Religion and Politics: Is the Conservative Christian Wing on the Rise in UK Politics?

At recent Reform UK media events, a pair of notable heads can often be seen in the front row: the near-white locks of party policy chief Danny Kruger and the styled blond hair of James Orr.

As well as guiding the policy programme for what might become the UK’s future administration, the duo have something else in common. Each is a highly devout believer who found religion in adulthood, and hold trenchant views on social issues such as abortion and the family.

A Network of Faith

Kruger, an MP, who switched allegiance from the Conservatives, and Orr, a university scholar, are members of the steering committee of a conservative policy group known as the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship.

Another member is Paul Marshall, the investment tycoon who owns GB News and the rightwing Spectator magazine. Marshall is a practising Christian.

“Faith, particularly Protestant evangelism, has in recent decades been a key characteristic of US rightwing politics,” with its adherents forming the bedrock of a particular political support.

Transatlantic Links

Parallels do exist. Orr is personally connected to the US Vice-President that he has welcomed him at his family home. Orr is also involved in the National Conservatism movement, which has ties to the American faith-based populist world.

But any closer parallels quickly break down due to a simple matter of scale. While polling shows that close to a fourth of US adults are evangelical Christians, the figure for the UK is about a tenth of that at most.

The UK Evangelical Vote

An additional important factor to take into account. While US evangelicals lean firmly 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 shows Labour in the lead with 26% support. Reform and the Liberal Democrats are tied on 20%, with the Conservatives on 18%.

Further polling reveal backing from evangelicals for increased welfare payments, but also concerted alarm about plans to legalise assisted suicide.

“Among evangelicals there can be a gap between opinions, particularly regarding social issues, and how people cast their ballot,” explained a representative. “As an instance, someone might have a firm stance on abortion, but they do not view voting as likely to lead to change.”

Faith Across the Aisle

Evangelism is present in parliament, including all-party prayer group meetings. But it is a phenomenon also of the left, with figures like Kruger balanced out by the Lib Dem Tim Farron and the Labour MP Rachael Maskell.

She has been very open about how her beliefs shapes her politics, notably on issues such as economic disadvantage.

“Ethical fairness was ‘a big part’ of the party's ethos,” Maskell argued. “It’s part of our roots, how we think about disparity in society, ensuring we have a fair framework.”

A Newer Strain

There is, however a distinct and more recent side to religion in UK politics, one influenced by US concepts of religious nationalism.

Tommy Robinson has begun to portray 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, posts social media messaging about the country needing to “return to Christ” combined with anti-Muslim content.

In a dramatic display 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 critics sometimes depict certain figures as financial backers of American-style religious politics, associates insist they are little more than observant believers who are firmly against any politicisation of faith.

Kruger is not averse to sometimes unconventional language, for example using a speech to censure what he said was a younger generation influenced by a blend of ideologies.

“Here in Britain you do have a few Christian nationalists, but when it comes to politics it tends to be a sort of longing for a Christian past, linked to our historical character,” said one commentator.

One Christian MP with conservative views noted that while the issue of assisted dying had united MPs with faith, any links beyond that felt limited.

“I certainly don’t get the sense of much of an organized faith-based lobby,” they commented. “In my view, my faith is more a basis for what I already believe. And here, religion is not really a vote winner.”