West Yorkshire Quakers speak out for equality
West Yorkshire church groups call on politicians to tackle economic inequality
Quakers in West Yorkshire have spoken out against the growing gap between rich and poor. They joined with a range of other church groups to call on politicians to tackle economic inequality as a greater priority than economic growth. Along with other members of the West Yorkshire Ecumenical Council (WYEC), they insisted that economic inequality exacerbates illness, crime and low educational attainment. Their unity reflects the growing support for the view that many social problems are fuelled not only by poverty but also by inequality. Their statement, Every Person Matters: Christian community values and the rich-poor divide, also highlights projects that promote volunteering, generosity and community commitment.
WYEC have drawn on evidence from the Equality Trust, whose research compares countries from around the world and shows a strong correlation between social problems and economic inequality.
Eva Pinthus signed the statement on behalf of Friends. Other signatories included representatives of African Caribbean, Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Moravian, Roman Catholic, Salvation Army and United Reformed Churches.
WYEC chair Gloria Hanley said: ‘We want to see a concern for the well-being of others, a sense of community, a sense of mutual responsibility and a respect for other members of society, resisting racism and all that degrades other people’.
