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At recent Reform UK press conferences, a pair of notable figures can often be spotted in the front row: the pale hair of Danny Kruger and the styled blond hair of James Orr.

Beyond shaping the policy programme for what might become the UK’s future administration, the duo have something else in common. Each is a deeply committed Christian who came to religion in adulthood, and possess strong opinions on matters of society such as reproductive rights and the family.

A Network of Faith

Kruger, an MP, who switched allegiance from the Conservatives, and Orr, a university scholar, are members of the advisory board of a rightwing thinktank called the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship.

Another member is Paul Marshall, the hedge fund millionaire who owns GB News and the rightwing Spectator magazine. He is also a practising Christian.

“Religion, specifically evangelical Christianity, has in recent decades been one of the defining elements of US rightwing politics,” with its adherents forming the bedrock of a particular political support.

Transatlantic Links

Parallels do exist. Orr is sufficiently close to the US Vice-President that he has hosted him at his family home. Orr is also involved in the NatCon movement, which has connections to the American faith-based populist world.

But any closer parallels soon fall down due to a simple matter of scale. While polling shows that nearly a quarter of US adults are evangelicals, the proportion for the UK is roughly one-tenth of that at most.

The UK Evangelical Vote

An additional crucial element to consider. While US evangelicals tilt strongly to the right, new polling by the UK’s Evangelical Alliance suggests that the broader situation in Britain is quite different.

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

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

“Among evangelicals there can be a dissonance between personal views, especially on social issues, and how people cast their ballot,” said one advocacy head. “For example, someone might have a firm stance on abortion, but they do not view voting as a way to lead to change.”

Cross-Party Belief

Evangelism does exist in parliament, including all-party faith-based meetings. But it is a reality present on the political left, with figures like Kruger countered by Tim Farron and the Labour MP Rachael Maskell.

She has been very open about how faith shapes her politics, especially concerning issues such as poverty.

“Moral justice was ‘a big part’ of the party's ethos,” Maskell argued. “It stems from our roots, how we think about inequality in society, ensuring we have a just system.”

Emerging Currents

There is, however a different and newer side to religion in UK politics, one influenced by American ideas of religious nationalism.

The activist Tommy Robinson has begun to portray himself as openly a Christian, though a lot of this is done as a counterpoint to Islam.

Similarly, Nick Tenconi, who leads the UK branch of Turning Point, includes social media messaging about the country needing to “re-embrace Christianity” alongside anti-Islam content.

One striking manifestation of this, a Turning Point-allied nationalist Christian group named King’s Army paraded through Soho, a location seemingly chosen as it is the heart of London’s LGBT community.

A Niche Phenomenon

All this remains, however, relatively marginal in UK politics. While critics sometimes depict certain figures as wealthy incubators of American-style religious politics, friends maintain they are simply observant believers who are strongly opposed to any politicisation of faith.

Kruger is not averse to sometimes unconventional language, for example in an address to condemn what he said was a younger generation indoctrinated 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 Christian nostalgia, linked to our historical character,” noted an analyst.

A parliamentarian of faith with conservative views observed that while the issue of assisted dying had helped bring together MPs with faith, any connections beyond that felt limited.

“I certainly don’t get the sense of much of an evangelical lobby,” they said. “In my view, my faith is more a foundation for what I already believe. And here, religion is not really a vote winner.”