The head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales is urging people to get out and vote ahead of the overall election on 4 July.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols said it was a “privilege” to give you the option to vote and asked people to be lively fairly than passive in engaging with politicians and expressing their views on key issues.
He especially appealed to young adults to be “willing to get entangled and vote”.
Nichols said that whoever is in power after 4 July, they need to work to support families.
“You need to know what your candidate will think and say in your behalf when that candidate gets into Parliament,” he said in a recorded message.
“I would really like to recommend a theme for us all to take into consideration. How will we seek to construct a society through which families can flourish? That’s the bedrock – many positive things flow from that.”
He encouraged voters to get informed about key issues before the election “in order that with regards to 4 July, you’ve in your mind what you desire to see the following government strive to realize”, pointing to guidance on the Bishops’ Conference website.
The cardinal added, “My view is that our next government should strive to create the circumstances through which families can flourish. So please get able to vote on 4 July.”
While Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer have been out on the campaign trail wooing voters, latest polling by Electoral Calculus has predicted a landslide victory for Labour with the Conservatives being reduced to simply 66 seats.
