This solid volume offers an account of the personal faith of Britain’s Prime Ministers of the twentieth century. There were nineteen in total; eighteen men and one woman; stop for a moment and see how many you can name! If I’ve learned anything from this book (and I’ve learned a lot) – I can now quite readily reel off all nineteen names in chronological order!

Much more than mini-biogs

Countless biographies have been written on these political leaders; but this book focuses on a significant aspect that most studies largely or totally ignore – what personal faith (if any) they had, and how that impacted their personal and political lives. It’s a fascinating, unique survey, full of twists and turns.

The book follows a basic chronological order, starting with Arthur Baldwin (PM from 1902 to 1905) and ending with Tony Blair (1997-2007), allowing a chapter on each figure. These do not comprise standard mini biographies, but you do learn an awful lot about each Prime Minister. More so, you learn the political landscape of the UK throughout the 20th century, as well as the changing role of religion during that period, the relationship between Church and State, and the reasons for the declining influence of faith in the public forum.

Intriguing feature

The last-mentioned topic is of particular note, for one of the most striking features of God in Number 10 is that as the Christian faith declined in influence as the century progressed, and especially from 1960 onwards, we find that Britain’s Prime Ministers became more believing.

As the century progressed, and especially from 1960 onwards, we find that Britain’s Prime Ministers became more believing.

In the first half of the century, only Campbell-Bannerman (1905-08) and Stanley Baldwin (1923-24, 1924-29 & 1935-37) could be classed as orthodox Christians. From Douglas Macmillan’s appointment in 1957, the contrast is clear: of the final eight Prime Ministers, only James Callaghan did not claim to be a believing Christian. Macmillan, Alec Douglas-Home, Edward Heath, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair all took their Christian faith seriously.

Vickers points out another intriguing feature – Arthur Balfour, H. H. Asquith, David Lloyd George and James Callaghan all lost their fathers during childhood. Bonar Law was separated from his father at an early age; Ramsay MacDonald never knew his; Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill idolised famous fathers but suffered from a lack of paternal presence and affirmation; Anthony Eden’s relationship with his father was tumultuous.

Balfour and Baldwin

Like so many of his day, Arthur Balfour’s religious practice was entirely conventional; he attended church because it was deemed the right thing to do. But with a reverence for science, he was greatly exercised by the apparent conflict between science and faith. Among other things, he questioned whether the Bible was capable of teaching supernatural truth, relaying historical and scientific fact.

Arthur Balfour questioned whether the Bible was capable of teaching supernatural truth, relaying historical and scientific fact.

Stanley Baldwin, on the other hand, developed a deep and practical Christian faith. He was recognised as ‘an earnest and unquestioning Christian’, orthodox and scriptural. He once said: “We have banished the word ‘sin’ from our dictionaries. You may expunge the word as much as you like, but the ugly fact remains, and will remain”.

Churchill and Thatcher

Winston Churchill seemed to hold shifting beliefs about the existence of God, the nature of the afterlife, and the veracity of Scripture. For some time, he had a personal astrologer, who advised him on government policy relating to industrial disputes and diplomatic crises. Yet, when his free nation's survival was in peril, Churchill repeatedly invoked God's blessing upon the Allied cause.

Margaret Thatcher was raised as a Methodist and even preached as such during her years at Oxford, before later becoming a member of the Church of England. Her Christian faith was personally important and, more significantly, it moulded her political policies and decisions. However, as prime minister, she repeatedly found herself in conflict with the churches, not least in regard to her ‘Sermon on the Mound’ address to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1988, where she shared some controversial thoughts on her religious and political thinking.

Margaret Thatcher's Christian faith was personally important and, more significantly, it moulded her political policies and decisions.

Surprises and shocks

Little mention is made in this book of Brown (a ‘son of the Manse’), Cameron, May (a ‘daughter of the Manse’), or Johnson, and, naturally, nothing at all of Truss or Sunak – a further study will be required to chart the spiritual faith of these 21st century PMs.

But the present volume is sufficient to offer much that is of interest, along with many a surprise and even shock. It’s a well-written and thoroughly researched tome in smart hardback form – ideal as a present for someone interested in both politics and spirituality. Mark Vickers has produced a rare and enlightening output with ‘God in Number 10’.

‘God in Number 10’ is published by spck, and is available from Amazon for £22.00 (inc p&p).