Campbell interrupted Blair as he spoke of his faith: 'We don't do God'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/05/04/nblair04.xml
By Colin Brown, Political Editor
Last Updated: 11:16pm BST 03/05/2003
Tony Blair's most senior advisers have intervened to prevent him discussing his faith in public, according to two new profiles of the Prime Minister.
The bar on the topic is so rigid that Alastair Campbell, Mr Blair's director of strategy and communications, intervened in a recent interview to prevent the Prime Minister from answering a question about his Christianity. "We don't do God," Mr Campbell interrupted.
It also emerged yesterday that Mr Blair was prevented by his advisers from ending his address to the nation at the start of hostilities in Iraq with the message: "God bless you." The extent of the sensitivity at Number 10 to Mr Blair discussing his faith is revealed in an article to mark Mr Blair's 50th birthday this week in Vanity Fair.
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The magazine's writer, David Margolick, asked the Prime Minister about his religion and the extent that it bonded him to President George W. Bush. At that point Mr Campbell, who was present throughout but had until then not been involved in the conversation, asked Mr Blair: "Is he [Mr Margolick] on God?"
According to Mr Margolick's account, when it became clear that the subject had indeed turned to religion, Mr Campbell intervened again. "We don't do God," he stated. "I'm sorry. We don't do God."
Mr Campbell, who is an atheist, has been keen to stop Mr Blair discussing his faith since 1996, when the Labour leader gave an extensive interview on the subject in The Telegraph which proved highly controversial.
Further evidence of Number 10's anxiety to avoid religious rhetoric during the Iraq war emerged yesterday in an article in The Times by Sir Peter Stothard, the newspaper's former editor.
While having make-up applied for his screen appearance on the eve of hostilities in Iraq, the Prime Minister reportedly told his staff: "I want to end with, 'God bless you'."
At this point, according to The Times article, there was "a noisy team revolt in which every player appears to be complaining at once". Staff said that this was "not a good idea", to which an irritated Mr Blair - raising his voice - responded: "Oh no?"
One unidentified member of the Blair team reportedly replied: "You are talking to lots of people who don't want chaplains pushing stuff down their throats."
When the Prime Minister responded by saying: "You are the most ungodly lot I have ever . . .", his speechwriter Peter Hyman, who is Jewish, replied tartly: "Ungodly? Count me out."
Others intervened in what was becoming an impromptu theological debate: "That's not the same God." Mr Blair remained defiant. "It is the same God," he said.
In the end, however, the religious phrase was not used and the message ended with a simple "Thank you". According to The Times article, Mr Blair also said that he was ready to "meet his Maker" and account for his decision to go to war in Iraq.
The Prime Minister made this declaration of faith on April 2, the day after seven Iraqi women and children were shot dead by United States soldiers at a checkpoint.
Asked how he responded to the deaths, Mr Blair said: "It really gets to you." He added, however, that he was ready to answer before God for "those who have died or have been horribly maimed as a result of my decisions".
Mr Blair reportedly accepted that others who believe in "the same God" may assess that the final judgment will be against him.
Asked by Vanity Fair whether he had discussed religion with President Bush, Mr Blair said: "I can't say it's something we've discussed, but it's something we share."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/05/04/nblair04.xml
By Colin Brown, Political Editor
Last Updated: 11:16pm BST 03/05/2003
Tony Blair's most senior advisers have intervened to prevent him discussing his faith in public, according to two new profiles of the Prime Minister.
The bar on the topic is so rigid that Alastair Campbell, Mr Blair's director of strategy and communications, intervened in a recent interview to prevent the Prime Minister from answering a question about his Christianity. "We don't do God," Mr Campbell interrupted.
It also emerged yesterday that Mr Blair was prevented by his advisers from ending his address to the nation at the start of hostilities in Iraq with the message: "God bless you." The extent of the sensitivity at Number 10 to Mr Blair discussing his faith is revealed in an article to mark Mr Blair's 50th birthday this week in Vanity Fair.
advertisement
The magazine's writer, David Margolick, asked the Prime Minister about his religion and the extent that it bonded him to President George W. Bush. At that point Mr Campbell, who was present throughout but had until then not been involved in the conversation, asked Mr Blair: "Is he [Mr Margolick] on God?"
According to Mr Margolick's account, when it became clear that the subject had indeed turned to religion, Mr Campbell intervened again. "We don't do God," he stated. "I'm sorry. We don't do God."
Mr Campbell, who is an atheist, has been keen to stop Mr Blair discussing his faith since 1996, when the Labour leader gave an extensive interview on the subject in The Telegraph which proved highly controversial.
Further evidence of Number 10's anxiety to avoid religious rhetoric during the Iraq war emerged yesterday in an article in The Times by Sir Peter Stothard, the newspaper's former editor.
While having make-up applied for his screen appearance on the eve of hostilities in Iraq, the Prime Minister reportedly told his staff: "I want to end with, 'God bless you'."
At this point, according to The Times article, there was "a noisy team revolt in which every player appears to be complaining at once". Staff said that this was "not a good idea", to which an irritated Mr Blair - raising his voice - responded: "Oh no?"
One unidentified member of the Blair team reportedly replied: "You are talking to lots of people who don't want chaplains pushing stuff down their throats."
When the Prime Minister responded by saying: "You are the most ungodly lot I have ever . . .", his speechwriter Peter Hyman, who is Jewish, replied tartly: "Ungodly? Count me out."
Others intervened in what was becoming an impromptu theological debate: "That's not the same God." Mr Blair remained defiant. "It is the same God," he said.
In the end, however, the religious phrase was not used and the message ended with a simple "Thank you". According to The Times article, Mr Blair also said that he was ready to "meet his Maker" and account for his decision to go to war in Iraq.
The Prime Minister made this declaration of faith on April 2, the day after seven Iraqi women and children were shot dead by United States soldiers at a checkpoint.
Asked how he responded to the deaths, Mr Blair said: "It really gets to you." He added, however, that he was ready to answer before God for "those who have died or have been horribly maimed as a result of my decisions".
Mr Blair reportedly accepted that others who believe in "the same God" may assess that the final judgment will be against him.
Asked by Vanity Fair whether he had discussed religion with President Bush, Mr Blair said: "I can't say it's something we've discussed, but it's something we share."
