We must invest in people and public services, warns Archbishop

Archbishop opens new ambulance station

In a few weeks there will be a General Election. You may have missed that news, as there's not been much discussion about it, has there?!

German statesman Otto Von Bismarck once compared politics to sausages - you don't want to see either being made.

Sausages are messy, and sometimes full of a lot of rubbish, but they are still an important part of British life. The same can be said of politics.

There is a responsibility on us to ensure we have good politicians going into Parliament and public life - in the same way that it is important that we have good ingredients going into our cooked breakfasts.

Bismarck also said that politics is simply "the art of the possible". However, I am not a politician. I am a follower of Jesus, and I believe in Him anything is possible! Like Archbishop Desmond Tutu, I am not an optimist but a Prisoner of Hope - and I am forever expecting the unexpected.

Strong

Let's be clear, some politicians have broken the rules and it is right that they have had to answer for their actions.

But don't forget that many others are doing their best to improve the country we live in. It's just that these people don't tend to get the headlines.

I can tell you that it worries me when many of our leading politicians talk about cuts to spending, cuts to public services or cuts to our taxes.

Did we learn nothing from previous recessions?

I am not an economist, so feel free to dismiss me as a silly old man, but surely the way out of an economic downturn is to INVEST in people - especially the young - as well as in public services. We need strong public services and a state-of-the-art private sector. We need strong industries. We need to build up a country we can be proud of again. Instead, what we have is a society of individuals who embrace a throw-away attitude.

We see it apply to everything, from household appliances to clothes and shoes. It seems we cannot "make do and mend" any more - we have to always start again from scratch at great cost.

Well, I believe the one thing we should never throw on the scrapheap is PEOPLE.

If we do not value people, what do we value? Have we not seen what happens when our public sectors suffer extreme cuts? Unemployment rises, communities are devastated and self-esteem evaporates - and not just in the short-term. The effects can be felt for generations. When markets fail the invisible hand of Government must step in.

There is also a tendency in our modern culture not to value the importance of being reliable. Words like "duty" and "responsibility" are rarely heard. On TV, you can see people are trying to be the best singer, dancer or ice skater. I have nothing against singers, dancers or ice skaters, but not everyone can be one. And what's more, not everyone should aspire to be one.

Where would we be if everyone was a singer? What would happen to our communities, to our economy, or the country as a whole? We need plumbers. We need firemen. We need nurses. And, dare I say it, we need politicians - but those grounded in their communities and reflecting the will of the people.

My challenge to you is to talk to your local candidates. Find out what they believe. Find out what they stand for. Find out what makes them tick.

Ignorance is no excuse in law, neither is it an excuse in elections!

We have a responsibility to vote - and our politicians have duty to serve.

This article originally appeared in The News of the World on Sunday 4 April 2010. http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/772152/We-must-invest-in-people-and-public-services-warns-Archbishop.html