UK NEWS
BISHOP BACKS TORIES’ ‘PRO-FAMILY’ POLICIES
TORY SWITCH? Bishop Joseph Devine
By Paul Gilbride, Scottish Political Reporter
A CATHOLIC bishop in Labour’s heartland has given the strongest signal yet that the Church could switch allegiance to the Tories.
Bishop Joseph Devine of Motherwell, whose diocese covers or sits alongside some of the safest Labour seats in either Westminster or Holyrood, made a scathing attack on Labour’s stance on family values.
He has written to Tory leader David Cameron supporting his policies on the family and asking for an assurance that, if elected, he will “promote in every way possible the sacred institutions of marriage and the family, the true bedrocks of society”.
The letter comes after a series of controversial Labour policies such as allowing gay adoptions, which forced the closure of Church-run adoption agencies across Britain.
Bishop Devine, who oversees 165,000 parishioners in Lanarkshire, says in his letter that, for “too long”, governments have promoted social alternative lifestyles and that “some senior Government ministers and backbenchers have openly scoffed at traditional married family relationships”.
And he hinted at the Catholic Church’s priorities in the run-up to the next General Election.
Addressing Mr Cameron directly, he said: “You, yourself summed up perfectly this neglected area of policy when you said, ‘a simple test for each and every one of our policies, does it help families?’ This issue should rightfully dominate the public policy debate in the run-up to the next election. I, for one, intend to ensure it does.”
It is not the first time the controversial cleric has intervened on the political front.
Shortly before the last Holyrood election he caused controversy when he announced he would not be voting Labour and claimed many Labour policies, such as civil partnerships, were diametrically opposed to Christian values.
In the past, the Catholic church in Lanarkshire has been criticised for encouraging priests to advise congregations to vote Labour.
A Labour spokesman said: “Bishop Devine’s personal views are well known in the Church and beyond. Labour’s record of supporting children is unrivalled. Unlike the Tories, we will never revert to demonising single parents who do a difficult and heroic job.”
But a Scottish Tory spokesman said: “The Conservatives believe that the family should be a cornerstone of our society.
“Our policies are designed to help that process and aim to help to mend Broken Britain.”
