs
The Christian Institute’s Acting Director Ciarán Kelly said: “I would encourage Christians to commit to pray for their local MP – whether or not they voted for them.”
“Get in touch with them, ideally in person, and let them know that’s what you’re doing. This is a great opportunity to start building a new constructive relationship, or renew an existing one. For example, many of the more than 5,000 churches that support the CI have previously invited their MP to a Sunday service and found them more than willing to attend.
“These men and women need our prayers and the Bible instructs us to pray for them. They also need to hear from informed Christians prepared to urge them to pass laws which restrain evil and promote good. Make your Christian voice count.”
