BRITAIN is a society "underpinned by Christian values", the Attorney General has claimed, as he dismissed criticism of David Cameron's recent comments on religion.
Dominic Grieve defended David Cameron's comments on religion[GETTY]Dominic Grieve, who is the Government's senior law officer, also argued many people with "softer" religious view are being put off from talking about their beliefs because of the "disturbing" rise of fundamentalism in all faiths.
His comments follow the Prime Minister's call for Britain to be "more confident about our status as a Christian country".
In an open letter to Mr Cameron, more than 50 writers, scientists, broadcasters and academics expressed concern over the "negative consequences" of his assertion.
The letter claimed the Prime Minister risked sowing "alienation and division" in a society in which most people would not describe themselves as Christians.
But Mr Grieve said the authors of the letter, organised by the British Humanist Association, were "deluding themselves" and that 1,500 years of Christian values are "not going to disappear overnight".
He told the Telegraph: “I do think that there has been a rise of an assertiveness of religious groups across the spectrum.
"That is why those with softer religious views find it disturbing and say they don’t want anything to do with it.”
David Cameron has spoken out about his Christian faith [GETTY]The evidence in this country is overwhelming that most people in this country by a very substantial margin have religious belief in the supernatural or a deity
Signatories of the letter included president of the British Humanist Association Professor Jim Al-Khalili, author Philip Pullman, performer Tim Minchin, journalist Polly Toynbee and presenter Dan Snow.
Mr Grieve fought back against their claims and said: "The evidence in this country is overwhelming that most people in this country by a very substantial margin have religious belief in the supernatural or a deity.
"To that extent atheism doesn't appear to have made much progress in this country at all, which is probably why the people that wrote this letter are so exercised about it."
Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has also defended Mr Cameron's comments, saying that denying Britain was a Christian country was "absurd" and "ignoring both historical and constitutional reality".
The Attorney General also claimed that many people of faith are reluctant to openly declare their beliefs because of the "deep intolerance" of religious extremists of all faiths, including Islam and Christianity.
He said: "I do think that there has been a rise of an assertiveness of religious groups across the spectrum.
"That is why those with softer religious views find it disturbing and say they don't want anything to do with it."
According to the 2011 census, Christianity remains the largest religious group at 33.2 million, or around six in 10 of the population, but around one in four people in England and Wales now classify themselves as having no religion.
Mr Grieve's comments come after the Prime Minister wrote an article for the Church Times, in which he discussed his faith and the importance of Christian values.
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