Trust in politicians

Dear Editor,

Tim Farron (Politics and Policy, en July 2025) is not the first politician to ask how trust in politicians can be restored, and I am sure he won’t be the last. But the answer is not, as he suggests, being local or walking to talk to constituents. Only one thing can create or rebuild trust: consistently acting in a trustworthy manner, doing what you said you would do, and not doing what you said you would not do. This always takes time, and rebuilding trust after it has been broken takes a lot of time.

In contrast trust can be destroyed instantly by a single act. This has been demonstrated repeatedly, but in recent UK politics most dramatically by the Liberal Democrats when in coalition after the 2010 general election. A commitment to abolish university tuition fees was prominent in their manifesto, and all of the 57 Liberal Democrat MPs had signed a pledge prior to the election that committed them to vote against any increase in fees. Twenty seven voted to increase tuition fees, including the party leader Nick Clegg; 21 voted against including Tim Farron, and the former leaders Menzies Campbell and Charles Kennedy; six abstained, and two were absent at a climate summit. At the next general election in 2015 only eight Liberal Democrat MPs were elected. It was not until the general election of 2024 that the party recovered.

No doubt politicians and leaders of other organisations will continue to search for a quick fix, a magical policy or a clever plan that will rapidly restore trust. But they will fail to find what does not exist. Only by showing yourself worthy of trust will you be trusted.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Taylor, Shropshire

Dear Editor,

I read with interest Trevor Bell’s and Jeff Featherstone’s letters in the August issue and felt moved to respond. I am not a member of any political party, so have no axe to grind.

The attraction of the Reform party to evangelicals is their claim to support marriage and family life. I would, however, interject a note of caution here when considering any political party espousing a “pro-Christian” stance. The Bible teaches that we should “care for the widow and the orphan”; that we should deal kindly with the “sojourner” who comes from abroad; and that we should have compassion on the weak (for weak we could substitute the long-term sick and disabled). The Reform party states it will severely block immigration of asylum seekers, reduce overseas aid and reduce the availability of benefits. When we scrutinise this party for a full-orbed Christian stance, not just the narrow issues of abortion and assisted suicide, we find that Reform is no more Christian and just as godless as the others.

Sadly, in recent years we have seen populist political leaders, both in this country and overseas, who rather than defending policies with facts will rather appeal to different sections of society with half-truths and emotional arguments to appear that they are with “us” and that those who disagree are “them”. This is what I can only describe as bait. We should be careful not to swallow it.

Yours sincerely,

John Jacobs, Alton

Dear Editor,

In response to recent letters regarding Evangelicals and Reform UK.

Tim Farron is sincere in word and action. In all reality, how sincere to [the] family values that they aspire to are they when both Reform’s leader and deputy leader walked away from previous marriages?

Reform UK may float attractive ideas. Indeed, Farage is masterful in persuasive communication. He knows how to scratch the nation’s current itches. Though, as seen in recent years especially, how are these tempting aspirations actually addressed and to what cost nationally and internationally? The Lord Jesus says, “by their fruit you shall recognise them”! Please let our hope be rooted in truth!

Yours sincerely,

Helena McElhinney, Stirlingshire