David Cameron welcomes the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby

By Matthew Barrett
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David Cameron has welcomed the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who was appointed this morning. The Prime Minister said:

"I welcome Justin Welby’s appointment as the new Archbishop of Canterbury.  The Church of England plays an important role in our society, not just as the established church, but in the provision of education, help for the deprived and in furthering social justice. I look forward to working with the Archbishop in all of these areas and I wish him success in his new role"

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Eric Pickles defends Christian Britain from the European courts - and Nick Clegg

By Matthew Barrett
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Eric Pickles' brief can be a deceptively broad one. It seems rather incongruous that he should spend half of his time on seemingly narrow tasks like trying to get local councils to cut out waste and be more efficient at providing public services, and the other half of his time on "Communities" - ie religion.

However, his department has taken note of the latter set of responsibilities. I recall Bob Neill, who left the DCLG in the reshuffle last week, responding to a trouble-making Labour question about Christmas celebrations in 2010, saying "the new Administration is committed to celebrating Christmas, including its Christian heritage. We should not allow politically correct Grinches to marginalise Christmas and the importance of the birth of Christ.". 

So it is that the responsibility of defending Christianity in Britain has fallen to Eric Pickles, who writes for the Daily Telegraph this morning. He has two fronts on which to fight: firstly, European courts attacking the right for Christians to wear symbols like the crucifix at work. This fight is not helped by the Government's own lawyers arguing that Christians do not have their rights violated by having religious symbols banned, because they can simply find another job. Mr Pickles writes:

"Banning discreet religious symbols for reasons of political correctness is not acceptable. We should challenge the nonsense that religious displays could “cause offence” and therefore should be hidden from view. The Government’s opposition to a European Court of Human Rights challenge on crucifixes should not be misinterpreted as supporting secularism: rather, we are resisting Brussels interference and gold-plating of what should be a matter for common sense."

However, Mr Pickles rejects language about the oppression of Christianity in Britain, which he sees as overblown, saying: "To suggest that Christians in our country are literally persecuted would be to demean the suffering of those around the world facing repression, imprisonment and death."

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Relaxation of Sunday trading will upset churchgoers, family campaigners and a good number of Tory MPs

By Tim Montgomerie
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When the Government first flirted with the idea of relaxing Sunday trading laws my colleague Paul Goodman was very unimpressed. Is this the most anti-Christian government in British history?, he asked. But it's not just churchgoers who don't like the idea. By 52% to 36% most Britons oppose further deregulation of Sunday opening.

Further deregulation does enjoy the support of some leading business groups, however. On yesterday's Today programme Mark Wallace of the Institute of Directors was making the case for the relaxation of Sunday trading laws to be made permanent, following its temporary introduction for the course of the Olympic and Paralympic games. The Government has promised to consider whether the experiment served to boost the retail economy.

George Osborne and Eric Pickles are said to be sympathetic to a permanent extension of opening hours but opposition from the Liberal Democrats and from some Tory backbenchers is likely to scupper any change. Philip Johnston reminds Telegraph readers that, in 1986, Margaret Thatcher's majority of 140 was overturned by Tory MPs opposed to her plan for complete deregulation of Sunday trading. It was the most effective and biggest rebellion of her time as Prime Minister. Today's Tory leadership does not need another clash with its Coalition partners and own backbench.

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The great Tory gay marriage mess

By Paul Goodman
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Let's start by considering the gay marriage proposal from the viewpoint of practical politics, rather than conviction one way or the other.  There was no big campaigning push for it after the introduction of civil partnerships.  Polls show that the idea divides the generations: younger people tend to be for it and older people not.  In particular, the Conservative base - which is elderly - is opposed.  The views of religious people are not uniform, but the two biggest churches, one of which is England's national church, are against the proposal, and most Christians will line up with them.  In short, most surveys show about a third of voters against the idea, and it is usually bad politics to seek to force through change which a majority or plurality of voters favour tepidly but a significant minority oppose passionately.

The only strategic reason for seeking to introduce gay marriage, therefore, is to seek to win younger, and doubtless new and urban-based voters at the expense of older and more rural-dwelling ones who tend to vote Tory, and to do so without any grasp of in which seats Christian or gay voters - who tend to line up on either side of the debate - are concentrated, and indeed how the numbers break down more broadly.  To make such a move, therefore, is a gambit straight out of the Blair textbook - a "Clause Four moment" based on the dual premise that the base of a political party has nowhere else to go (though the Christian vote, if that's the right phrase for it, is extremely diverse) and that such moments exist in the first place.

