Scottish Catholic Observer

Following a party meeting last weekend, members of the CPA Federal Council praised the role Ms Smith played in developing a Christian political alternative in Scotland that appealed to Protestants and Catholics.

A retired chartered educational psychologist and former chairwoman of the Dumfries Labour Party, Ms Smith became active in politics after she worked among the people of Govan in Glasgow.

She decided to form the Scottish branch of the CPA after resigning over what she perceived as the Labour government’s aggressive anti-family and anti-life agenda.

She organised the CPA Scotland election campaign in 2007 which saw the first Christian Democrats in Scottish political history running in national and local elections.
Her efforts won backing from Christian Democratic leaders around Europe, with messages of support for the campaign for the Scottish Parliament coming from national political leaders in Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Her stance on a policy platform built on the social teachings of the Roman  Catholic Church also saw unprecedented public support from the Scottish Roman  Catholic hierarchy, with two serving Catholic bishops in Scotland publicly backing
her election campaign.
“Teresa Smith was a distinctive voice in Scottish politics, drawing her inspiration from her Roman Catholic faith and able to express the common-place concerns of ordinary Scots citizens.

“Backed by the unswerving counsel and support of her husband and daughter, Teresa was passionately behind pro-life and family causes, whilst also speaking out against economic inequality, the illegal war in Iraq, Trident and the position of
vulnerable people, especially those living with disabilities,” said CPA Federal President David Campanale, who praised her role in forming and leading the Alliance in Scotland.
“She never compromised her political values, which sometimes proved challenging for those who are used to politicians tilting with the changing winds of public opinion. For a political and media system unable to categorise her as either left-wing – because of her respect for unborn life, or right-wing – because of her passion for social justice, she was Scotland’s unreported Christian politician.”
During the 2007 campaign for Holyrood, Ms Smith attracted experienced community activists as CPA candidates for the Scottish Parliament, as well as backing from the Catholic Church.

Bishop Joseph Devine of Motherwell told BBC Radio 4 he was likely to vote for CPA Scotland and said he would be pleased if fellow Catholics followed his example.

Speaking at the CPA AGM in Glasgow, the Bishop of Paisley Rt Rev Philip Tartaglia, welcomed the party to the political stage in Scotland, saying “There is a vacuum in Scottish politics because there is no political voice to challenge the social status quo. If the CPA can fill that vacuum, this would be a service to Scottish politics.”
However, her campaign efforts did not produce the response she was looking for from Scottish Christians. When the Federal CPA moved to uphold the constitutional requirement that election candidates share the party’s Christian beliefs, she stepped down from her role in CPA, as she had been proud to run a Muslim candidate on the CPA List in Glasgow and believed that was the right position to take.
“Whilst many eminent figures in Scottish political, religious and civic life said the only option was for Christians to work within the mainstream political parties, Teresa’s experience, and that of many others, bore testimony to the way in which moral and ethical considerations were marginalised within the established parties,” added David Campanale.

“Instead of waiting for others to respond, she showed a lead by leaving Labour and becoming a strong, independent voice for Christian aims and values on the Scottish political scene. She will be sorely missed but her legacy remains for others to build on.”
Teresa Smith died in Dumfries Infirmary on November 1 2010 and was buried in Annan Cemetery, Dumfries-shire on November 5. She is survived by her husband and daughter.