News
European Court of Justice: Employers can require staff to wear religiously neutral clothing
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has advised that employers can ask their staff to "dress neutrally" provided rules... Read More »
MP calls for Scotland to embrace a secular education system
Tommy Sheppard MP has called for Scotland to move towards a secular education system and expressed his hope that secularist... Read More »
Commons passes ‘mandatory’ sex education, but includes religious opt outs
The passage of an amendment to the Children and Social Work Bill means that Relationships and Sex Education will become... Read More »
Separate religion and state, urges UN Special Rapporteur
The United Nations' Special Rapporteur Karima Bennoune has recommended that states provide for the separation of religion... Read More »
NSS: Protect patients' rights from religious exemptions
The National Secular Society (NSS) has responded positively to a consultation on new guidelines for pharmacists which... Read More »
Final survivor resigns from Pope’s commission on clerical abuse of minors
The last remaining survivor of clerical abuse on the Pontifical Commission for Protection of Minors, Marie Collins,... Read More »
Sex education reforms: faith schools to keep special exemptions
The National Secular Society has welcomed moves to make sex and relationship education statutory, but urged the Government... Read More »
Inclusive assemblies to replace Christian worship in Brent schools
Local authority schools in Brent have been freed from the requirement to hold a daily act of Christian worship, after... Read More »
Fresh ‘Trojan Horse’ claims plague Oldham schools
The Sunday Times has reported on allegations of two new cases of attempts to foist a strict Islamic ethos on non-religious... Read More »
“No explanation” for why council is declining Sabbath swimming cheque
Local campaigners have accused Lewis council of "blinding inconsistencies and contradictions" after it declined £11,400... Read More »
Washington Supreme Court: Religious beliefs no excuse for a business to discriminate
The Supreme Court of the state of Washington has unanimously ruled that a florist cannot discriminate against same-sex... Read More »
High Court rules against sharia-only divorce claim
The Family Division of the High Court has ruled against a man who claimed his marriage could only be dissolved under... Read More »
Hackney launches consultation on unregistered schools
Hackney has launched a consultation into the safety of pupils and the quality of education in unregistered schools... Read More »
Shortlist for Secularist of the Year prize announced
The National Secular Society has announced the names of six candidates on the shortlist for the Irwin Prize for Secularist... Read More »
Abolish Bishops’ Bench to reduce the size of the House of Lords
The National Secular Society has recommended the removal of the Bishops' Bench to a parliamentary inquiry into how... Read More »
NSS welcomes “common sense” ruling on time off work for five week religious holiday
An employment tribunal has found that London Underground did not discriminate against an employee by denying him five... Read More »
Success! Gwynedd Council rethinks plan to impose church school on community
Plans for a new 'super school' in Bala to have a religious designation have been shelved following widespread opposition... Read More »
Pupils should have the same entitlement to religion and belief education - NSS tells RE Commission
Every pupil should have the same basic entitlement to non-partisan education about religion and belief, the National... Read More »
43% of universities restrict speech that might “offend” religious people
University administrations are becoming increasingly "censorious", with 43% of universities censoring speech that... Read More »
Liam Neeson backs integrated education in Northern Ireland
Actor Liam Neeson has released a video message calling for more integrated schools in Northern Ireland.
The appeal... Read More »
American secularists express alarm over Trump’s new Secretary of Education
Americans United for Separation of Church and State has said it is disappointed after the Senate narrowly voted to... Read More »
Secular schools ‘more appropriate than faith schools’ in diverse Britain
The Times has reported that pupils from Muslim backgrounds outnumber those from Christian families in more than 30... Read More »
Trump to shred key separation between religion and politics
President Trump has promised to fulfil a campaign pledge to abolish the Johnson Amendment, which prevents tax-exempt... Read More »
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown to present Secularist of the Year awards
The National Secular Society is pleased to announce that this year's Secularist of the Year award will be presented... Read More »
Non-religious parents will be disadvantaged by new faith school, NSS tells Council
The National Secular Society has warned Powys Council that significant numbers of non-religious parents and young... Read More »