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Most EU leaders would give their eye teeth to be in Cameron's shoes, claims Matthew Parris

By Tim Montgomerie
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If you want some optimism this weekend I recommend Matthew Parris' Times column. There's no Times paywall for the Jubilee weekend and he argues that, despite the media froth, the Coalition is actually doing quite well. Most Eurozone leaders would, he writes, give their eye teeth for the troubles that this Government faces. While they are worried about economic catastrophe the worst facing Cameron et al are headlines about pasty taxes and a Leveson enquiry that is boring the nation to death.

Here is the meat of Matthew's argument:

"Our economy is broadly flat and likely to remain so. Disappointing, but remind yourself that there is something worse than a flat economy and in Spain and Greece they know it. Unemployment here remains stubbornly high. Depressing, but look at both the levels and the direction of unemployment in some economies across the Channel. Inflation in Britain remains a bit above target. Irritating, but thank heavens it has proved possible to maintain monetary stimulus without a more alarming price spiral. Put briefly and crudely, Britain’s domestic economic weather is dull but remarkably stable; most people have jobs; most jobs seem more or less secure; most people’s wages are flat or dipping slightly. And in the world beyond we see economies that are collapsing around people’s ears. We are not living in such interesting times. Others are. Two cheers for that.

Meanwhile, outside economics, we have a Government that in two short years has been incredibly productive. They have bitten the bullet on university financing and in schools policy turned an evolution into a revolution. Changes to social welfare, with universal credit, will prove a bigger revolution. A massive, Lib Dem-inspired hike in the threshold at which the lower-paid pay tax is an underpraised triumph. An almost untold story is the measured and modest way spending is being curbed, ministers showing steadiness under fire from the proponents both of the axe and the splurge. Almost as a sideline our Armed Forces and diplomatists have saved a revolution in Libya and planned an orderly withdrawal from a futile war in Afghanistan."

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A small minority of Pakistani men, warns Sayeeda Warsi, see women as "second class citizens" and white women as "third class citizens"

By Tim Montgomerie
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“There is a small minority of Pakistani men who believe that white girls are fair game and we have to be prepared to say that. You can only start solving a problem if you acknowledge it first... This small minority who see women as second class citizens, and white women probably as third class citizens, are to be spoken out against."

With these words the straight-talking Baroness Warsi, the co-Chairman of the Conservative Party, has entered the debate about the sexual grooming of young girls in Rochdale by men, mainly of Pakistani origin. If Muslim and other leaders fail to be “open and front-footed” she warns that extremists such as the BNP will fill the gap and peddle hate. Former Home Secretary Jack Straw had been the most senior politician to comment until now. He had stated "there is a specific problem which involves Pakistani heritage men... who target vulnerable young white girls" and see them as "easy meat".

Read Baroness Warsi's full interview in the London Evening Standard.

Her comments follow tip-toeing and obfuscation by other public figures. The Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, Steve Heywood, has for example denied race and origin as an important factor. "It just happens," he said, "that in this particular area and time, the demographics were that these were Asian men." Sue Berelowitz, the Deputy Children’s Commissioner, had also tried to diminish the cultural factors in Rochdale.

This is not the first time the Tory Chairman has tackled extremists within the Muslim and Asian communities. She did so two years ago after fanatics pelted her with eggs.

The Archbishop of Canterbury urges Michael Gove to include RE in the English Baccalaureate

By Tim Montgomerie
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I'd rather churchleaders used the holiest day in the Christian calendar to talk about one thing and one thing only - the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. They get two guaranteed opportunities every year when they know that news outlets will definitely report what they say. If, today, they talk about the Easter message and only the Easter message that's what will be reported. If they bash Israel or talk about RE teaching in schools - as Rowan Williams has done - that's what will lead the 8am Radio 4 bulletins etc etc and, surprise, surprise, that is exactly what has transpired.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is, nonetheless, correct in principle to raise the question of RE's status in schools. He will apparently use his sermon at Canterbury Cathedral to warn Michael Gove against excluding Religious Education from the English Baccalaureate:

"There is plenty to suggest that younger people, while still statistically deeply unlikely to be churchgoers, don't have the hostility to faith that one might expect, but at least share some... sense that there is something here to take seriously - when they have a chance to learn about it. It is about the worst possible moment to downgrade the status and professional excellence of religious education in secondary schools."

