Britain’s first openly atheist prime minister has spoken of the importance of Christian values and faith, and praised the work that churches do in their local communities.
Speaking in an interview with Premier Christian News, Sir Keir Starmer said, “I think they're [Christian values] really important for two reasons, one, because that sense of looking after other people, not seeing anybody as a lost soul, and working to ensure that we support and get the best out of everybody.”
He added, “In times when people feel insecure, and I think they do at the moment, faith is really important, it's like a north star. And I've seen this so many times, where in moments of insecurity, people reach for faith as a sort of still set of values, if you like, or a sort of a solid point that they can understand and that it gives them reassurance. So, I think in that respect, it's really important as well.”
Starmer praised the volunteering spirit, found particularly in churches, saying they made a real difference in tough economic times.
“For me, the church volunteers this Christmas are doing us all proud in terms of their input, but they're also telling a story about who we are as a country, and I think that's really important. We need to keep on telling that story. They are the true Britain, and I passionately believe that, and that is under challenge in a way that I don't think it has been in the past.”
Starmer also said that the government should do more in partnership with churches and other volunteer groups and should do more to support them.
His comments come after significant concerns have been raised about the government’s tax policies and plans, which have led to the closure of Christian private schools, and threaten the financial stability of churches and vicarages across the nation.
While Starmer may not be the first atheist prime minister, he is the first to declare his stance openly.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has publicly stated that she no longer believes in God, citing the horrors of the Josef Fritzl case. Reform’s Nigel Farage has described himself as a “somewhat lapsed” member of the Church of England, while the Lib Dem’s Ed Davey is a regular churchgoer. The Greens' Zack Polanski has "very proud to be be Jewish".
