Rowan Williams accuses Nigel Farage of using Christianity to channel anti-Muslim feeling

Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, has accused Reform UK leader Nigel Farage of utilizing the concept of a ‘Christian society’ to channel anti-Muslim sentiment. In an interview with New Humanist magazine, Williams suggested that asserting British Christianity provides a ‘sort of ballast’ for political movements seeking to express anxiety regarding migration and Islamism.

Williams noted that the rise of Christian nationalism may be driven by the globalization of political discourse, where international conservative movements suggest that nationalist causes benefit from theological elements. He also remarked that for Farage, adopting these religious themes may serve as a presentational strategy to gain legitimacy outside of England.

This criticism follows previous comments by Farage, who has expressed pride in the Christian values upon which the country is built. Farage previously drew criticism for suggesting that certain groups, specifically Muslims, do not subscribe to British values, and he recently characterized an Iftar event in London as an attempt to ‘overtake, intimidate and dominate’ the local way of life.