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
Council prayers ban upheld in US
Posted: Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:33
The US Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from the North Carolina County Board who were seeking to overturn a ban on sectarian prayers before public government meetings.
The County Board had previously been found by a lower court to be in violation of the constitutional separation of church and state by opening most of its sessions with a Christian prayer.
The local government had argued that their policy of inviting in private religious leaders to deliver its prayers rather than a paid government employee had opened the opportunity to members of all "faith traditions".
However, the previous court case found that almost 80 percent of the prayers referred to Jesus and that the content was predominately Christian.
In passing the appeal courts earlier ruling, Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson wrote "Sectarian prayers must not serve as the gateway to citizen participation in the affairs of local government."
The local government's prayer policy was challenged by two women who attended a local government board meeting in 2007. Their lawyers include attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
Katy Parker, legal director for the ACLU'sNorthCarolinachapter said "The law is now settled, and we are very happy that nobody inForsythCountyor anywhere else will feel like a second-class citizen because of what they believe."
The National Secular Society's legal challenge to prayers during council meetings was recently heard at the High Court and is currently being considered by Mr Justice Ouseley.
Another local council reconsiders prayers
Posted: Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:57
A councillor in Winchester in Hampshire has called for an end to the saying of prayers at the start of the main council meeting.
Councillor Jim Maynard objects to the mayor's chaplain leading the prayers at the start of the full Council meeting held in the conference chamber around eight times a year. Mr Maynard said: "I think it is inappropriate that we should be having ceremonies and prayers as part of the council. We are not a religious body, we are here to represent everyone. I hope to spark a debate about it. I'm not anti-religious but I don't believe these ceremonies have a place."
He tabled a question at the last Council. Council leader George Beckett said: "Over the years, a few members who did not wish to participate in prayers have remained outside the council chamber. Technically, prayers are not part of the formal council meeting."
Cllr Maynard, who has been on the council for 11 years, believes the tradition only dates back to 1982 and has been ignored by several mayors, including Labour's Chris Pines who did not have a chaplain. He said his question was sparked by the court case initiated by the National Secular Society and involving a councillor in Bideford, Devon.
