PM made me a PM

In this season of political party conferences, it was a real treat to be at Englesea Brook Chapel & Museum for Mel Johnson's fascinating talk about why so many of the first working class MPs were Primitive Methodists.

Between 1874 and 1932, no less than 43 MPs had connections with the Primitive Methodist Church.

• At least 77% were local preachers
• 73% worked as union officials
• 57% were coal miners or had worked in collieries
• Just over a third were from the North East

I was very interested to discover that, although still unable to vote, let alone become MPs, women saw politics as an essential part of their Christian discipleship:    

‘Every social and political question is, in the deep sense, religious, and should be so regarded by those who take their politics seriously, and who will allow no divorce between religion and politics.’ ('Women’s World’, Primitive Methodist Leader, 4 June 1914) 

Of the 27 Primitive Methodist MPs elected between 1918 and 1932, there were:

• 18 Labour
• 8 Liberal
• 1 Conservative

It is a sobering thought that in 2015, we have only one Methodist MP. 

More encouraging is that in 2015, there will be a workshop on ‘Why get involved in politics?’ at 3 Generate, requested by young people.

 

I am looking forward to the next Methodist MPs!