Christians should not be sidelined, says Pickles

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has vowed to put Christian values at the heart of the Government.

Speaking to the Sunday Express, he said Christians should not be “sideline” and promised to do away with political correctness.

He said: “I am determined to ensure that Christians are not seen as some kind of strange sidelined religion.

“Religious tolerance is immensely important. Religion has a valued and important role in binding our society together and is a vital part of the cultural fabric of the English and British nations.

“Labour tried to force Britons to turn their back on faith and heritage in the name of political correctness.”

Part of that, he suggested, would be ensuring that Christian festivals were celebrated for what they were instead of being renamed.

“Can you honestly tell me someone who has ever said to you ‘Merry Winter-ice’? No, they have not. Winter festivals exist only in the minds of beanbag-sitting weirdos,” he said.

He added that he wanted to use the pastoral experience of the Church of England and the Catholic Church “in getting out there into the community”.

“I am not going to make prayers compulsory or insist that people have to attend religious festivals but I am determined to recognise that pastoral work, particularly in difficult areas, is something I want to build on,” he said.

The role of Christianity in the public square has come under intense scrutiny in recent years, with the launch of secularist campaigns to ban Christian prayers at local council meetings and threats of dismissals made by employers against Christians who mention God or offer prayer in the workplace or to clients.

The Lord Mayor of Leicester last month confirmed that he would put a stop to prayers at the start of council meetings, saying they were “outdated, unnecessary and intrusive”.

Last Christmas, Dundee City Council in Scotland came under fire when it renamed its traditional switching on of the Christmas lights “Winter Light Night”.

The Council had initially planned a night of illuminations and entertainment but dropped all reference to Christmas and the traditional Christmas message from a local church leader from the programme of events. It was forced to u-turn after widespread protest and re-instate the traditional message in the programme.