Church castigates Labour Govt for paying lip service to Christianity in favour of Islam

London, June 7 : A report commissioned by the Church of England has said that the Labour Government pays "lip service" to Christianity and favours Islam and other minority religions.

The damning study criticises the policies of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown for focusing intently on minority beliefs while neglecting the Anglican faith, the Adaily Mail reported.

It also accuses Labour of ignoring the breakdown in society and failing to recognise the Church's potential contribution to public affairs.

"We encountered on the part of the Government a significant lack of understanding, or interest in, the Church of England's current or potential contribution in the public sphere," the report says.

'Indeed we were told that Government had consciously decided to focus... almost exclusively on minority religions.'

The report calls for a 'Minster for Religion' to utilise the untapped reserves of volunteers in churches and charities and accuses the Government of 'religious illiteracy'.

The report comes days after Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, accused Prime Minister Gordon Brown of sacrificing liberty for misguided notions of equality and betraying New Labour's mantra of 'rights and responsibilities'.

Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, said that Brown is sacrificing liberty for misguided notions of equality.

The 180-page report, entitled "Moral, But No Compass" shows how church leaders feel betrayed by the Government.

It also echoes claims made by the Bishop of Rochester, the Rev Michael Nazir-Ali, last week that the decline of Christian values is destroying Britishness and has created a "moral vacuum" which radical Islam is filling.

ANI