God in Number 10

Mark Vickers’ acclaimed volume on the faith of the twentieth-century British Prime Ministers casts a new perspective on these holders of the highest political office in the realm. While there are biographies aplenty on the 18 men and 1 woman who took up residence behind the famous black door, it is notable that that many of these works fail to reflect an important – sometimes the most important – aspect of the life of their subject. God in Number 10 rectifies this lack, offering intriguing insights into Margaret Thatcher’s legendary ‘Sermon on the Mound’, Tony Blair’s perception of Jesus as a modernizer, Arthur Balfour’s recourse to spiritualism, Stanley Baldwin’s mystical experiences, and Winston Churchill’s involvement with astrology. The book considers the role of religion generally in the political classes of the period, the reasons for the declining influence of faith in the public forum, and the relationship between Church and State.

The families of Henry Asquith, Andrew Bonar Law, Ramsay MacDonald, Neville Chamberlain, Harold Macmillan, Alec Douglas-Home and Harold Wilson have all expressed their support for God in Number 10 and, where able, helped in the research, while John Major has assisted fully.