Bishop John has congratulated the new cohort of local MPs as a new term of Parliament starts calling for them to strive for a better, fairer society. He restated his call for a fairer tax system and asked all MPs to advocate for the people of this region which suffers from too many inequalities that levelling up has not addressed. The bishop raises concerns that we still have too many in food poverty, too many suffering from the cost of living crisis. Bishop John also calls for an asylum system that would serve both our nation/our economy and those who arrive here after being forced to leave their own home. He also looks for a conversation to help build a better society for our region.
The text of his letter is below
Firstly, my congratulations on your election to parliament in the general elections last week. I am grateful for people like yourself who put themselves forward for public service.
As you start the next term in a fresh parliament, I trust that, like me, you will be striving to see a better, united and fairer society, and that you will be diligent in working for all those in your constituency. I would like to support you, and churches in your area will want to support you. They contain a strong, powerful force of committed volunteers well connected in their local communities. They can offer you a strong resource and a great sounding board.
What I would hope to see is working together towards building a stronger community and a fairer society. Before the election I joined many fellow bishops in urging a fairer tax system to fund a better nation. I would welcome a conversation about how you can help reform the tax system so everyone contributes their fair share.
I would also like to join you in advocating for the people of our region. In the north west, we suffer from so many inequalities, the concept of levelling up funding does not seem to have had real, sustainable impact on our local communities. We still have too many in food poverty, too many suffering from the cost of living crisis, too many problems caused by chronic underinvestment in the NHS and social care services.
I have long advocated for an asylum system that would serve both our nation/our economy and those who arrive here after being forced to leave their own home. Our current political narrative aids hostility towards the most vulnerable and creates tension between different communities that leads to hatred. We need an asylum system that works and is fair.
There is much to do and I would want to converse with you over the challenges we face that together we could build a better society for our region. So congratulations again and I look forward to being able to continue this conversation in person.
With good wishes and every blessing,
Bishop John Perumbalath
Bishop of Liverpool