We will judge spending cuts on how they affect the most vulnerable, says Methodist president

Addressing a rally organised by the Trade Union Congress today,Revd Alison Tomlin, President of the Methodist Conference, raisedconcerns that spending cuts will hit the poor hardest.

Speaking on the eve of the comprehensive spending review atMethodist Central Hall Westminster, Alison said; "The past ten tofifteen years of boom benefited some sections of society but notthe poorest. Relatively their income went down. Justice or, to usethat popular word, 'fairness' demand that they do not suffer nowduring the bust.

"Earlier this month Eric Pickles asked us to judge the governmenton how they treated the most vulnerable. That we will do.

"The task the government has set itself of cutting the deficit tozero in a short space of time while not harming the most vulnerableis a difficult one, some may say an impossible one. We shall waitand see but the initial signs are not promising.

"Brief conversations with colleagues highlight the fears that theyhave for the work going on in the communities they serve. Thepeople whose compassion and hard work have created and sustainedeach of these projects will not be sleeping well tonight. And theywill rightly be wondering about the meaning of the phrase "BigSociety".

Alison concluded: "John Wesley, and the Methodist Church hefounded, believe it is inconceivable to follow Christ and not havethe welfare of the poor and the vulnerable close to your heart, andwe are proud to stand beside others who share those concernstoday."

The full text of Alison's address follows:

"You may not have noticed but this but you are sitting in aMethodist Church, where a vibrant multi-cultural congregation meeteach Sunday. When you came in on the first floor on your left therewas a life size statue of John Wesley the founder of the MethodistChurch. You may have missed it - he was a very short man.

"In his journals he wrote about a press that stigmatised the poor,he wrote of politicians who did not wish to look at the concerns ofthe poor, and who continually blamed the poor for their own fate.He wrote of people using that stigma and blame to continually treatthe poorest and most vulnerable badly. Thanks goodness that was 250years ago and could never happen now!

"The past ten to fifteen years of boom benefited some sections ofsociety but not the poorest. Relatively their income went down.Justice or, to use that popular word, 'fairness' demand that theydo not suffer now during the bust.

"Earlier this month Eric Pickles asked us to judge the governmenton how they treated the most vulnerable. That we will do.

"The task the government has set itself of cutting the deficit tozero in a short space of time while not harming the most vulnerableis a difficult one, some may say an impossible one. We shall waitand see but the initial signs are not promising.

"Brief conversations with colleagues highlight the fears that theyhave for the work going on in the communities they serve. Localauthorities and others are tightening their belts prior to the CSR.Just in the last week I have been told about
• an emergency housing project in Birmingham at threat
• a project in Newcastle working with women seeking sanctuary
• a young offender rehabilitation project in Liverpool wondering ifit must close

"The church is grateful to be able to work with these and hundredsof other projects like them up and down the country. The peoplewhose compassion and hard work have created and sustained each ofthese projects will not be sleeping well tonight. And they willrightly be wondering about the meaning of the phrase "BigSociety".

"This building was built a hundred years ago using money donated byordinary Methodists. To ensure this was a building of ordinarypeople initially no-one was allowed to donate more than one guinea.Rich and the poor alike. In the historic roll, which you can see onthe left as you leave the building, the names of all the people whogave one guinea, including my grandparents, are recorded.

"This hall was built because Methodists believed that ordinarypeople, people who could afford no more than one guinea, shouldhave a voice in the heart of Westminster. Hearing today'scontributions, the stories of ordinary people, the concern forordinary people, I am confident my grandparents would have feltthat theirs was a guinea well spent.

"Methodists support a wide range of views about deficit reduction.It is possible to be a Christian and a member of almost anypolitical party. John Wesley and the Methodist Church he founded,believe it is inconceivable to follow Christ and not have thewelfare of the poor and the vulnerable close to your heart, and weare proud to stand beside others who share those concernstoday."