The Prime Minister said the UK has a ‘very strong tradition’ of ‘religious tolerance and freedom of speech’, and added that ‘our Christian heritage is something we can all be proud of’. Fiona Bruce MP had raised concerns that many Christians are worried ‘about mentioning their faith in public’, after a report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) hit out at organisations which suppress Christianity for fear of causing offence.

Respectfully and responsibly

The Prime Minister agreed that the ability to ‘speak freely, respectfully and responsibly about one’s religion’ should be a ‘jealously guarded principle’. She continued: ‘I am sure we would all want to ensure that people at work do feel able to speak about their faith, and also feel able to speak quite freely about Christmas’.

The European Human Rights Commission report, due to be published in December, hits out at organisations which discipline Christians or drop references to Christianity. It cited one case where a man was demoted at work for posting that the equal marriage bill was ‘an equality too far’.