Tim
God will judge me, PM tells Parkinson
Michael White, political editor
Saturday March 4, 2006
The Guardian
Tony Blair is reconciled to the prospect that God and history will eventually judge his decision to go to war with Iraq, and says his decision, like much of his policymaking, was underpinned by his Christian faith.
Mr Blair made the remarks in an appearance on Parkinson to be broadcast tonight, in which he spoke of the struggle with his conscience to do the right thing because people's lives are at stake.
Asked about Iraq, the prime minister said: "Well, I think if you have faith about these things, then you realise that judgment is made by other people."
Questioned further, he added: "If you believe in God, [the judgment] is made by God as well."
Michael Parkinson asked: "So will you pray to God when you make a decision like that?" Mr Blair said merely: "Well, I don't want to get into something like that."
Unlike George Bush, who said God told him to launch the Iraq campaign, Mr Blair has taken care to keep his faith away from political discourse. He once bridled visibly when asked by Jeremy Paxman if he and Mr Bush prayed together. But he confirmed the thesis put forward by more than one biographer that it was his rediscovery of religion while at Oxford University which led him into politics.
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