Westminster Insider

Does Westminster do God?


Listen Later

Alistair Campbell famously once proclaimed of Tony Blair's government: "we don't do God." Two decades on, this week on Westminster Insider, host Sascha O'Sullivan goes to the politicians' church St Bartholomew the `Great to find out if that's still true.


She speaks to some of parliament's most prominent Christians about the influence of religion on politics. Liberal Democrat Tim Farron tells Sascha about stepping step down from the leadership of his party after being confronted with a choice between "being a good leader and a good Christian."


Tory MP and evangelical Christian Danny Kruger shares with Sascha how his religion informs his values as a politician and drives the policies he has helped lobby for with Conservative colleagues.


Sascha speaks to Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, nicknamed "the rev" because of his faith, about how his support for gay marriage legislation in 2012, led to him being "condemned by the local priest three Sundays in a row." And how, he says, he feels the need to make the case for Christian politics on the left as a louder religious voice emerges in Conservative politics.


POLITICO Playbook reporter Bethany Dawson takes Sascha inside the Alliance for Responsible Citizens conference, where British and American politicians openly called for a return to our "Judeo-Christian foundations."


And Bishop Alan Smith of St Albans makes the case for bishops in the House of Lords, while Lib Dem peer Lorely Burt and journalist Tali Fraser argue that Christian traditions still present in parliament can prove alienating for non believers and people of other faiths.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Westminster InsiderBy POLITICO

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

31 ratings


More shows like Westminster Insider

View all
POLITICO's Off Message by POLITICO

POLITICO's Off Message

609 Listeners

The Week in Westminster by BBC Radio 4

The Week in Westminster

29 Listeners

Political Fix by Financial Times

Political Fix

143 Listeners

Politics Weekly UK by The Guardian

Politics Weekly UK

267 Listeners

Daily Politics from the New Statesman by The New Statesman

Daily Politics from the New Statesman

140 Listeners

The Conversation with Dasha Burns by POLITICO

The Conversation with Dasha Burns

1,511 Listeners

Westminster Hour by BBC Radio 4

Westminster Hour

46 Listeners

POLITICO's Pulse Check by POLITICO

POLITICO's Pulse Check

453 Listeners

Coffee House Shots by The Spectator

Coffee House Shots

177 Listeners

Politics Unpacked by Times Radio

Politics Unpacked

111 Listeners

The Playbook Podcast by POLITICO

The Playbook Podcast

696 Listeners

Power Play by POLITICO

Power Play

963 Listeners

Women Rule by POLITICO

Women Rule

308 Listeners

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson by BBC Radio 4

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson

99 Listeners

EU Confidential by POLITICO

EU Confidential

99 Listeners

POLITICO Money by POLITICO

POLITICO Money

206 Listeners

Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards by Steve Richards

Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards

50 Listeners

POLITICO Energy by POLITICO

POLITICO Energy

140 Listeners

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government by Institute for Government

Inside Briefing with the Institute for Government

24 Listeners

POLITICO Tech by POLITICO

POLITICO Tech

390 Listeners

Electoral Dysfunction by Sky News

Electoral Dysfunction

90 Listeners

How To Win An Election by Times Radio

How To Win An Election

23 Listeners

Political Currency by Persephonica

Political Currency

125 Listeners

Politics At Sam and Anne's by Sky News

Politics At Sam and Anne's

39 Listeners

POLITICO Berlin Playbook by POLITICO

POLITICO Berlin Playbook

11 Listeners

Not Another One by Steve Richards, Miranda Green, Tim Montgomerie and Iain Martin

Not Another One

24 Listeners