Archive for April, 2010

Who I am

April 29, 2010

Please forward these links to as many people as you know.. … something new is happening in Walton!

http://bit.ly/JohnForWalton

http://bit.ly/FreshPolitics

http://bit.ly/LiverpoolGateway

Christian Peoples Alliance Candidate stands with Christian Hoteliers in Walton

April 27, 2010

Press Release: Monday 26th April 2010

“Enough is enough!” the Christian Peoples Alliance candidate in Liverpool Walton will say at a dinner for supporters tonight. At the Bounty House Hotel in Walton, John Manwell the local candidate for the Christian Peoples Alliance will be talking about the importance of Christian Liberty in Britain, and how this has been attacked by successive governments, particularly the outgoing Labour administration.

The supporters dinner is being held in the Bounty House hotel, where the owners, Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang were taken to court last year following a discussion about their faith with a customer. They were charged with “religiously aggravated” crimes, but later cleared of all charges. During the evening John Manwell, with the Vogelenzangs will talk about how free speech has been undermined, how European legislation and political correctness have squeezed traditional Christian beliefs in Britain. John will be highlighting how the Vogelenzangs were acquitted, and yet their business became an innocent  victim of the charges brought against them.

“For a generation we have seen the Christian heritage of our nation attacked and minimised by secularism and encircled by political correctness. The people of Britain have been tricked into being apologetic about our Christian traditions, when in fact, it has been Christian principles that made this country great. Liverpool has more children being born outside of marriage than within.  We are seeing children damaged by the widespread breakdown of the family. As part of the secular package we are losing the Christian perspective of fairness and justice in the face of inequality. Even the basic concept of telling the truth has disappeared and people no longer trust political leaders.”

John Manwell is campaigning for a return to real democracy in Britain, and a return to Christian principles in our government. He has been a campaigner for years for the family to be strengthened and for policies that uphold the wellbeing of our society.

John has been campaigning for the people of Walton to reverse the history of poor turnout in elections and for the start of fresh politics in Liverpool. “The nation faces a vital choice on 6th May, don’t be a victim of the party you didn’t vote for.”

Ends

For more information:

John Manwell  call: 07909 970 206  or email john@optics.ltd.uk or

call 07873 625396

https://johnmanwell.wordpress.com/

Visit www.cpaparty.org.uk or www.susa.info/resources/cpa

150 Candidates for Christian Peoples Alliance in May 6th Elections offer Conscience Choice

April 24, 2010

Voters going to the polls in local and parliamentary elections on May 6th will have the largest spread of Christian Democratic candidates standing for office in political history. Linked to similar parties across Europe, the Christian Peoples Alliance is running over 130 local authority candidates and 17 parliamentary candidates. In elections to Europe last year, the CPA ran joint lists with the Christian Party on a national basis, winning votes from a quarter of a million people. Party Leader, Cllr Alan Craig, is running for executive Mayor of Newham Council.

Party spokesperson, Susan May, says the CPA election move springs from the desire of many christians across England to run for office and offer voters Christian policies based on values not shared by the secular parties.

Speaking in a live televised debate last night with Labour Treasury minister, Stephen Timms MP and Conservative front-bencher, David Liddington MP, Susan May said:

“Across Britain, many voters are disillusioned by the drift to secularism of the big parties. The Christian Peoples Alliance offer them values they can vote for, based on church social teaching. We are a party of conscience, committed to social justice, tackling endemic poverty and radical reform of our corrupt political system. Our aim is not to be self-seeking, but to serve our communities.”

Susan May told viewers on Revelation TV that Christian Democratic parties similar to the CPA were elected to parliaments across Europe and were often found in government. She also pointed out that in 2009, just 58 per cent of voters backed Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Conservative voters, with many voters preferring new parties.

The Christian Peoples Alliance has local authority seats it is defending in east London, where the party forms the Official Opposition on Newham Council. It is running candidates in boroughs across London, with a focus on Newham, Greenwich, Kingston upon Thames and Harrow. It is also standing council candidates in Three Rivers District Council, Reigate & Banstead, Milton Keynes, Sandwell and Birmingham.

