Help us to build a political party on strong Catholic foundations

From Mr Paul Kennedy, general secretary and treasurer of Resurgence SIR – I noted with great interest the arguments from three Catholic MPs, representing their respective parties, as to the way Catholics should vote in next month’s general election (Feature, April 16).
Jon Cruddas of Labour has a poor voting record on pro-life issues and his party and their union backers are definitely in the abortion rights camp. Sarah Teather of the Liberal Democrats has a good record of voting for pro-life amendments but is a rebel as her party favours abortion and euthanasia. Julian Brazier of the Conservatives has an exemplary pro-life voting record unlike his leaders; and their chairman, Eric Pickles, at last year’s party conference declared that the Conservatives were now liberal.
Jon Cruddas plays on the historical common ground of the Catholic Church and the Labour Party. That is what Obama’s Democrats did and look at their pro-abortion agenda. Common ground is not the same as the common good. Sarah Teather chooses the common good and solidarity but is out of step with her party. Solidarity includes the child in the womb. Julian Brazier highlights the work of Iain Duncan Smith on social justice and, if they were in the ascendancy within the party, there would be some hope for the future.
In a rare show of unity all of their parties in 2005 gave manifesto commitments to hold a referendum on the European Constitution. Labour reneged on that promise and with Liberal Democrat connivance approved the Lisbon Treaty. Remember how the Lib Dems abstained on the vote in the Commons and then voted for the Treaty in the Lords? The Conservatives stood by their promise but will not give the people a referendum on our future in the EU. So how solid are their manifesto promises in 2010? All their parties are the zero in the multiplication sum.
For a totally Catholic alternative in the future there is a political party called Resurgence, registered with the Electoral Commission in 2007, whose aims and values are the same as the political criteria for Catholics as set out by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. We will be a safe voting option for Catholics as we are pro-life and pro-family. Our first priority is to build the party on a strong Catholic foundation, which is why we want to hear from Catholics who have organisational experience and have previously been members of other political organisations or have been trade union activists.
The purpose of Resurgence is to restore and rise again. We have a tridentate strategy which is a vision of inspiration: hope for the future; a springboard of basic policies for renewal – foundations for the future; and a return to enduring and traditional truths and values – back to the future.
If you are interested in finding out more about this initiative, please contact me by post at PO Box 1070, Lincoln, LN4 4WE or go online at www.resurgenceuk.wordpress.com.
Yours faithfully, PAUL KENNEDY Lincoln