“The pledge made by Tony Blair to listen to the voice of the people with greater attention during his third term in office is an invitation to be taken seriously”, declared the Most Reverend Vincent Nichols, archbishop of Birmingham, in a post-electoral message to the faithful issued on 10 May (after the electors had confirmed Blair in government for the third time). “I encourage Catholics to express their convictions with clarity, especially those that concern the fundamental moral questions on the origins of human life and its natural conclusion”, says the archbishop. According to Nichols, “the actions proposed or supported by the new government ought not to threaten respect for human life as gift of God, not even if this is done with the aim of obtaining apparently laudable objectives such as medical cures and discoveries”. “I hope adds the archbishop that all Catholics will play their part in the democratic process today and will not hesitate to inform their own MPs of their concerns on these issues”. “I will pay particular attention Nichols concludes to the way in which, in the future Parliament, the government proposes to tackle the fundamental moral questions that regard us all. I remember all those who hold public office in my prayers and I hope you do likewise”.
