A few hours after appearing at an all-night programme of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in London, David Cameron, the UK prime minister, headed for a Sikh temple where he offered prayers (pictured). This has led to criticisms in certain quarters that he was “doing God” ahead of the May 7 UK general election which is being contested by his Conservative Party and Labour. Labour leader Ed Miliband, a self-confessed atheist, also stopped over at the Praise House Community Church, London, on Sunday where he bowed his head in prayers. He was born a Jew, but he now describes himself as “Jewish atheist”. All these visits are viewed as part of the campaign tours of Cameron and Miliband who are locked in a very close election that may not produce a clear winner, according to most opinion polls. At the Festival of Life all-night programme held at the Excel centre on Friday, Cameron was prayed for by the congression and Enoch Adeboye, the general overseer (GO) of the church whom the prime minister called “Daddy GO” as church members like to address him. After making a cameo to a tumultuous applause from the congregation, Cameron was soon on his way to Kent, along with his wife Samanthan, to visit a Sikh temple. He wore the traditional orange patka as he and his wife joined worshippers at the Gravesend Gurdwara. They joined thousands of people in a parade carrying the Sikh holy book to the temple. He then gave a speech, telling his the audience that the Vaisakhi festival, which is one of the most important events in the Sikh calendar, was a “big, bold” sign of their devotion. He said: “I wanted to make sure Downing Street was part of this too and I’m proud to be the first prime minister to host a Vaisakhi reception at Number 10.” At the Festival of Light, he had told the 45,000-strong audience: “It is an honour to be here and I’m proud of this festival which started as a camp just off the Lagos expressway and set the world alight. “I believe in aspiration. I believe the only limit to someone’s potential is their own ambition and talent. “I look out to this crowd and I see someone who will take my role and become prime minister for this great country. “I hope you can hold off for a while just yet.”
The Cable
The Cable
