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“Doing God” in Number 10: British Prime Ministers, Religion, and Political Rhetoric

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 January 2015

Andrew S. Crines  and
Kevin Theakston
Andrew S. Crines*
Affiliation:
University of Leeds
Kevin Theakston*
Affiliation:
University of Leeds
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Andrew S. Crines, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2, 9JT, United Kingdom. E-mail: a.s.crines@leeds.ac.uk; or Kevin Theakston, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2, 9JT, United Kingdom. E-mail: k.theakston@leeds.ac.uk.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Andrew S. Crines, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2, 9JT, United Kingdom. E-mail: a.s.crines@leeds.ac.uk; or Kevin Theakston, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2, 9JT, United Kingdom. E-mail: k.theakston@leeds.ac.uk.
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Abstract

This article analyses British prime ministers' use of religious language and their own religious beliefs in their political rhetoric. This is used to justify policy, support their ideological positions, present a public persona, and cultivate their personal ethical appeal and credibility as values-driven political leaders. The focus is on the use and the nature of the religious arguments of Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron. As political leaders, British prime ministers are aware of the need to modify and tailor their language in response to changing audiences and contexts. “Doing God” is a difficult and risky rhetorical strategy for British prime ministers but it increasingly has the potential to yield political benefits.

Type
Articles
Information
Politics and Religion , Volume 8 , Issue 1 , March 2015 , pp. 155 - 177
Copyright
Copyright © Religion and Politics Section of the American Political Science Association 2015 

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