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The British Humanist Association is the national charity working on behalf of ethically concerned, non-religious people in the UK. It is the largest organisation in the UK campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, and for a secular state.

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Family of WW2 hero Major Sidney Excell: Humanist exclusion from Remembrance Ceremony ‘blatant discrimination’

The family of the late Major Sidney Excell, a committed atheist best known as the man who arrested Head of the Gestapo Heinrich Himmler have today said that they are appalled at the government refusal to include a humanist at the wreath laying ceremony on Remembrance Day.In a statement put out by the family they commented  ‘It is devastating to know that a man who played not a small role in history not be remembered by the country he so loved. It is disgusting that the Government has consistently denied requests for a humanist representative to be placed with religious representatives. We

Remembrance Services campaign launched ‘For All Who Serve’

‘For All Who Serve’, a new campaign launched today by the United Kingdom Armed Forces Humanist Association (UKAFHA) and supported by the British Humanist Association (BHA), is calling for the recognition of non-religious members of the armed forces who have died in the line of duty in the national service of remembrance.Despite the rising number of non-religious personnel serving in the armed forces, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), which coordinates the arrangements for the remembrance ceremony at the Cenotaph, still refuses to allow humanist representatives to

Inequality: The Enemy Between Us

The British Humanist Association presents an evening with Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson, authors of The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do BetterOn Tuesday 16 October in Manchester Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson, authors of The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better, will present the 2012 Holyoake Lecture on Inequality: The Enemy Between Us. With the inequalities in society increasing and a growing number of reports of children living in poverty in the UK, the topic of this event is timed to highlight some of the outcomes we can

Tony Nicklinson loses right-to-die court case

Tony Nicklinson has lost his High Court case to allow doctors to end his life without risk of prosecution.  Mr Nicklinson, who is 58, suffered a catastrophic stroke in 2005 which left him with locked-in syndrome, which means that he is paralysed from the neck down.  He communicates by blinking, and has described his life since the stroke as a ‘living nightmare’.  He says that he is ‘devastated’ by the court’s decision, and that ‘I am saddened that the law wants to condemn me to a life of increasing indignity and misery.’  Mr Nicklinson also said that he would appeal against the decision.

The National Trust to review Giant’s Causeway exhibition

The National Trust have announced that they are to review the content of their exhibition at the new Giant’s Causeway visitor centre.  The exhibition generated controversy by appearing to suggest that creationism can provide an alternative explanation of the site’s formation.  The Giant’s Causeway, located on the County Antrim coast in Northern Ireland, includes spectacular basalt columns which were formed by volcanic eruptions up to 60 million years ago.  However, an audio exhibition in the new visitor centre contains a reference to the creationist view of the site’s origin, and claims that

MPs speak out against bishops in parliament

The proposals to retain reserves places for Church of England Bishops in a reformed House of Lords was widely criticised by MPs in a House of Commons debate yesterday (Tuesday 10 July), however, due to widespread disagreements with the proposals, they are unlikely to return for further discussion before Parliament’s summer recess.A range of MPs objected to the continued presence of the bishops. Karl Turner MP said ‘Surely if we are trying to increase democracy and legitimacy, having ex-officio religious positions is, in itself discriminatory.’ Thomas Docherty MP’s comment that ‘I do not

‘Deeply disappointing’ Bishops retain reserved seats in Lords Reform Bill

Heavily criticised proposals to strengthen the unjust influence of the Church of England in Parliament have been today revealed in the form of the House of Lords Reform Bill. The British Humanist Association (BHA) has condemned the Bill, which if implemented without modification would embed special privilege at the heart of our political system.The Government’s House of Lords Reform Bill proposes to continue reserving seats in Parliament for the representatives of the state Church in the form of ‘Lords Spiritual’. From 2025 the number of Lords Spiritual will be set at 12, with their numbers

Michael Gove concludes Catholic schools did not break the law in promoting anti-same sex marriage petition

An investigation by the Department for Education (DfE) ordered by Michael Gove, Secretary of State, has concluded that St Philomena’s Catholic High School for Girls in Carshalton did not break any law in promoting a petition against same-sex marriage. The British Humanist Association (BHA) has expressed bafflement at the conclusion, which appears to be at odds with the Welsh Government’s separate investigation  on the matter.The DfE’s investigation concluded that St Philomena’s, which read out 

Schools minister declares support for teaching humanism in RE

Minister of State for Schools Nick Gibb MP has stated his support for teaching non-religious beliefs such as humanism as part of Religious Education (RE). The British Humanist Association (BHA) has welcomed the minister’s comments.The BHA has a long history of involvement in RE, having been a founder member of the Religious Education Council for England and Wales (REC) in 1973. The BHA was involved in the development of the 2004 English non-statutory national framework on RE and the 2010 non-statutory guidance on secondary RE. The BHA dedicates significant resources to producing classroom

Richard Dawkins awarded for services to Humanism

Professor Richard Dawkins this weekend received an award in recognition of his services to Humanism at the annual conference of the British Humanist Association (BHA), held at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff. The two day conference is entitled ‘Beyond Tomorrow’ explored visions of the future, from the apocalyptic to the utopian.Professor Richard Dawkins was the Charles Simonyi Professor of the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford (until 2008) and Honorary Vice-President of the British Humanist Association. His published works include The Selfish Gene,