The Education Secretary's English Baccalaureate will rank English schools according to the number of pupils who get good GCSEs in five core subjects. Those subjects being English, maths, science, a language and a humanities subject. That humanities subject has to be geography or history. The EBacc is, overall, a very good idea and attempts to discourage schools from gaming exam tables by organising their students into studying softer subjects. I agree with Dr Williams, however, in thinking RE could be one of the five subjects, sitting alongside history and geography in the humanities slot.

Anyway it's Easter Day - so I'd like to wish all readers a very Happy Easter and for those fellow Christian readers out there: "Jesus Christ Is Risen Today! Hallelujah!"

David Cameron's Easter and Passover messages

By Matthew Barrett
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David Cameron has issued messages to Christians and Jews, celebrating Easter and Passover respectively. The Prime Minister's Easter message:

"Easter week is a very important moment in the Christian calendar, so I would like to extend my best wishes to everyone here in the United Kingdom, and across the world, at this special time of year. This is the time when, as Christians, we remember the life, sacrifice and living legacy of Christ. The New Testament tells us so much about the character of Jesus; a man of incomparable compassion, generosity, grace, humility and love. These are the values that Jesus embraced, and I believe these are values people of any faith, or no faith, can also share in, and admire. It is values like these that make our country what it is - a place which is tolerant, generous and caring. A nation which has an established faith, that together is most content when we are defined by what we are for, rather than defined by what we are against. In the book of Luke, we are told that Jesus said, "Do to others as you would have them do to you" - advice that when followed makes for a happier, and better society for everyone. So as families and friends get together this week, I would like to send my best wishes to you all, and I hope and pray you have a very happy and peaceful Easter."

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Is this the most anti-Christian Government in British history?

By Paul Goodman
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First, Ministers announced that the consultation on gay marriage would not be whether to carry it out but how to do so.

Next, they confirmed that they do not supporting the claimed right to wear a cross at work.

And today we learn that George Osborne has decided to tear up the Sunday trading laws (forget the flannel about "suspending" them: the move will be permanent).  This initiative is being applauded by all right-thinking political journalists and think-tankers on Twitter as I write, and is therefore obviously mistaken.

(Tim has also pointed out that the Foreign Office is rather backward about coming forward over the persecution of Christians abroad.)

Not all churchgoers oppose gay marriage, or believe that Christians should have the right to wear a cross at work, or are opposed to relaxing the Sunday trading laws...but a lot of them object to one or the other or two or all three.

David Cameron and Osborne must either be confident that they already have the churchgoing vote wrapped up for 2015, or else be trying to write off as much of it as possible.  The alternative explanation - that they are tone-deaf to what Christians think - is too absurd to contemplate.

The question posed by my headline is doubtless one for John Rentoul, but I suspect that some churchgoers will now begin to ask it in earnest.

The public don't think gay marriage should be a priority for the Coalition. Will it fall by the wayside?

By Matthew Barrett
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There's a poll in the Sunday Telegraph today showing attitudes towards gay marriage. The population at large favours gay marriage "in principle" by 45% to 36%. More relevant to the Government is the question of whether people think the Coalition should prioritise it over issues like the economy. The Telegraph reports that 78% of voters think it wrong to prioritise gay marriage legislation, and only 14% say it would be right to do so.

Opinion is a little more pronounced amongst Conservative voters: 50% oppose gay marriage - with 35% in favour, and 88% of Tories think it would be wrong to prioritise gay marriage. So Tories are not supportive, and are divided. Voters in general are supportive, but divided. One thing that does unite people: not thinking it should be a priority. 

There are some wider problems with the Government's focus on gay marriage. Firstly, there is a danger that David Cameron looks distracted from the big issues - the economy, public service reform, etc. Not only is he seen to be spending time on gay marriage, but Lords reform is another topic that seems remote from most voters' ordinary lives. Secondly, even if the Tories want to be on the side of gay marriage in the long term, there are few political benefits in the short term. There are fewer liberals willing to vote Conservative because of the prospect of gay marriage than there are social conservatives ready to desert the Party because of this policy. Even the LGBT community seems relaxed about the whole issue. There is no grassroots urgency for gay marriage.

Whatever individual readers might think about gay marriage itself, clearly it is a politically tricky policy for the Tories to focus on. Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised if it's another policy that doesn't come to a vote in the Commons.