🔗 Share this article Religion and Politics: Could the Religious Right Gaining Ground in British Political Life? During recent the Reform party media events, two very distinctive heads can often be spotted in the front row: the near-white locks of Danny Kruger and the styled blond hair of senior adviser James Orr. As well as guiding the political agenda for what might become the UK’s next government, the duo have something else in common. Each is a deeply committed believer who came to religion in later life, and hold strong opinions on matters of society such as abortion and the family. Connections and Convictions Kruger, an MP, who defected from the Conservatives, and Orr, a Cambridge academic, are members of the advisory board of a conservative policy group known as the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship. Another member is the financier Paul Marshall, the investment tycoon who controls GB News and the rightwing Spectator magazine. He is also a devout Christian. “Faith, particularly Protestant evangelism, has in recent decades been a key characteristic of US rightwing politics,” with its adherents forming the bedrock of Donald Trump’s support. Transatlantic Links There are some links. Orr is personally connected to JD Vance that he has hosted him at his private residence. Orr is also involved in the National Conservatism movement, which has connections to the American faith-based populist world. However, direct comparisons quickly break down due to a basic issue of numbers. While polling shows that nearly a quarter of US adults are evangelicals, the figure for the UK is roughly one-tenth of that at the very most. A Different Landscape An additional crucial element to consider. While US evangelicals tilt strongly to the right, new polling by the UK’s Evangelical Alliance suggests that the broader situation in Britain is quite different. A poll of nearly 1,500 evangelicals places Labour in the first place with 26% support. The Reform party and Liberal Democrats are level on 20%, with the Conservatives on 18%. Further polling demonstrate support among evangelicals for increased welfare payments, but also concerted alarm about plans to permit assisted suicide. “Sometimes with evangelicals there can be a gap between personal views, particularly regarding social issues, and how people vote,” said one advocacy head. “As an instance, someone might have a strong opinion on abortion, but they don’t see voting as likely to lead to change.” Cross-Party Belief Evangelical belief is present in parliament, including cross-party faith-based meetings. But it is a phenomenon also of the left, with figures like Kruger countered by Tim Farron and the Labour Party Member of Parliament Rachael Maskell. She has been explicit about how her beliefs shapes her politics, especially concerning issues such as economic disadvantage. “Ethical fairness was ‘a big part’ of Labour politics,” she stated. “It stems from our roots, how we think about disparity in society, ensuring we have a fair framework.” Emerging Currents Nonetheless, there exists a different and newer side to religion in UK politics, one influenced by American ideas of faith-based nationalism. The activist Tommy Robinson has started to present himself as explicitly Christian, although much of this is done as a counterpoint to Islam. In a similar vein, Nick Tenconi, who leads the UK branch of the Turning Point group, includes social media messaging about the country needing to “re-embrace Christianity” combined with anti-Islam content. One striking manifestation of this, a linked nationalist Christian group named King’s Army paraded through Soho, a location seemingly chosen as it is the centre of London’s LGBT community. A Niche Phenomenon These elements remain, however, relatively marginal in UK politics. While commentators sometimes depict certain figures as wealthy incubators of American-style religious politics, associates maintain they are little more than observant believers who are strongly opposed to any politicisation of faith. Kruger is not shy of occasional off-piste rhetoric, for example in an address to censure what he said was a younger generation indoctrinated by a mix of ideologies. “Here in Britain you do have a few Christian nationalists, but when it comes to politics it more often be a sort of Christian nostalgia, linked to our historical character,” noted an analyst. One Christian MP on the right observed that while the issue of assisted dying had united MPs with faith, any links beyond that felt limited. “I do not get the sense of much of an organized faith-based lobby,” they commented. “For me, my faith is more a basis for what I personally hold. And here, religion is not really a decisive electoral issue.”