London, England -- Tony Blair yesterday rejected calls by Church leaders for religion to play a prominent role in the election campaign.
He said he did not want a system in which politicians went around "beating our chests about our faith".
Addressing religious and community groups in south London, the Prime Minister said it would be "unhealthy" if religion moved centre-stage in British politics as was happening in America.
His comments followed calls by the Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches for voters to question candidates about abortion during the election campaign.
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, argued that moral issues should be as prominent in British elections as in America.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, dismissed fears that Britain risked the rise of a militant American-style religious Right by discussing such issues.
Mr Blair praised the role of the Churches in his speech to Faithworks, a network of Christian charities, but he counselled against mixing religion and politics.
After his speech, he was asked about reports that Alastair Campbell, his former press secretary, had once told an interviewer who asked about his faith: "I'm sorry, we don't do God."
Mr Blair said Mr Campbell had been referring to the danger that politicians could be misinterpreted if they talked about their faith.
The Prime Minister expressed concern about single mothers in inner cities who had children "very, very young" and said it was "piling up problems for the future".
He said: "It is important that they get role models at school and in the community, where they see it is not a great life trying to bring up a single parent family aged 17 or 18 - actually it is pretty miserable.''
Downing Street later denied that he was blaming young mothers for society's ills.
Although he appealed to Church leaders not to bring religion into the general election, he said Churches made a "visible, tangible difference" for the better in society.
Mr Blair rejected talk of a decline in religion and the Churches in national life, saying he had been struck by their revival in social action in local communities.
Christian organisations had a crucial role to play in helping young people. Jewish and Muslim community organisations were also doing a "fantastic job".
Mr Blair said he wanted to "recast" the 1945 settlement on public services and the welfare state for the modern age.
While he would remain "absolutely true" to the principles of social justice and opportunity for all, public services must become able to serve the needs of individual citizens.
He said the voluntary sector, including churches and faith communities, had a critical role to play in the modernisation process.
Increasing voluntary activity did not mean the withdrawal of state support for decent schools and hospitals. The Government could not do everything, which was why voluntary organisations had to help.
Mr Blair acknowledged that there were problems with the asylum system, because it had been abused.
"Those problems should be dealt with, not exploited. We can deal with it without creating a situation where we blame groups of people for all the ills of society."
John Reid, the Health Secretary, indicated that MPs were likely to take another look at the time limit for abortion after the election.
But he urged that abortion should not become a party political issue, saying that it should continue to be a matter of conscience for MPs.
He told a Labour press conference: "Every so often backbenchers, and not government, have raised the issue and time is made available to discuss these matters.
He added: ''I said months ago that I anticipated this would be the case in the next parliament."