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At recent the Reform party press conferences, a pair of notable heads can often be seen in the front row: the near-white locks of party policy chief Danny Kruger and the swept-back blond mane of senior adviser James Orr.

Beyond shaping the political agenda for what could be the UK’s next government, the duo have something else in common. Each is a highly devout believer who came to religion in later life, and hold trenchant views on matters of society such as abortion and the family.

Connections and Convictions

Kruger, an MP, who defected from the Conservatives, and Orr, a university scholar, are members of the steering committee of a conservative policy group known as the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship.

A further participant is the financier Paul Marshall, the hedge fund millionaire who owns GB News and the rightwing Spectator magazine. He is also a practising Christian.

“Faith, particularly Protestant evangelism, has in recent decades been a key characteristic of American conservative politics,” with its adherents forming the bedrock of Donald Trump’s support.

Cross-Over Connections

There are some links. Orr is sufficiently close to JD Vance that he has hosted him at his family home. Orr is also involved in the NatCon movement, which has connections to the US religious-populism world.

However, direct comparisons soon fall down due to a simple matter of numbers. While surveys indicate that close to a fourth of US adults are evangelical Christians, the proportion for the UK is roughly one-tenth of that at the very most.

The UK Evangelical Vote

An additional crucial element to consider. While US evangelicals tilt strongly to the political right, new polling by the UK’s Evangelical Alliance suggests that the wider picture in Britain is markedly distinct.

A poll of nearly 1,500 evangelicals shows Labour in the first place with over a quarter backing. The Reform party and Liberal Democrats are tied on 20%, with the Conservatives on 18%.

Further polling reveal backing from evangelicals for increased welfare payments, but also significant concern about plans to permit assisted dying.

“Sometimes with evangelicals there can be a dissonance between opinions, especially on social issues, and how people cast their ballot,” said one advocacy head. “As an instance, someone might have a strong opinion on abortion, but they don’t see voting as a way to lead to change.”

Faith Across the Aisle

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

Maskell is very open about how her beliefs shapes her politics, notably on issues such as poverty.

“Moral justice was ‘a big part’ of the party's ethos,” she stated. “It’s part of our foundations, how we think about inequality in society, making sure we have a fair framework.”

Emerging Currents

Nonetheless, there exists a distinct and more recent side to religion in UK politics, one more closely modelled on American ideas of religious nationalism.

Tommy Robinson has started to portray himself as openly a Christian, though a lot of this is done as a contrast to Islam.

In a similar vein, Nick Tenconi, who leads the UK outpost of the Turning Point group, includes social media messaging about the country needing to “re-embrace Christianity” combined with anti-Islam content.

One striking manifestation of this, a linked nationalist Christian group named King’s Army marched in formation through Soho, a location apparently selected as it is the centre of London’s LGBT community.

A Niche Phenomenon

All this remains, however, fairly niche in UK politics. While commentators sometimes portray certain figures as wealthy incubators of American-style religious politics, associates insist they are little more than observant believers who are strongly opposed to any politicisation of faith.

Kruger is not averse to occasional off-piste rhetoric, for example in an address to censure what he said was a younger generation indoctrinated by a blend of ideologies.

“In the UK you do have a few Christian nationalists, but when it comes to politics it more often be a sort of Christian nostalgia, linked to our historic identity,” noted an analyst.

A parliamentarian of faith with conservative views observed that while the issue of assisted dying had united MPs with faith, any links beyond that felt limited.

“I do not get the sense of much of an organized faith-based lobby,” they commented. “For me, my faith is more a basis for what I personally hold. And here, religion is not really a vote winner.”