Parliamentary candidates are running across England (full details below) and are based on self-starting Christian community activists seeking to serve their local communities.

ENDS

For more information: 07873 625396 or press@cpaparty.org.uk or visit www.cpaparty.org.uk

BIOGS AND PHOTOS AT:
http://www.cpaparty.org.uk/?page=general_and_local_elections_2010


Volcanic Ash – Time to Repent?

April 23, 2010

PRESS RELEASE – 23 April 2010

Volcanic Ash Over Britain “a Sign of Need for Repentance” according to Liverpool Christian Democrat Parliamentary Candidate

Following a call by Britain’s party leaders on their Sky Leaders Debate for church leaders to “confess and repent”, a Christian Democrat parliamentary candidate says that it’s our nation’s political leaders who must take a leaf out of their own book and do some repenting.

Chair of Liverpool City Churches network, Together For The Harvest, which brings together over 100 churches, John Manwell, is the Christian Peoples Alliance candidate in Liverpool Walton. He says that the volcanic ash from Iceland is a sign from God that Britain and Europe needs to turn and confess their sin of unbelief and rebellion against the Gospel. He commented on the fact that the ash surrounded Britain at the same time as the three main party leaders had their first televised debate in front of the nation:

“Ash is a clear Biblical symbol of repentance. The ash from Iceland brought our airlines to a halt for a week. As a sign from God it was gracious – no-one was killed. The standstill reminded us that with all our power and politics, the human race is powerless compared to God and His creation. It is right that judgement begins with the house of God and clearly the Roman Catholic church is taking steps to sort itself out, as the party leaders alluded to last night. However, our whole political system has hardened itself against God in rampant secularism. This has to change.”

John Manwell is campaigning in the Walton constituency in the general election with a passion for a return to real democracy and for the community to get involved in choosing a representative. One of his slogans is: “Don’t be a victim of the party you didn’t vote for.”

John believes that if the country called out to God rather than just believing in the big political parties, God would respond and heal our land:

“Surely it is time to call on God and seek His help in healing the brokenness of Britain?”

“I am one of the majority who want a fresh approach to politics. The nation is angry and frustrated with the politicians who continue to talk while the country gets worse. In Liverpool and the country, we need fresh thinking, fresh voices and fresh action. Our city’s deep well of Christian values of service to others is a motivation for my decision to stand. ”

The Christian Peoples Alliance is linked to other Christian Democratic parties across Europe. Last year, with the Christian Party, it polled votes from a quarter of a million people in Britain. 150 Christian Peoples Alliance candidates are standing in local and parliamentary elections across the country.

ENDS

For more information:

John Manwell  call: 07909 970 206  or email john@optics.ltd.uk or

call 07873 625396

https://johnmanwell.wordpress.com/

Visit www.cpaparty.org.uk or www.susa.info/resources/cpa

Notes to Editors:

With an international perspective as business-man  and Christian, John Manwell is seeking to bring something fresh to the politics of Liverpool.

John Manwell was born in Africa and came to faith as a teenager in a small youth group. He came to live in Britain a short while later and since then he has had a passion for the Christian message to be effectively applied in society. Over recent years he has been a campaigner for local community action and for city regeneration.

John has worked with church groups and city wide organisations with a vision for widespread social transformation. Through events such as Merseyfest which created hundred of community projects and brought 70 000 people together for a two day festival in Croxteth Park, and the acclaimed Festival of Hope in 2008, John has worked to bring communities together.

John believes that the Christian heritage of Great Britain is what has made the real cultural diversity of our communities so special. In campaigning, he is repeatedly heard to state, “Christian fairness and tolerance is what made this nation such a wonderful place to live. No other religion or philosophy creates such freedom and tolerance. We are in danger of throwing away our Christian heritage and losing what made Britain great.”

John works with a city-wide Christian network bringing churches together and has personally worked tirelessly over the past 23 years to bring together Christians from different backgrounds in the Mersey region. He is currently working with city leaders in Mobile Alabama and in West Africa to develop positive initiatives in relation to the legacy of the African slave trade. In the past year John has also initiated a business network across the North West region and is involved in several major international projects to bring new industry to the region.

