The Bishop of Leicester is seeking to ban election materials containing a picture of a religious building that \u201csuggests a close connection\u201d between a candidate and the place of worship or the religion associated with it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rt Rev Martyn Snow has tabled the amendment to the Representation of the People Bill, which refers to the use of churches or other religious buildings to imply endorsement. The proposals and briefing documents do not single out a particular party.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the Faith in the Public Square <\/em>Substack, the bishop and social policy advisor Florence Gildea said in recent years there had been \u201cmore leaflets – of all colours: red, yellow, blue and turquoise \u2013 with candidates posing in front of church buildings\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They set out concerns about compliance with charity law, of churches being seen to endorse parties or candidates, as well as how church leaders or congregations will often only know images had been used \u201cwhen a leaflet drops on the floor, leaving no means of recourse\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The article highlighted the principle of elected politicians representing all their constituents, akin to the parish priest having a duty of spiritual care to all parishioners; not giving \u201cthe impression that they are aligned with a particular religion and that followers of that faith could expect to receive preferential treatment if the candidate were elected\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read it all<\/a>.<\/p> An amendment banning the publication of election material containing a picture of a religious building that \u201csuggests a close connection\u201d between the candidate and the building \u2014 or the religion associated with it \u2014 has been tabled by Bishop of Leicester\n\nhttps:\/\/t.co\/KXQlWrGsRP<\/p>— Madeleine Davies (@MadsDavies) October 19, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>\n