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During recent the Reform party press conferences, two very distinctive figures can often be seen in the front row: the pale hair of Danny Kruger and the styled blond hair of James Orr.

As well as guiding the political agenda for what could be the UK’s next government, the pair share another trait in common. Each is a deeply committed Christian who came to religion in later life, and hold strong opinions on matters of society such as reproductive rights and the family.

Connections and Convictions

The MP Kruger, who defected from the Conservatives, and Orr, a university scholar, also sit on the steering committee of a rightwing thinktank known as the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship.

A further participant is Paul Marshall, the investment tycoon who owns GB News and the conservative Spectator magazine. He is also a practising Christian.

“Religion, specifically evangelical Christianity, has in recent decades been a key characteristic of American conservative politics,” with its adherents providing the core of a particular political support.

Cross-Over Connections

There are some links. Orr is sufficiently close to the US Vice-President that he has welcomed him at his private residence. 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 basic issue of scale. While polling shows that nearly a fourth of US adults are evangelicals, the proportion for the UK is about a tenth of that at the very most.

A Different Landscape

An additional crucial element to consider. While US evangelicals tilt strongly to the political right, recent surveys by the UK’s Evangelical Alliance suggests that the wider picture here is markedly distinct.

A poll of nearly 1,500 evangelicals places the Labour Party in the first place with over a quarter backing. The Reform party and Liberal Democrats are level on 20%, with the Conservatives on 18%.

Other questions reveal backing from evangelicals for more generous welfare payments, but also significant concern about plans to permit assisted dying.

“Among evangelicals there can be a gap between opinions, particularly regarding social issues, and how people vote,” said one advocacy head. “For example, someone might have a firm stance on abortion, but they don’t see voting as a way to lead to change.”

Faith Across the Aisle

Evangelical belief is present in parliament, including cross-party faith-based meetings. But it is a phenomenon present on the left, with figures like Kruger balanced out by the Lib Dem Tim Farron and the Labour Party Member of Parliament Rachael Maskell.

Maskell is very open about how her beliefs informs her politics, notably on issues such as economic disadvantage.

“Moral justice was ‘a big part’ of the party's ethos,” she stated. “It’s part of our foundations, how we think about disparity in society, making sure we have a fair framework.”

A Newer Strain

There is, however a distinct and more recent side to religion in UK politics, one more closely modelled on US concepts of faith-based nationalism.

The activist Tommy Robinson has begun to present himself as explicitly Christian, although much of this is done as a contrast to Islam.

In a similar vein, Nick Tenconi, who leads the UK outpost of Turning Point, includes social media messaging about the country needing to “re-embrace Christianity” combined with anti-Islam content.

One striking manifestation of this, a Turning Point-allied Christian nationalist group called King’s Army marched in formation through Soho, a location apparently selected as it is the heart of London’s LGBT community.

Limited Influence

All this remains, however, relatively marginal in UK politics. While critics sometimes portray certain figures as wealthy incubators of American-style religious politics, associates maintain they are little more than devout believers who are firmly against any politicisation of faith.

Kruger is not averse to sometimes unconventional rhetoric, 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 historic identity,” noted an analyst.

A parliamentarian of faith with conservative views observed that while the issue of assisted dying had united MPs with faith, any links beyond that felt restricted.

“I certainly don’t get the sense of much of an organized faith-based lobby,” they commented. “For me, my faith is more a foundation for what I already believe. And here, religion is not really a decisive electoral issue.”