🔗 Share this article Religion and Politics: Is the Religious Right Gaining Ground in British Political Life? During recent the Reform party media events, a pair of notable figures can often be seen in the forefront: the near-white locks of Danny Kruger and the swept-back blond mane of James Orr. Beyond shaping the policy programme for what might become the UK’s future administration, the duo have something else in common. Both are highly devout Christian who came to religion in later life, and possess trenchant views on social issues such as abortion and the family. A Network of Faith The MP Kruger, who defected from the Conservatives, and Orr, a university scholar, are members of the steering committee of a conservative policy group called the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship. A further participant is Paul Marshall, the investment tycoon who controls GB News and the conservative Spectator magazine. Marshall is a devout Christian. “Faith, particularly Protestant evangelism, has in recent decades been a key characteristic of US rightwing politics,” its followers forming the bedrock of a particular political support. Cross-Over Connections There are some links. Orr is personally connected to JD Vance that he has welcomed him at his family home. Orr is also active in the National Conservatism movement, which has connections to the American faith-based populist world. However, direct parallels quickly break down due to a simple matter of numbers. While surveys indicate that close to a quarter of US adults are evangelicals, the figure for the UK is about a tenth of that at the very most. A Different Landscape There is another important factor to take into account. While US evangelicals tilt strongly to the political right, recent surveys by the UK’s Evangelical Alliance suggests that the wider picture here is quite different. Research of nearly 1,500 evangelicals shows the Labour Party in the first place with 26% support. The Reform party and Liberal Democrats are tied on 20%, with the Conservatives on 18%. Other questions demonstrate backing from evangelicals for more generous welfare payments, but also concerted alarm about plans to legalise assisted dying. “Sometimes with evangelicals there can be a gap between personal views, particularly regarding social issues, and how people cast their ballot,” explained a representative. “For example, someone might have a strong opinion on abortion, but they do not view voting as a way to lead to change.” Cross-Party Belief Evangelical belief does exist in parliament, including all-party prayer group meetings. But it is a phenomenon present on the political left, with figures like Kruger balanced out by the Lib Dem Tim Farron and the Labour Party Member of Parliament Rachael Maskell. She has been very open about how faith shapes her politics, notably on issues such as poverty. “Moral justice was ‘a big part’ of Labour politics,” she stated. “It’s part of our foundations, how we think about disparity in society, ensuring we have a fair framework.” Emerging Currents There is, however a distinct and more recent side to religion in UK politics, one influenced by US concepts of faith-based nationalism. The activist Tommy Robinson has begun to portray himself as explicitly Christian, although much of this is done as a contrast to Islam. In a similar vein, Nick Tenconi, who leads the UK outpost of the Turning Point group, includes social media messaging about the country needing to “re-embrace Christianity” alongside anti-Islam content. In a dramatic display of this, a Turning Point-allied Christian nationalist group called King’s Army marched in formation through Soho, a location seemingly chosen as it is the centre of London’s LGBT community. A Niche Phenomenon All this remains, however, relatively marginal in UK politics. While commentators sometimes portray certain figures as wealthy incubators of American-style religious politics, friends maintain they are simply devout believers who are firmly against any politicisation of faith. Kruger is not shy of sometimes unconventional language, for example using a speech to condemn what he said was a younger generation indoctrinated by a blend of ideologies. “In the UK you do have some Christian nationalists, but when it comes to politics it more often be a sort of longing for a Christian past, linked to our historical character,” said one commentator. One Christian MP on the right observed that while the issue of assisted dying had helped bring together MPs with faith, any links beyond that felt restricted. “I certainly don’t get the sense of much of an evangelical lobby,” they commented. “In my view, my faith is more a basis for what I already believe. And here, religion is not particularly a vote winner.”