The Christian Party (also known as the Scottish Christian Party[1] and Welsh Christian Party (Welsh: Plaid Gristnogol))[2] is a minor Christian political party in Great Britain.
Hargreaves was a candidate for Operation Christian Vote in the Birmingham Hodge Hill by-election in 2004 where he received 90 votes, last place in a field of seven candidates, and lost his deposit. In the 2005 general election, Hargreaves stood in Na h-Eileanan an Iar, where he was placed fourth, ahead of the Conservatives, and retained his deposit with 1,048 votes or 7.6%. The party was involved in protests, such as at Glasgow.[6]
The party was registered by the Electoral Commission on 29 April 2004, with the name "Christian Party 'Proclaiming Christ's Lordship!'".[2]
In June 2012, legal action was taken against the Christian Party treasurer by the Electoral Commission for £2,750 for failure to supply accounts for two years as well as for failure to pay previous fines.[7] The party de-registered the following month. Hargreaves was given a further six months to supply accounts, but failed to do so and was consequently fined a further £3,000 on top of a previous fine of £1,125 for failing to meet the deadline for provision of accounts.[8]
As a result, the party was de-registered in July 2012 and after the regulatory six months had elapsed, re-registered under a new party RPP under the leadership of Jeff Green. Sue Green is the party treasurer and Dr Donald Boyd is the nominating officer and leader of the Scottish Christian Party. The leader of the Welsh Christian Party and overall leader is Jeff Green.[2]
The newly re-registered Christian Party contested the Eastleigh by-election in February 2013 with its candidate, Kevin Milburn, a retired former prison officer and health care worker, who stood against same-sex marriage.[11] He received 163 votes (0.4%).
The party fielded nine candidates in the 2015 general election who between them polled 3,205 votes.[12] Only John Cormack in Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles) saved his deposit with 6.6%; the other eight each received less than 1% of the votes cast. At the 2016 Scottish Parliament election, in the Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency Cormack received 8.8% of the vote, coming fourth ahead of the Liberal Democrats.[13]
The party's mission statement is "Christians working together to bring Christian concern, goodwill and action into the community, education, business and politics."[15]
The party's website includes a statement of its policies[16] which include the following:
Reform the benefit system to remove the risk associated with leaving the welfare system and entering work. This would be accomplished by suspending benefit claims for a period of 9 months rather than closing them when an unemployed person gains employment. Within the 9-month period an unemployed person will be able to audit three jobs before their claim is liable to closure.
Negotiated agreement with the European Union to apply the immigration points system to migrants from the European Union, or in the event of non-agreement the declaration of a unilateral change in immigration policy
Make private health insurance a visa requirement for immigrants
Initiate a『No (private sector) Home – No Visa』policy
*Co-operative Party candidates stand jointly with the Labour Party. †Sinn Féin have elected members and offices at Westminster, but as abstentionists do not take their seats.
