Christians on the Left, formerly known as the Christian Socialist Movement (CSM), is a socialist society in the UK. The movement fulfils a need among Christian socialists for an organisation that would be both politically engaged and theologically reflective. Christians on the Left is a member organisation of the

International League of Religious Socialists The International League of Religious Socialists is an umbrella organization of religious socialist movements in political parties throughout the world. Founded in the 1920s, it has member groups in 20 countries totaling 200,000 members. For most ...

. Members have included Labour leaders John Smith,

Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...

, and

Gordon Brown James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in Tony B ...

, R. H. Tawney, and

Donald Soper Donald Oliver Soper, Baron Soper (31 January 1903 – 22 December 1998) was a British Methodist minister, socialist and pacifist. He served as President of the Methodist Conference in 1953–54. After May 1965 he was a peer in the House of Lor ...

. Today, Christians on the Left has over 40 members in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. T ...

and the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...

. As of October 2022, its director is Hannah Rich and its executive committee chair is

Jonathan Reynolds Jonathan Neil Reynolds (born 28 August 1980) is a British politician. He has served as Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Industrial Strategy since 2021. A member of the Labour and Co-operative parties, he has been Member of Parliame ...

History

The Christian Socialist Movement was founded in 1960 when the Society of Socialist Clergy and Ministers and the Socialist Christian League merged.

R. H. Tawney Richard Henry Tawney (30 November 1880 – 16 January 1962) was an English economic historian, social critic, ethical socialist,Noel W. Thompson. ''Political economy and the Labour Party: the economics of democratic socialism, 1884-2005''. 2nd ...

made one of his last public appearances at the movement's inaugural meeting on 22 January 1960.

chaired the movement until becoming its President in 1975. In 1998, it affiliated to the Labour Party. It was a volunteer organisation until 1994 when it appointed a co-ordinator, followed by an administrator. In August 2013, it announced that, following a consultation with its members, it would be changing its name to Christians on the Left.CSM to become Christians On The Left
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Gallery

File:Tawney2018event.jpg, The Tawney Dialogue 2018 File:Larry Sanders 1559.jpg, A meeting of the

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

Branch of the Christian Socialist Movement, with Larry Sanders speaking, October 2007

References

External links

* Christian socialist organizations Labour Party (UK) socialist societies Organisations based in the London Borough of Wandsworth Religion in the London Borough of Wandsworth {{UK-poli-stub