Religious Education is important – But it must be relevant and comprehensive

Good quality 'Religious Education' (RE) in schools is seen as important and valued by the public, research commissioned by the Religious Education Council (REC) has indicated. The research has been welcomed by the British Humanist Association (BHA), which restated the importance of all major beliefs – both religious and non-religious—being objectively explored.According to the research, 53% of adults in England and Wales think that RE should remain a compulsory subject in state funded schools. A greater number (58%) think it is beneficial for pupils to study RE.  The research also indicates

‘Gay cure’ therapist loses appeal against the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy

Lesley Pilkington, a psychotherapist who was found guilty of ‘professional malpractice’ for using the techniques of ‘conversion therapy’ (a bogus form of treatment which is supposed to make gay people become straight) has lost her appeal against the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).  Mrs Pilkington was found guilty of malpractice last year after trying to convert a gay client to heterosexuality, with the BACP describing her practice as ‘negligent’, ‘dogmatic’ and ‘unprofessional’.  The British Humanist Association (BHA) welcomes the BACP’s decision.The complaint

BHA signs letter expressing concern at pseudo-scientific Maharishi and Steiner Free Schools

A letter in yesterday’s Observer  expressing concern about pseudo-scientific Free Schools has been signed by the British Humanist Association (BHA). Amongst others, the letter was also signed by Edzard Ernst, Professor of Complementary Medicine at the University of Exeter; David Colquhoun, Professor of Pharmacology at University College London; and the science writer Simon Singh, and is specifically directed at Maharishi and Steiner schools.The letter reads: Sir – Since the formation of the

Welsh Government investigation concludes Catholic schools likely broke the law in promoting anti-same sex marriage petition

A Welsh Government investigation into recent news that the Catholic Education Service (CES) encouraged schools to promote a petition against same-sex marriage has concluded that this led to schools breaking laws on political balance. The Government has also asked that any schools which promoted the petition now make pupils aware of ‘the converse view’. The British Humanist Association (BHA), who were the first to suggest  these laws may have been broken, has welcomed the findings.Sections 406-7 of the Education Act 1996 

New survey on Collective Worship and RE in Wales finds most support legislative reform

A new survey of Welsh adults carried out by YouGov has revealed that more people support the replacement of laws requiring Collective Worship in schools than support retaining them, and more support fully opening up Religious Education (RE) to non-religious beliefs than oppose it.On Collective Worship, respondents were informed that ‘Some people have proposed that the laws which require state funded schools to provide daily collective worship should be replaced by a requirement that they hold assemblies which consider moral and ethical issues shared by a range of different religious and non-

New BHA research reveals most new ‘faith’ schools opening ‘by the back door’

Every single ‘faith’ school proposed to be fast-tracked through the opening process without competition in the last five years was approved. This 100% success rate contrasts with the results of other schools trying to open outside of competition, when fewer than half of proposals were successful. When ‘faith’ schools faced competition from non-religious proposals, barely one-third succeeded. These are the main findings of a new report  published today by

BHA welcomes Welsh government probe into Catholic schools promoting anti-gay marriage petition

The Welsh government have today announced that they are investigating whether the Catholic Education Service for England and Wales (CES) broke laws on equality and against political indoctrination. The British Humanist Association (BHA) wrote earlier to both Welsh Education Minister Leighton Andrews and Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove to address the matter, and has welcomed the announcement.Last month, the CES wrote to all Catholic secondary schools and asked them to draw attention to a letter against gay marriage from the Archbishops of Westminster and Southwark which was

BHA: Catholic Education Service has likely broken multiple laws in pushing anti-gay marriage petition on pupils

The Catholic Education Service (CES) has written to every state-funded Catholic secondary school in England and Wales and asked them to urge pupils to sign a petition against gay marriage, it has been reported today in PinkNews.co.uk . The British Humanist Association (BHA) has branded the revelation as ‘absolutely outrageous’, and believes that the CES has likely broken multiple laws in pushing such a petition in pupils.Last month, the CES wrote to all Catholic

Holy Redundant! BHA launches campaign to remove Bishops from Parliament

The British Humanist Association (BHA) has today launched its campaign to remove reserved seats for the Bishops from the House of Lords. The campaign, ‘Holy Redundant ’, follows on from the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Draft House of Lords Reform Bill reporting on Monday  in support of the Government’s proposals to keep reserved seats for Bishops in a reformed second chamber by a vote of 13-7.The new BHA website debunks arguments used in support of keeping Bishops in the Lords. It encourages supporters to write

Even the government don’t know which Academies and Free Schools are religiously discriminating ‘faith’ schools

A new Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by the British Humanist Association (BHA) has revealed that even the Department for Education (DfE) do not know which Academies and Free Schools have a ‘faith ethos’ and which do not. The BHA has branded the revelation ‘unbelievable’.‘Faith ethos’ schools are a growing but largely hidden type of state-funded school. In the state-maintained school sector (i.e. community, voluntary and foundation schools), if the authority or foundation that runs the school wants to appoint any governors on the basis of their religion, then the school must

Legal action against state-funded religious schools opening ‘by the back door’

The British Humanist Association (BHA) and Richmond Inclusive Schools Campaign  (RISC) have joined forces to bring legal action against Richmond Council, which is seeking to open state-funded, selective Roman Catholic schools outside of competition.New rules  that came into force on 1 February state that ‘If a local authority in England think a new school needs to be established in their area, they must seek proposals for the establishment of an Academy’ [i.e. a Free School].

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