The Spectator’s Notes | 9 June 2007

It is highly likely that Tony Blair will become a Roman Catholic after he leaves office. He regularly attends a Catholic Mass rather than Anglican services — nowadays, because of security problems, usually in No. 10 Downing Street or at Chequers. It seems logical to him that he should follow the religion of the rest of his family. What has held him back, apparently, is not doubts, but his job. Although conversion is a personal, not a political decision, Mr Blair could not have made it as Prime Minister without having to face hostility which would have spilt into politics. As a Catholic convert myself, I find that people have funny ideas about what it involves. They think, despite explicit teaching to the contrary, that one is forced to hold that all non-believers are damned. They also think that the Church orders you to say things. Such falsehoods, if credited, would certainly have damaged Mr Blair’s party electorally.