Christians will be asking mayoral candidates questions in a central London hustings
14 April 2008
From religious freedom to the environment, from social justice to crime – Christians will be asking mayoral candidates questions on the issues that matter to them in a central London hustings next Wednesday (April 23).
The event, at St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, Trafalgar Square, is sponsored by the Evangelical Alliance and Premier Christian Radio. Hundreds of London churches, across traditions and denominations, have been invited to attend.
Nick Holtam, vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, said: “Christians are at the heart of every community in London.
“They can see first-hand, through the work they do in churches and on the streets, the impact of mayoral policy on everything from the environment to young people and the poor.
“So the candidates can expect some challenging and exciting questions on Wednesday as these citizens consider who to trust with our city.”
Five candidates have been invited to speak and answer questions – Labour candidate Ken Livingstone, Conservative Boris Johnson, Liberal Democrat candidate Brian Paddick, Green Party candidate Sian Berry and Alan Craig from Christian Choice.
Doors open at 5pm. The event will run from 6pm to 8pm, admission is free and no booking is necessary.
Gareth Wallace, Parliamentary Officer for the Evangelical Alliance said: “The churches have held a major hustings event for both the two previous London mayoral elections.
“This is a once in a four-year opportunity to hold those running for leadership of this great city to account and hear them speak about their vision for the future, live and unedited.”
Media Contact:
Charis Gibson
Evangelical Alliance
020 7207 2117
c.gibson@eauk.org
Notes to editors:
The Evangelical Alliance, formed in 1846, is the largest body serving evangelical Christians in the UK, and has a membership including denominations, churches, organisations and individuals. The mission of the Evangelical Alliance is to unite evangelicals to present Christ credibly as good news for spiritual and social transformation. According to a Tearfund survey (Churchgoing in the UK, 2007), there are approximately 2 million evangelical Christians in the UK. For more information, go to www.eauk.org.
St Martin-in-the-Fields is an open inclusive Anglican church at the heart of London with English and Chinese speaking congregations and a long tradition of social care. The Connection at St Martin’s is one of London’s oldest and most respected projects working with homeless people. St Martin’s is nearing the completion of a £36 million buildings renewal to equip it for service in the twenty-first century and a festival to celebrate this will run from 27 April – 18 May.
St Martin-in-the-Fields
