THE BRITISH LABOUR lender, Mr Tony Blair, provoked a furious political row yesterday after arguing that in his belief it is incompatible for Conservatives to be committed Christians.
Several Tory ministers and backbenchers immediately denounced Mr Blair's views, accusing him of denigrating Christians in an attempt to score "cheap" political points.
The Tory MP Mr Michael Fabricant commented: "Tony Blair becomes more sanctimonious as the election approaches. He now not only sees himself as Prime Minister but as the Archbishop of Canterbury as well. How can anyone be so fatuous, arrogant and intellectually insubstantial as to suggest that any political party has the monopoly of virtue and that any other party is not compatible with the Judeo Christian ethic?"
In an article explaining his view of Christianity for the Sunday Telegraph newspaper, Mr Blair, a practising Anglican, is highly critical of Conservative values and declares that the Bible taught him he could never be a Tory.
"My view of Christian values led me to oppose what I perceived to be a narrow view of self interest that Conservatism, particularly its modern, more right wing form, represents. Every human being is self interested. But Tories, I think, too selfish a definition of self interest," he wrote.
The Home Office Minister Miss Anne Widdecombe, a Catholic, accused Mr Blair of only being interested in the pursuit of power and said he was "certainly not the right man to lecture us on religious morals".
Mr David Wilshire, convener of the Methodist Fellowship at the House of Commons, said that no politician should try to argue Christianity as justification for political ideology.
He was "very offended" by Mr Blair's remarks, which were deeply hurtful".
Mr Wilshire, MP for Spelthorne, added: "I suggest he goes back and reads his New Testament, where he will find he is cautioned against setting himself up like this.
"What I do not like is the suggestion that my faith is not right because I am a Conservative."
Another Conservative backbencher, Mr Nicholas Winterton (Macclesfield), said: "Tony Blair is unfortunately seeking to use Christianity to support the Labour Party and I think this is utterly wrong. There are very many Christians who will take severe exception to what he has said because they happen to be both Christian and support the Conservative Party."
Earlier, Conservative Central office denied mounting a "dirty tricks" campaign against Mr Blair just days before his trip to the US this week by sending a "dossier" of his alleged "unAmerican" activities to Republican supporters. The "dossier", entitled "The Labour Party's Un American Activities", describes Mr Blair as anti nuclear and anti American" and as someone who had repeatedly criticised America.