The following is a short essay, written by Francis Hernandez Owens, a Politics “A” level student, as part of his Year 12 Work Experience Week with The Peace Party, July, 2019.  It gives a young person’s refreshing view of our Party.

“As a general rule of thumb, large political parties in the UK are, if not completely in favour of war, open to compliance with it, often on the basis of self-interest. At the very least even the most seemingly non-violent parties maintain some pro-war ethos, often manifest in a commitment to remain in NATO, despite the countless crimes it has committed in the name of western geopolitical interests.

“This is obviously a serious issue for those who value human life over material gain. In essence, one who votes for a party openly willing to murder and make war validates said policy, providing it with a democratic mandate. In a liberal democracy, in which legislation is only moral insofar as it receives the consent of the people, this sets a worrying precedent; one that implies that murder is acceptable.

“Due to the issue discussed above, one against violence is forced to make a rather grim decision. Either have a say politically at the cost of one’s own values, removing the point of having such a say in the first place; or retain one’s values and dignity with no democratic outlet by which they can, in any meaningful way, manifest themselves.

“The Peace Party accounts for this issue. As a party, it guarantees that those voting for it will not act as accomplices to violence perpetrated against their fellow man. Acting as the only party that absolutely rejects violence for what it truly is, it provides voters with a sense of moral certainty that they cannot possess by voting for any other. Despite its small size, it is necessary in that it provides a means by which those who reject violence can, with a clear conscience, ever use their right to take part in the political process.”