PM's Christianity remarks 'divisive'

David Cameron risks causing "alienation" in society by saying Britain is a "Christian country", a group of public figures has warned.

Author Sir Terry Prachett was among those who signed a letter to the Daily Telegraph making the claim.

The UK should be "more confident about our status as a Christian country", Mr Cameron has said. 

A Downing Street spokeswoman said the PM had long said the UK is a Christian country.

More than 50 writers, scientists, broadcasters and academics, including author Philip Pullman, performer Tim Minchin, journalist Polly Toynbee, philosopher AC Grayling and presenter Dan Snow, signed the open letter. 

Its lead signatory is Professor Jim Al-Khalili, president of the British Humanist Association. 

In the letter, the group said it respected the prime minister's right to his own religious beliefs.

But it continued: "We object to his characterisation of Britain as a 'Christian country' and the negative consequences for politics and society that this engenders.

"Apart from in the narrow constitutional sense that we continue to have an established Church, Britain is not a 'Christian country'."

They said Britain was a "plural society" that was largely "non-religious".

"Constantly to claim otherwise fosters alienation and division in our society," the letter said. 

Most Britons "do not want religions or religious identities to be actively prioritised by their elected government", it concluded. 

'Multi-faith society'

Philosopher Jonathan Glover, academic and broadcaster Professor Alice Roberts, Nobel Prize-winning scientist Harold Kroto and human rights lawyer Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC also signed the letter.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the assertion Britain is a Christian country was "not factually accurate".

He said a YouGov poll found 65% of people questioned described themselves as "not religious", while 29% said they were. He said those people would have come from a range of faiths - not just Christianity.

Mr Tatchell said: "He (Mr Cameron) has gone out of his way to assert that we are a Christian country when the evidence shows we are not. We are a multi-faith society, we are also a no-faith society."

This is contrary to figures released by the ONS following the 2011 census, which found that, despite a drop of four million in the number of people who said they were Christians in England and Wales from the previous census, 59% of residents still described themselves as Christian.

Christina Rees, a member of the General Synod, the highest governing body of the Church of England, said she was glad Mr Cameron had the "confidence" to talk about his faith and was "absolutely right" to call the UK a "Christian nation".

She said the UK had "historically and culturally" been a Christian country for "many hundreds of years" and its laws and literature had been "infused with Christianity".

Anil Bhanot, managing director of the Hindu Council UK, said he was "very comfortable" with the UK being described as a Christian country, saying many Hindu people in the UK enjoy celebrating Christmas and Easter.

"People can secularise those traditions but it doesn't take away from the fact that the country was based in Christian traditions," he said.

'Incredibly proud'

In an article for the Church Times earlier this month Mr Cameron said Christians should be "confident" in standing up to defend their values. 

This did not mean "doing down" other religions, he added. 

The prime minister also spoke of his faith in his Easter message, saying he found "peace" in Christianity. 

A Downing Street spokeswoman referred to a speech made three years ago by the prime minister to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible where he said the UK was a Christian country and should not be afraid to say so. 

"He [Mr Cameron] also added that this was not to say in any way that to have another faith - or no faith - was somehow wrong.

"He has said on many occasions that he is incredibly proud that Britain is home to many different faith communities, who do so much to make the UK a stronger country."

BBC political correspondent Chris Mason said it was "always tricky" for political leaders to venture into religious debate.

However, he said Mr Cameron's comments could also be politically "useful", coming as the UK Independence Party (UKIP) has been "emphasising traditional values". BBC