Lent has barely begun, yet on the right of British politics the resurrection has already arrived. God, it seems, is back on the ballot. In the great schism of parties beginning with “re”, Rupert Lowe has launched his bid to “Restore Britain”, positioning himself as the more muscular alternative to Nigel Farage’s Reform. Restore promises to go further and faster – particularly on immigration and cultural decay – and faith has been placed front and centre. On launch day last week, Lowe declared: “Britain is a Christian country, and under a Restore Britain Government – it will remain a Christian country.”

Reform swiftly discovered its own ecclesiastical zeal

Reform swiftly discovered its own ecclesiastical zeal

Not to be outdone, Reform swiftly discovered its own ecclesiastical zeal. Zia Yusuf, cast by Nigel Farage as a prospective Home Secretary, assured readers in the Times that Reform would “restore Britain’s Christian heritage”, floating policies such as reintroducing Christianity into the school curriculum and banning church buildings from being converted into mosques.

It is a curious moment of popularity for a faith that, until recently, was treated by much of polite society as faintly embarrassing. The difficulty is that Britain has not been recognisably Christian for some time.

The 2021 Census marked the first occasion on which fewer than half of the population........

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