Delia Smith has come to the defence of Christians she says are facing a “running battle” with “militant neo-atheists”.
The celebrity chef comments - posted on her website, www.deliaonline.com – follow a spate of headlines contesting the place of Christianity in the public square.
Last month a court banned prayers at the meetings of Bideford Town Council on the same day as two Christian guesthouse owners lost their appeal against damages for refusing to let a same-sex couple stay in their double room.
Days later, outspoken atheist Richard Dawkins produced research suggesting a sharp drop in the number of people identifying themselves as Christians. He claimed the findings were proof that Christianity is “largely irrelevant” in Britain today.
Delia Smith, a practising Catholic, wrote on her website: “I am, as you may or may not know, a passionate believer but of late, we are somewhat under the cosh. There is a running battle going on in the press, and militant neo-atheists and devout secularists are busting a gut to drive us off the radar and try to convince us that we hardly exist.”