Blair tells Pope: Now I'm ready to become a Catholic

The fact that Tony Blair is set to convert to Catholicism once he leaves Number Ten has to be one of the worst kept secrets in politics. It was already known that he attended Catholic mass every Sunday; indeed, he had to be asked to stop receiving Holy Communion on the grounds that he wasn't actually a Catholic.

Now, as he completes the longest goodbye tour in the history of British politics he's popped into the Vatican to give the Pope the good news. However, Benedict doesn't appear exactly chuffed to hear that Blair is joining the ranks and the meeting is reported to have been "frank" which is highly unusual language to describe a meeting with the pontiff, whose meetings are usually described as "cordial".

But, in talks lasting more than half an hour, the outgoing Prime Minister was left in no doubt that the Pope took a dim view of his record in office. A statement issued afterwards by the Vatican said there had been a 'frank exchange of views'.

Vatican sources said the Pope remained unmoved in his view that Blair had been wrong over Iraq. To an even greater extent than his predecessor, Benedict feels that Catholic politicians cannot separate their public lives from their private.

This can hardly have been the reaction that Blair was hoping for. These religious people really don't seem to get it, objecting to a few hundred thousand deaths as if it's a big deal. I mean, I know the commandments include, "Thou shalt not kill" but do we have to be so literal about it?

I mean, if Benedict is going to insist on such things the Catholic Church might lose this valuable asset. Not since the Crusades has there been a Christian this keen to resume the battle.

And, after all, he's leaving the PM job soon so can't they just agree that if he kills anymore then those sins will count and wipe the slate clean of everything else?

Alastair Campbell once famously told Blair that the British people "don't do God". If the Pope remains such a stickler for the rules, then Blair may very well decide that neither does he.

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Tags: Blair, Pope Benedict, catholic conversion, snark