“So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Matthew 22:21

Our Creator God is sovereign so there is no area of life that is autonomous. That includes politics, economics and every aspect of public policy. This is why Premier seeks to report, analyse and comment on these spheres of human activity from a Biblical, Christian perspective. Politics is about choosing the values on the basis of which our nation is governed. If we want those values to be Godly values it is the duty of every Christian to play our part in making this happen. We have dual citizenship: we are citizens of the UK and of the Kingdom of God and they do not belong in separate categories. What we give to Caesar must also be part of what we give to God.

With that in mind, Premier brings you all the latest political news, interviews and articles, as well as things you may have missed from our treasure-filled archive...

For Your Benefit

Premier's Dave Rose and Martyn Eden brought together an impressive panel to help you towards a better understanding of the benefit cuts. Christian Guy, Director of the Centre for Social Justice, Dan Tansey, London Regional Manager for Christians Against Poverty, and Christine Bamigbola, London Development Officer for The Trussell Trust give their advice and guidance.

For Your Benefit

The Legacy of Margaret Thatcher

Unquestionably the death on Monday (8 April) of Baroness Thatcher monopolised the headlines all week. She was exceptional in many ways. She is the only female Prime Minister we have had. She held that office for 11 years, longer than anyone except Sir Robert Walpole who lasted almost 21 years (1721-42). The daughter of a Grantham grocer, she broke through the glass ceiling to lead her party and dominate British politics for a generation. 

Read more in The Legacy of Margaret Thatcher

Plus you can read the Bishop of London's address at Baroness Thatcher's funeral.

The 2013 Budget

Expectations of George Osborne’s fourth Budget were not great. The economy is barely growing, confidence is low, unemployment is still too high and he has a long way to go in eliminating the deficit inherited from the previous Government. All this left him little scope for tax cuts that would signal the end of austerity. In fact he offered a better package than most expected.

Read more in The 2013 Budget

Horses for Courses

What are the government doing about the UK horse meat scandal? Find out from Premier's Political Editor Martyn Eden.

Read more in The Horse Meat Scandal

The Marriage Bill

What does the new marriage bill entail and how will it affect UK churches? Premier's Political Editor Martyn Eden lays out the basics, including the legal requirements.

Read more in The Marriage Bill & The Marriage Bill: What Happens Next

Coming & Going

Immigration is a complex and emotive issue and the formulation of public policy on it cannot be summarised in a few words so this essay will be longer than most items on our Politics Today page. We think it worth discussing because it is an area of policy debate on which there are perspectives, inspired by biblical teaching, that Christians can contribution and this teaching can also shape how we relate to immigrants in our own communities. The author claims no monopoly of understanding of this teaching and welcomes constructive comment from those having different perspectives.

Read more in Coming & Going

The Arab Awakening

Premier's Marcus Jones is joined by General Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK Bishop Angaelos and international lawyer and church consultant Harry Hagopian as they unpack some of the issues facing Christians across the Middle East and North Africa. Listen as they discuss what's been happening in Egypt, Syria and Israel and Palestine and offer some thoughts for the year ahead.

Should prisoners be allowed to vote?

British law denies convicted prisoners the right to vote in parliamentary elections for the duration of their internment. Those in prison on remand or given non-custodial sentences may vote. This law has been in force for most of the last 140 years and was confirmed by the consolidating 1983 Representation of the People Act. The problem facing the Government and Parliament is that the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has described this blanket ban as discriminatory and in breach of Article 3 of Protocol 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights, to which the UK is a signatory and British lawyers helped to write.

Read more in Should prisoners vote?

Does the Church of England need to "get with it"?

The vote of the Church of England’s General Synod not to move towards the appointment of women priests as bishops has raised some constitutional as well as theological and social questions.  The Synod votes in three ‘houses’, bishops, clergy and laity and any major change, such as this would have been, has to achieve a two-thirds majority in each ‘house’.  42 of the 44 dioceses had previously voted for women bishops and on Tuesday 94% of the existing bishops and 77% of the clergy had done the same. The vote was lost because only 64% of the laity had voted for women bishops, not the required 66%. However one weighs these results, a clear majority voted for the change.

Read more in Church and state fall out on women bishops

Counting the cost of EU membership

There will be a vote in the Commons today [Oct 31st] about the European Commission budget that suggests a need for a wider debate about UK membership. For some that is an ideological matter but for most it is about the costs of membership and how much our jobs depend on it.

Read more in Counting the cost of EU membership

The Heathrow Conundrum

The arguments about expanding or replacing London’s Heathrow airport is the biggest challenge facing Patrick McLoughlin, the new Transport Secretary and it is not one that will go away. It's a complex issue, not helped by the Conservative election pledge not to authorise a third runway.

Read more in The Heathrow Conundrum

Martyn Eden's Political Review

Sunday Breakfast's Big Issues

Political Editor Martyn Eden and Sunday Breakfast presenter Andy Walton are joined by prominent guests as they discuss key issues facing UK Christians today. In the first two of the series, the discussions focus around rising teen pregnancies, and the place for faith schools in the 21st century.

In the third of this series on 'Big Issues' in 21st Century life, Andy Walton and Martyn Eden look at creation care and the environment. The discussion features contributions from theologian Dr Elaine Storkey, Andy Lester of Christian conservation group A Rocha UK and Holly Petersen, who's Development Manager of Climate Stewards.

Just how friendly is the UK for families in the 21st Century? David Cameron promised to make this the most family-friendly country in Europe. In this Big Issue, Martyn and Andy hear from a couple of experts and then react to what they heard with a studio discussion.

Horror in Syria

As the violence in Syria escalates, we take an in depth look at the situation there. We ask why it's happening, how it's going to stop and what impact it's having on Christians there. Premier's Marcus Jones presents a special edition of Newstalk with studio guests: international lawyer and consultant to Catholic and Orthodox churches - Dr Harry Hagopian, and Revd Nadim Nassar - the only Anglican Syrian priest and Director of the Awareness Foundation.

Download audio

What's the future for Scotland?

Scotland will vote in 2014 to decide whether to leave the UK and be an independent nation again, as it was before the Act of Union of 1707. Polls currently show that only a third of voters in Scotland support such a move but the Scottish National Party have started their campaign to persuade a majority to vote for independence. If a majority do so vote the UK Government has indicated that it will respect their decision. Read more...

RE.ACT Campaign goes to Number 10

The RE.ACT campaign took its petition of over 140,000 signatures to 10 Downing Street. Representatives from across the main political parties, including Fiona Bruce MP for Congleton and Stephen Lloyd, MP for Eastbourne, presented the petition alongside Peter Kerridge, CEO of Premier Christian Media.