Christians are the “most persecuted religious group in modern times”, UK politician and Conservative leadership candidate Jeremy Hunt has revealed. If he wins the Tory leadership race, Mr Hunt said he will seek to protect Christians around the world as Prime Minister by enacting all the recommendations of a review he commissioned as Foreign Secretary last year.
He said he develop a term for anti-Christian hatred equivalent to Islamophobia and antisemitism and impose sanctions on countries that persecute Christians, adding that the UK government’s response to discrimination hasn’t always “matched the scale of the problem”.
Hunt said that “misguided political correctness” had prevented Britain from providing support for Christians facing violence and discrimination around the globe.” “At home, we all benefit from living in a tolerant, diverse society and we should not be afraid of promoting those values abroad.
“It is a sad fact that Christians are the most persecuted religious group in modern times. I am determined to show that we are on their side.”
He said that if elected he would implement all the recommendations of an independent report into their plight, published today by the Bishop of Truro.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, above, the Prime Minister’s special envoy for freedom of religion or belief, said the Government has already “acted on the rising tide of Christian persecution across the world with some success”.
He added: “We, therefore, note the findings of this independent report and will consider the recommendations carefully and how they may further enhance our work in tackling Christian persecution specifically and in strengthening our work on freedom of religion or belief.”