Tony Blair has been on the public platform again talking about how important religion is for everybody – even if they don't think it is.

At a debate in London this week on Religion in Public Life, he appeared to be presenting himself as some sort of religious secularist. On a platform with the Archbishop of Canterbury he made the case for political decisions being ultimately made by elected politicians within a secular framework. They should listen to religious views, but in the end they should take their decisions on the basis of what they think is right for the country.

During the course of the debate he revealed that, contrary to rumour, he didn't pray with George Bush in the lead up to the Iraq war – although he thought there wouldn't have been anything wrong if he had. He invoked "militant secularism" — which he didn't define — and portrayed it as some kind of threat to religious liberty. It is difficult to know what he was referring to, but it would be wonderful to ask him.

Terry Sanderson | Read this article in full at secularism.org.uk

Photograph: R. Martin Seddon