Praying for Politicians and Their Families

We have a seemingly inexhaustible appetite for politics and current affairs. In these days of 24 hour news cycles, you can stay up all night to watch the results of general elections, and hear learned commentators analysing the results and what they might mean for a country going forward. There are daily podcasts, with journalists discussing the events of the previous day and their significance for the current government, or people affected by the news story.

As a former history student, I have a certain fascination with current affairs and political developments that are played out through the media. I’ve just finished a fascinating memoir by a lady called Sarah Vine. She’s a journalist and columnist on a daily newspaper in England, and she was once married to a well known politician called Michael Gove, who was one of the leading figures in the campaign to leave the European Union. Even the word ‘Brexit’ tends to evoke very strong reactions, whether one’s preference was to leave or to remain.

What was riveting about this book, was to hear at first hand how this couple’s lives changed once Michael got involved in politics. His background was in journalism, and that is the arena in which they met and fell in love.

He always had an interest in politics and, unlike many of his colleagues in the Conservative Party, he came from a relatively humble and modest background. He was a high achiever in school and university and, after joining the political party, he was asked to become a candidate in a local election. Once elected, his trajectory was pretty meteoric and he became one of former prime minister, David Cameron’s, cabinet ministers.

The book reveals something of the relentless hours and enormous pressures of holding a government portfolio. It really is a 24/7 job, and the level of scrutiny on both your own life and that of your family is horribly intrusive. The paparazzi are always trying to capture you after a difficult meeting, or snap some photos of you on holiday or during family time. Many politicians, who have had previous successful careers, take a huge paycut as they pursue a career in politics, and it can be a significant challenge to make ends meet if you are running a constituency office and paying staff, as well as trying to cope with the ordinary bills people have to pay, like mortgage repayments or school fees and having to have a residence somewhere near parliament.

What was sickening to read, was how teachers and pupils in school could be so vitriolic and nasty towards the children because of their father’s job or political views. Members of the public seemed to think nothing of stopping the family on the street or when they were on holiday and calling them horrible names, or stating how useless they were at governing. Even when it was clearly upsetting to the children and the author asked the people to stop, they continued to assert their views in aggressive and hostile ways, and this family were expected to listen and not react.

The book brought the reader behind the scenes into how politics divided colleagues and friends and sadly broke many marriages. The relentless hours, the sense of one parent doing all the childcare, the pressures of being in the public eye, and how people got embroiled in controversy trying to walk the tightrope of staying loyal to your party and its leader and also standing up for your own personal principles and beliefs was so difficult to navigate.

Sadly many friendships did not survive the strains, and it was hard to read of how these relationships unravelled.

We tend to form opinions on politicians based on their views and how they articulate themselves on radio or television or through newspaper columns and articles.

Depending on how these issues affect us, they often make us feel upset or angry and we blame them for what we believe to be the lack of progress or prosperity. We seem to have no difficulty equating them with success and failure, and give no thought to what they might be dealing with in their personal lives as they do their job.

Sarah Vine told her story with unflinching honesty. She described the glamour and the excitement and also the loneliness and burden this life placed upon her and her family. The Brexit vote itself divided her family, some of whom had lived and settled in Europe, and some did not speak to her for some time because of her then husband’s involvement in this campaign.

I think of both local and global politicians as a result of reading this book. Whether we like them or their politics or not, it is incumbent upon us as St. Paul puts it in his First letter to Timothy to pray for our political leaders. Pray, too, for their families and for the public to be fair and considerate in their dealings with them.

Don’t forget we have the opportunity over the next 3 Wednesdays to explore the important topic of ‘HOPE’ in a course called ‘Hope Explored’ in the coffee bar at 7.30pm. All are welcome to this course and, indeed, to lend a hand at the monthly work party around the grounds of the church on Saturday morning from 9-11.

Look forward to speaking again soon.

Much love to everyone,

Jono.

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