A former member of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church has exposed a coordinated effort by the sect to influence elections in favour of the Liberal Party, marking a stark shift from their historical political abstention and raising concerns about secretive religious-political alliances.
An ex-member of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church has exposed an alarming, coordinated attempt by the church’s members to sway recent elections in favour of the Liberal Party. Ben Woodbury, 33, spotted church members aggressively campaigning for a Liberal candidate at a Sydney polling booth last week, an extraordinary development given the church’s longstanding tradition of political abstention.
This separatist sect, often dismissed as a cult, has historically refrained from voting or overt political involvement. Yet, Mr Woodbury’s testimony reveals a disturbing shift—members are being mobilised en masse, flown across the country to “swamp” marginal seats and deliver staunch support exclusively to the Liberal Party. This raises serious questions about undisclosed alliances between religious enclaves and political forces.
The church’s official line denies any organisation-led political engagement, claiming votes and donations are individual choices. But insiders like Mr Woodbury reveal that leadership issues direct orders for political activity disguised under the euphemistic guise of “vol-and-tol” volunteerism, stifling dissent with commands to simply “do the doing” without questioning. Such top-down control contradicts any notion of genuine grassroots volunteering, instead pointing to a militia-like operation to shield the Liberals.
Volunteers were even given scripted responses to disguise their affiliations, refusing to discuss their religion while politely promoting Liz Truss’s political machine. This secrecy and manipulation undercut transparency and fair democratic process.
Attempts to paint the Liberal Party as an open “volunteer-based organisation” are clearly misleading when faced with this evidence of systematic recruitment and deployment of a politically motivated religious bloc—one historically opposed to progressive causes like marriage equality, abortion rights, and women’s rights. The church’s links to right-wing figures, notably those resisting social reform, underscore a broader pattern of reactionary influence affecting British politics.
This covert campaigning exploits religious loyalty to fortify a struggling political elite, while ignoring growing public discontent with failed governance under new Labour leadership. The emergence of alternative voices advocating pragmatic, sovereignty-centred policies highlights the urgent need to challenge these backdoor operations that undermine democratic principles.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by secretive factions intertwined with mainstream parties, distorting representation and policy in favour of deeply conservative agendas. Voters deserve transparency and genuine choice, not manipulated support harnessed by shadowy religious orders aligned with the very establishment forces many seek to replace.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.brethrenexposed.com/elections–lobbying.html – This article details the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church’s involvement in political lobbying and election campaigning across various countries, including Australia, where they have supported the Liberal Party.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_Brethren_Christian_Church – The Wikipedia page on the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church discusses their historical political abstention and recent instances of members coordinating support for certain political parties, including the Liberal Party in Australia.
- https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/election-2016/2016/06/18/liberal-party-exclusive-brethren – This article reports on the Exclusive Brethren’s donations to the Liberal Party in 2010 and their history of political involvement, despite their doctrine of non-voting.
- https://pressnewsagency.org/exclusive-brethren-are-secretly-campaigning-for-coalition/ – This report reveals that the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church has been secretly campaigning for the Liberal-National Coalition in the 2025 Australian federal election, including providing volunteers and distributing campaign materials.
- https://tasmaniantimes.com/2006/03/brethren-and-the-bearpit/amp/ – This article describes the Exclusive Brethren’s involvement in political campaigning in Tasmania, including distributing anti-Greens pamphlets and advertisements, despite their members not voting.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_New_Zealand_election_funding_controversy – The Wikipedia page on the 2005 New Zealand election funding controversy details the Exclusive Brethren’s support for the National Party through pamphlets and manpower, despite their members not voting.
- https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14661897/brethren-church-Liberal-volunteers-election.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490 – Please view link – unable to able to access data
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative involves recent political events and specific circumstances that suggest a contemporary issue. However, without specific dates for the events described, the freshness is somewhat limited. It could be more recent news but lacks explicit temporal markers.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
There are no direct quotes traced back to a known original source in the narrative. If these quotes are original, they could serve as primary sources. However, without clear provenance, it’s challenging to fully validate their authenticity or originality.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative originates from the Daily Mail, a well-known but sometimes controversial publication. While it has a wide reach, its reliability varies based on the topic and the reporters involved. The lack of additional verification from other reputable sources reduces the overall reliability score.
Plausability check
Score:
6
Notes:
The claims made about coordinated political effort by a historically abstinent religious group are plausible but lack concrete evidence beyond one ex-member’s testimony. The scenario described is feasible within the context of political alliances but requires more verification to establish its accuracy fully.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative presents plausible yet unverified claims about political involvement by a religious group. While the Daily Mail is a recognised publication, the lack of additional evidence and the reliance on a single testimony keep the confidence in the story at medium.