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UNITED KINGDOM ELECTION

United Kingdom: The UK went to the polls on May 7, 2015, with a 66% turnout. Current Prime Minister David Cameron, in power since 2010, was in coalition with the Liberal Democrats because he failed to gain a majority. During the 2015 campaign, the media and pollsters said there would be another hung parliament. The ultra left-wing Scottish National Party (SNP), led by Nicola Sturgeon, was poised for a landslide victory of taking seats in Scotland at the expense of Ed Milliband and the UK Labour Party. She promised to prop up Mr. Milliband and put him at Number 10 Downing Street - but at a price: at least GBP 148 billion of borrowing, spending and entitlements. The SNP was the party that agitated for the failed independence referendum in September 2014 and will not fail to try again if they got a chance.

To the surprise of everyone, David Cameron and the Conservative Tory party won 331 seats, up by 25, thus giving them a clear majority without the need of a coalition. Labour had its worse result since 1987 by losing 24 seats, bringing them to 224. Ms Sturgeon’s SNP did very well, going from 6 seats in 2010 to 56 seats now; however, her party will not be in the government. The Liberal Democrats lost 48 seats and are down to 8. Within minutes, Ed Milliband of Labour and Nick Clegg of the Liberal Democrats resigned.

Issues facing the UK inlcude the economy, continued austerity to get the deficit down, immigration, and European Union membership. Cameron promised a referendum by the end of 2017 of whether Brits want to stay in the EU or opt out. Many Tories are ‘euro-skeptics’ and they may agitate for an exit. Time will tell.

In the previous blog I spoke about the presidential election in Sri Lanka, January 2015, and parliamentary elections in Israel, March 2015. The point of these three elections is that, despite all odds, the results were an upset win for the victors and a shock for everyone else.

How did this happen? The simple answer: prayer. All three elections were bathed in intercession.

Does this mean that God belongs to a particular political party or endorses candidates? No, He does not. Is He right-wing or left-wing, capitalist or socialist? No, of course not.

However, as Christians, we are commanded first of all to offer to God supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks for all people, for kings and all that re in authority (I Timothy 2:1-2). This is our Christian duty and we are to pray that God’s will be done, on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10ff).

We are to pray for more than just elections. It is in-between the elections that requires are fervent petitions. Massive challenges face the western world, including tacit abandonment of governing documents (constitution), lower educational standards, media that seeks to indoctrinate rather than inform, scholarship that is reduced to promoting ideology rather than discovering truth, entertainment that celebrates sin and debauchery that is clearly condemned in Scripture, and parts of the Church that is more culture-conscious than Biblically literate. Our only solution is revival and the only way to get it is by prayer (II Chronicles 7:14).

Yes, we should vote but the best ballot box is the prayer closet. When utilised, we can reap the benefit of prayer for those in authority: that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty (I Timothy 2:2ff).


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