See the Change! Be the Change!

April 18, 2010

What an interesting few days: The nation has the air space shut down because of a volcano in Iceland on the same day the main political leaders spoke on TV!

What a great reminder that God is the one who rules overall and the greatest efforts of man become insignificant against a single natural event. Maybe there are more profound as well as practical implications?

I held a meeting with interested supporters. The meeting resonated with passion, agreement that the time has come for change, and everyone must speak out. There were ideas about what is needed – ranging from a desire to get back to a sense of community, more police on the beat, and a need for politics that empowers young people and gives them hope. There was a real sense that if only the Christian community will speak out, break past traditions and allegiances, we will see a real response.

I presented three video statements.  There are now available on-line. – Please forward these links to as many people as you know.. … something new is happening in Walton!

http://bit.ly/JohnForWalton

http://bit.ly/FreshPolitics

http://bit.ly/LiverpoolGateway

Sleepwalking?

April 12, 2010

I am dismayed at the widespread view that there is no real cause for alarm! It seems that most people are convinced that the economy is on the up, and that the state of our society is wobbly, but not facing a calamity.

I have realized over the years that people believe what they want to believe and do what they want to do. The British people desperately want to believe that everything is going to be OK. We have got completely used to the idea that the government is the solution and that everyone is a victim of circumstance. We have stopped believing that we are each able to make a difference.  While we continue to abdicate responsibility and leave the main political party machines to quibble over policies the real threat comes closer.

Two matters are pressing in on this nation, which should have ‘emergency status’: We have to rediscover our Christian Democratic roots and we must re-energise the nation with personal political passion.

I don’t mind arguing with people about the merits of Christian Democracy. I understand that is an argument that needs to be presented, and clearly most people don’t yet see this issue. I do think that we must sound a national alarm about the need to vote and get involved. If we don’t stimulate increasing voter engagement we are staring down a tunnel without a democracy at the end.

I am personally convinced that the re-awakening of awareness  of Christian Democracy will lead to a return to a national re-invigoration of politics in general.

What a swing!

April 9, 2010

In 1987 the three main parties received nearly 96% of the votes cast. In the European parliamentary election last summer they received only 57% with Labour and the Tories attracting the lowest proportion of votes since 1945. It is evident that the British voters are getting weary of the main parties and choosing alternatives. The parties are looking for a swing, but don’t want you to notice that the swing is away from them!

The big question is “Why is this happening?” We have a more fragmented society with many different agendas, but I think a more fundamental change is happening: The main parties have failed to deliver real democracy. The current Labour government received a minority of the votes cast and introduced legislation that we don’t want such as increased taxation, anti-family legislation and did not give us the promised referendum on Europe. The professional politicians have maintained a system that does not listen to the people and the people are now starting to do something about it. For 20 years the voters have increasingly stayed at home, but now  we are coming back!

CPA Liverpool Launch

Christian Peoples Alliance Liverpool Launch

There is an alternative. We need to rediscover what we our priorities are and rediscover real democracy. The Christian Peoples Alliance is leading the way. Vote for a return to sanity.

Does it Matter?

April 5, 2010

Our democracy is in danger of slipping away. The British electorate are disillusioned with politicians and in every election a greater proportion of the people choose not to vote. One of the greatest services we can do for this nation as Christians in the election process is to encourage people to vote.

Please exhort your friends, work colleagues, and neighbours to make a decision to vote in the election – whoever they choose to vote for – the main thing is that we vote. The spiritual implications are huge. The extremist parties WILL benefit if a large number of people do not vote: Even a small percentage for the far right party will be portrayed as ‘success’ and a sign of growing credibility. If people choose not to vote because they feel frustrated with politics in general, we hand a gift to the extremist forces working against our country.

Let us not allow our democracy to slide away. God has given us the privilege of democracy and participating in choosing our leaders. If we despise this gift, we will offend God, and our society will slide into ever more rapid decline.