We don't think religious worship should play any part in the formal business of the state.
We want to see parliamentary and local government meetings conducted in a manner equally welcoming to all attendees, whatever their personal beliefs.
Parliamentary prayers
Sittings in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords begin with Anglican prayers. MPs and peers stand for prayers facing the wall behind them – a practice thought to have developed due to the difficulty members would historically have faced of kneeling to pray while wearing a sword.
When the chamber is at its busiest, parliamentary prayers act as a bizarre and antiquated seat reservation system. Even MPs and peers who are slated to speak have no option but to attend prayers in order to reserve a seat.
Whilst they may be viewed by some as an important tradition, parliamentary prayers serve to assert the superiority of Christianity (and the Church of England in particular) at Westminster. This 'tradition' is inimical to a modern, pluralistic, secular democracy.
In the Scottish Parliament, Tuesday afternoon sessions begin with 'Time for Reflection', with faith and belief representatives invited to addresses members for up to four minutes. The Northern Ireland Assembly begins formal business with a period of two minutes of silent prayer or contemplation. The Welsh Assembly has adopted no such rituals.
Parliamentarians who wish to pray are free to do so. But prayers should not form part of the official business of Parliament.
Council prayers
Many local authorities in Britain also begin their meetings with prayer.
Local democracy should be equally welcoming to all sections of society, regardless of their religion or belief. Council meetings should be conducted without anyone feeling excluded, or compelled to either participate in prayers or absent themselves from part of the meeting.
Council prayers open the door to wholly unnecessary conflict and sectarian squabbles within local authorities. There is a history of local councillors being bullied and marginalised for challenging council prayers.
The absence of prayers from the formal business of meetings in no way impedes religious freedoms or denies anybody the right to pray. Conversely, organised worship in secular settings imposes worship on those who do not share the faith. A genuine commitment to freedom of religion or belief is incompatible with including acts of worship in the formal business of council meetings.
If local authorities wish to hold a moment of silent reflection at the beginning of a meeting, or if councillors wish to meet for prayers prior to the meeting, they are at liberty to do so.
Take action!
1. Write to your MP
Please enter your postcode and urge your MP to support an alternative to parliamentary prayers, to make parliament more welcoming to people of all faiths and none.
2. Share your story
Tell us why you support this campaign, and how you are personally affected by the issue. You can also let us know if you would like assistance with a particular issue - for example, if you would like to challenge prayers at your own council.
3. Join the National Secular Society
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
Scottish council drops prayers at council meetings
Posted: Tue, 22 May 2012 13:44
A Scottish council has dropped prayers at its meetings in order to eliminate discrimination. Dumfries and Galloway Council has decided to dump the formal prayers – which were the first item on the agenda – and replace them with a "time for reflection", 10 minutes before the meeting starts.
The 47 councillors were informed by letter this week. Some of the Christians among them were not best pleased. Councillor Denis Male told the local paper: "As a Christian, I understand about political correctness but it doesn't mean I have to agree with the decision that has been made. There was no harm in having the blessing before meetings and I have asked what brought this decision on. It's not something I'll make a song and dance about, but I'm disappointed that the decision seems to have been made by officers and not by members. We should have been asked our opinion."
But a council spokeswoman said: "A letter went to elected members explaining our council's duties and obligations which include the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation or any other prohibited conduct; advance equality of opportunity by having due regard to: removing or minimising disadvantage meeting the needs of particular groups that are different from the needs of others, encouraging participation in public life, foster good relations, tackle prejudice and promote understanding."
She pointed out that the council had a policy "to achieve equal access for the people in our region regardless of race, gender, disability, sexuality, age, religion or belief".
Councils abandon prayers following NSS High Court victory
Posted: Fri, 4 May 2012 13:39
A survey by The Sunday Telegraph has found that 40 councils have recently decided to drop, or "water down" the practice of saying prayers, with more considering doing so.
According to the Telegraph, just 21 authorities said they planned to continue their arrangement of "formal" prayers without any changes. Other councils not making changes already hold "informal" prayers before meetings have officially started.
One council in Gloucestershire, unable to completely let go of its ritual has removed all references to "God" and "Jesus Christ" from a prayer traditionally read out at its meetings.
Rev Ross Moughtin is a former chaplain to West Lancashire council where prayers will no longer be included in the formal business. Speaking to the Christian Institute, he said: "The national picture is sad. I would support prayers in council meetings. It helps people to recognise that council meetings are more than simply business meetings – that they have a spiritual dimension."
NSS Campaigns Manager Stephen Evans said: "If individual councillors wish to seek spiritual guidance before meetings their freedom to do so remains intact. Removing prayers from the formal business simply means prayers are no longer imposed on unwilling participants.
"However much the Government wants to believe it, this is not a Christian country. There is therefore simply no justification for Christians, or any other religious group, to assert their supremacy over other religious groups or over non-religious people by making prayers an integral part of the formal civic business.
"The absence of prayers doesn't impose atheism on anyone; it simply creates a neutral space and removes an unnecessary barrier to local democracy being equally welcoming to all sections of society."
However, Andrea Minichiello Williams, CEO of Christian Concern and a director of the Christian Legal Centre was less impressed. Responding to news that councils are abandoning prayers she said:
"These changes highlight the rise of a totalitarian and bitter kind of secularism that seeks to remove all traces of Christianity from public discourse. The claim that secularism is the more neutral option is a myth.
"Secularists are determined to uproot our Christian foundations whilst simultaneously advocating the false notion that atheism provides the correct principles upon which society - and its values - should be based.
"Atheism however is by no means neutral. It is deeply rooted in the rejection of God and the objective standards of morality that He lays for the benefit of all mankind.
"As a nation we need to be determined not to forego the values based on the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, which have shaped our country for centuries and made it the thriving and flourishing nation that it is today.
"I urge all other councils not to give in to the pressure to conform, but to be vocal and visible for the Lord Jesus by continuing to keep prayers on their agenda."
Responding to Ms Williams, NSS Executive Director Keith Porteous Wood said: "she is blatantly and deliberately misrepresenting secularism for her own evangelical ends. The Bideford court order remains in force and she and others are shamelessly inciting councils to break the law.
"The courts have similarly seen through these unprincipled religious tactics - that is why we won the court case and why they have ultimately lost every employment case they have brought."
