The 'electoral manifesto' of the English bishops

The defence of human life and the family are the cornerstone of last Monday's statement issued by the bishops of England and Wales in the run-up for the general election in Britain, expected to be held in May.

The Scottish bishops released a similar statement at a press conference in Glasgow on Tuesday, saying they wanted voters to champion the "right to life", "freedom from poverty" and the "promotion of European harmony".

The four-page statement from the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales restated Catholic teaching on several life and social issues, criticised "record levels" of people in prison, condemned trafficking and sexual abuse of women and children, and called for investment in education.

The bishops did not mention Britain's involvement in the Iraq War or the role of Britain in Europe. They said their remarks were meant to inform Catholics of "areas that the bishops consider to be of special importance".

All the issues highlighted by the bishops were important, but "respect for life and marriage and the family are my two most important", Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor of Westminster, conference president, told reporters at a press conference to release the bishops' pre-election statement.

"How you vote is a matter for you alone. Our aim is to suggest some key issues for you to reflect on in the light of Catholic social teaching," the statement said.

Also on Monday, the leaders of Britain's two main political parties announced their positions on abortion. Prime Minister Tony Blair said that his government had no intention of tightening up the country's abortion laws to "criminalise women".

Blair's main political rival, Michael Howard, leader of the Conservative Party, said he favoured a reduction of the legal time limit for abortions from 24 weeks to 20.

Archbishop Peter Smith of Cardiff, Wales, told the press conference that "any reduction in time limits for abortions would be very welcome - we all would go a lot further than Michael Howard." He stressed that the bishops did not endorse any political party but said it was up to Catholics to examine each candidate and ask: "What manner of man or woman am I dealing with?" He said Catholics should ask whether the candidate was a "person of integrity, can you trust them and have they got a degree of humility?"

Following the publication several news reports suggested that the Bishops were endorsing the Conservative Party in the forthcoming election. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor's answer was very clear: "Absolutely not."

The Cardinal said in a number of interviews that "we believe that life issues - abortion, euthanasia, and stem-cell research - are vital. But a better deal for the world's poor, and respecting the rights and dignity of migrants, are also life issues - they all touch on the dignity of the human person.

We believe that the treatment of migrants, and the conditions of the world's poor, are also vital issues, as is care for the environment and the conditions of our overcrowded prisons."

While stating that elections are not single-issue referendums, the Cardinal said: "When I commended Mr Howard's call (for a reduction in the time limit on abortion) I also commended the Government on its initiatives to tackle debt and poverty. In neither case was I sending a covert message. My message to the political parties is an open one: please take these issues seriously when you draw up your manifestoes."

Asked whether or not the bishops were intervening in politics, Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor was clear and emphatic: "Certainly, because there is a point at which religion and politics touch. There are moral issues which affect the good of society as a whole about which I, as a religious leader, cannot stay silent, because the Gospel is not silent on them."