Trump needs our prayers – but not our vote

As a minister, watching Donald Trump use the Evangelical Christian church (and even going as far as to host a rally in a church in Iowa on the same day that celebrates Reverend King) it has become clear to me how far the American church has fallen from the teachings of Jesus Christ.  (“How Iowa evangelicals rallied around Trump’s ‘holy war’” – 15 January 2024)

In Reverend King, the church had a man who fought for the oppressed and expressed love for his enemies. In Trump, the church has a man who blames the downtrodden for every ill his country faces and seeks revenge upon his enemies. 

Reverend King perfected the art of combining his ministry to the needs of the working-class, and the politically disenfranchised. He never needed to demonise the opposition, while remaining uncompromising to his faith.

Now, I have to watch Evangelical ministers falling over themselves to unite behind Trump. The association between the Republican party and the Evangelicals is nothing new, but this unholy alliance with Trump is a disgrace.

I just hope that enough people of faith are going to walk into the voting booth and remember that Donald Trump represents himself, his interests and nothing else. 

People of faith will notice that Trump preaches vengeance against anyone who has stood against him. Trump preaches hate against our neighbours and hate for the very people Christ taught his followers to love. Trump does not deserve the support of the Christian church. 

He needs our prayers but never our vote.

Reverend Nathaniel Manderson

Danvers, Massachusetts

Is there a correlation between the demand for reparations for historical wrongs and inheritance tax? (“Budget 2024: Inheritance tax set to rise – here’s what it means for you” – 22 October 2024). After all, both can be regarded as windfall payments for the current generation as a result of past events.

Arguably, much of the wealth that has cascaded down through many wealthy families could be traced in part from the proceeds of colonisation, slavery, etc.

If reparations are a moral and ethical imperative, then surely the logical, equitable medium for payment should be the receipts of inheritance tax?

David Smith

Taunton

The Independent reports that there are huge cuts and tax rises to come in Rachel Reeve’s October Budget. (“Ministers mulling tax rise and cuts in Budget as they meet City bosses” – 19 October 2024).

Yet I remember articles reporting on the rising number of billionaires in the UK – stories of how the wealth gap has grown by nearly 50 per cent in a decade. (“UK wealth gap surges by nearly 50 per cent in under a decade, research finds” – 18 October 2024).

I can’t be the only one disappointed by Labour’s performance so far. The money they need is right there, yet they refuse to put right years of Tory austerity and they refuse to tax the ultra-wealthy.

We just need a government brave enough to do the right thing. Sadly, I don’t think this is going to happen – rather, the working people of this nation can look forward to yet more years of austerity.

Andy Vant

Shropshire

Cases of male violence against women and girls (VAWG) dominated the news this summer. (“Violence against women soars by 40 per cent as police chief brands crime rate a ‘national emergency’” – 23 July 2024).

The tragic killings of Elsie Dot Stancombe, Bebe King, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar in Southport in July – followed by racist far-right violence – have once again put violence against women and girls at the forefront of the national consciousness.

But the events of this summer are not anomalies; they are part of an epidemic of male violence towards women and girls. At least one woman per week is killed by her partner or ex-partner, while one in four women are raped and sexually assaulted as an adult.

The work needed to meet the government’s ambition of halving VAWG in a decade cannot start soon enough. The specialist, life-saving services that support survivors face chronic underfunding, and the government must demonstrate its commitment with dedicated funding in the upcoming autumn Budget.

Marginalised survivors who face additional barriers to accessing support – including Black and minoritised women, those who are criminalised, disabled women and migrant women – must be prioritised with ring-fenced funding for specialist “by and for” organisations.

Ahead of the cliff edge of funding for specialist services in March 2025, the upcoming Budget must address their chronic underfunding so that no woman is turned away in her time of need.

As expert organisations working together to support survivors of VAWG, we urge this government to commit to greater investment in the budget for the lifesaving support services that survivors rely on as part of a whole-system response. Women and girls deserve to live free from violence and abuse and access the support and justice they deserve. This is the change we need.

Signed by the following Women’s organisations:Women’s Aid, End Violence Against Women Coalition, Surviving Economic Abuse, Respect, Imkaan, Rights of Women, Rape Crisis South London, Rape Crisis England & Wales, Refuge, SafeLives, Southall Black Sisters, Centre for Women’s Justice, Hibiscus, Solace, Latin American Women’s Rights Service, The Traveller Movement and Advance