New Labour - Both for and against God.

Now I have little time for God botherers of any stripe, from the harmless but mildly annoying door knockers through to plane flying jihadist loons.

But I always do find it amusing when politicians jump on the God bandwagon as you know its all to do with votes.

First up we had this on the New Labour God spot...

Tony Blair's spin chief Alastair Campbell famously declared "we don't do God".

And the prime minister got very cross with Jeremy Paxman when he asked if he prayed with George Bush.

That would be the same Tony Blair who kept damn quiet about his Catholic faith for years, whilst appointing God botherers to the Church of England. Then upon leaving the office of PM strangely re-discovered his faith in God.

Now we have another minister claiming God is on the side of the Labour party.

Stephen Timms said that religious ideals are important in shaping policy despite the impression, summed up in Alastair Campbell's famous phrase, that private beliefs are irrelevant to the party.

He cited the New Deal for the long-term unemployed and the Gleneagles agreement on international debt relief as two examples of Labour projects that had their origins in reports and campaigns from church groups.

Mr Timms, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury who is also Labour's vice-chair for faith groups, also claimed that religious groups continue to provide the basis of a "broad coalition of hope" for the Government as well as practical help in carrying out charitable work.

Politicians will do anything for a bloody vote.

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