David Cameron claims Jesus founded his Big Society crusade

Prime Minister David Cameron faces a furious backlash after claiming Jesus was the original founder of the Big Society. His remark – made to Christians at a Downing Street reception – provoked astonishment among religious leaders, charities and politicians. Labour MP and former ­Anglican vicar Chris Bryant said: “It’s ­ludicrous and offensive for ­Cameron to try to recruit Jesus to the Tory cause. He is just using decent people in the church and charities to mask the unfair way he’s cutting services for the vulnerable.”

Mr Cameron told church leaders they would be “absolutely right” to claim Jesus founded the Big Society 2,000 years ago, joking: “I’m not saying we’ve invented some great new idea here.”



He added: “One of the best things about our country is that people step forward as individuals, as families, as ­communities, as ­organisations, as churches, and do extraordinary things ... helping to build a ­bigger, richer, more prosperous, more generous ­society. And all I’m saying is, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we did more of that?’”

But Jonathan Bartley, director of Christian think-tank Ekklesia, said Mr Cameron’s brutal cuts ­programme was attacking the poor and the weak – and would not have had Jesus’s support. “Jesus’s harshest words were reserved for those who had wealth and power and who failed to protect the most vulnerable,” he said. A senior Labour source added: “We know politicians like a big-name endorsement but this seems to be going a bit far.”