Gavin Shuker, 28 year old CSM member, has pulled off a spectacular victory in the Luton South constituency. Bucking the national trend, Gavin preserved a Labour majority, through a sophisticated and energetic campaign. He inspired large numbers of young people especially, many of them campaigning in a general election for the first time.
To note -
1 – The result defied the sizeable swing across the south of England
2 - Gavin has built a local party back from the brink (both numerically and in local opinion) after the expenses scandal.
3 - He's 28. Many of the other first-time candidates didn't perform very well.
Many members of Luton churches supported Gavin during his campaign, and the constituency was specifically targeted by CSM.
Much attention in this election has focussed on the fact that Gavin is 28 yrs old. But the truth is that what we are celebrating is much wider than just Gavin. He is what you might call the first fruits of a generation passionate about justice - those who cried for jubilee for global debt, those who marched to make poverty history, those who raged against people trafficking. Now that generation are realising the importance of not just shouting from the sidelines, but getting on the pitch. The influx of young passionate people to the local Labour party and has changed the face of this campaign with their energy, optimism and faith.
The uniqueness of this result is an incredible encouragement to CSM members, who have invested time, support and prayer in Gavin’s campaign. We hope it will encourage many others to see what is possible when Christians engage with rather than escape the world of politics.
