I asked my staff to pray when I was in charge, admits Blair

By DAVID MADDOX
Published on 25/07/2012 01:00

TONY Blair admitted last night that he once ordered members of staff to pray.

The admission came while Mr Blair was taking part in a debate on the role of religion in public life alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.

He said he had done so despite the comment from press secretary Alastair Campbell that “We [New Labour] don’t do God”.

He told the audience of 450 people in central London: “I remember the Salvation Army coming to see me when I was leader of the opposition. At the end of it, she [a Salvationist] said: ‘We’re all going to kneel in prayer’.

“There were two members of my office, who should remain nameless, who looked aghast. I said: ‘You’ll have to get on your knees.’ One of them said, ‘For God’s sake’ and I said, ‘Exactly’.”

Mr Blair, who converted to Catholicism, the faith of his wife, Cherie, added: “One of the things I loved about meeting such people in office was their unashamed proclamation of their faith.”