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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Tony Blair joins Catholic faith | Tony Blair joins Catholic faith |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has converted to the Catholic faith. | Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has converted to the Catholic faith. |
| His wife Cherie is a Catholic and there had been speculation that he would convert to Catholicism from his Anglican faith after leaving office. | His wife Cherie is a Catholic and there had been speculation that he would convert to Catholicism from his Anglican faith after leaving office. |
| Mr Blair's official spokesman confirmed he had converted on Friday night and said it was a private matter. | Mr Blair's official spokesman confirmed he had converted on Friday night and said it was a private matter. |
| Mr Blair, who is now a Middle East peace envoy, met Pope Benedict XVI in June. Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor is expected to issue a statement later. | Mr Blair, who is now a Middle East peace envoy, met Pope Benedict XVI in June. Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor is expected to issue a statement later. |
| Downing Street refused to comment on his conversion, saying it was a family matter. | |
| Earlier this year, the former prime minister told the BBC that he had avoided talking about his religious views while in office for fear of being labelled "a nutter". | Earlier this year, the former prime minister told the BBC that he had avoided talking about his religious views while in office for fear of being labelled "a nutter". |
| His ex-spokesman Alastair Campbell once told reporters "We don't do God," but has since said that his former boss "does do God in quite a big way". | His ex-spokesman Alastair Campbell once told reporters "We don't do God," but has since said that his former boss "does do God in quite a big way". |
| The news comes as a document was revealed showing that Mr Blair had raised "concern" over ongoing business negotiations in a letter about an investigation into a Saudi arms deal days. | |
| Days later the probe was dropped and Mr Blair said the decision to stop the probe into the BAE deal was taken because of national security and was not linked to commercial interests. |