Category: News

No Prayer Breakfast – write up and photos!

Post author By Admin
Post date October 16, 2012

Together with the British Humanist Association (BHA) we held an extremely successful fringe meeting at this year’s Labour Party conference in Manchester. 100 delegates packed out the room for our 5th ‘No Prayer Breakfast’ and as usual provided really lively discussion. We had a great panel of speakers – committed Labour Humanists Angela Eagle MP and Kelvin Hopkins MP, Andrew Copson the chief executive of the BHA, Polly Toynbee the BHA’s president, and journalist and blogger Sunny Hundal. The event was chaired by Labour Humanists chair Naomi Phillips.

See photos on the BHA’s Facebook page.

‘Militant secularism’ was the theme of the No Prayer Breakfast and all speakers set out their perspectives. The discussion session from the floor covered a wide range of burning issues for humanists in the Labour Party – the government’s programme to expand discriminatory state-funded faith schools, Christian-only food banks, public services handed over to religious organisations, the growing numbers of non-religious people throughout the UK, equal marriage, and much, much more.

It was also a great opportunity to sign up new members to Labour Humanists for the equivalent of just £1 per month – people can now join online via the PayPal link on our homepage www.labourhumanists.org.uk. Delegates were also encouraged to follow @LabourHumanists on Twitter. We live-tweeted the event with photos (check out our Twitter timeline!) and the BHA also Storify-ed the event.

News

Letter to Ed Miliband on Bishops in the Lords

Post author By Admin
Post date June 28, 2012

Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP

Leader of the Opposition
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA

28 June 2012

I am writing on behalf of Labour Humanists to request that, as you consider Labour’s position on – and parliamentary strategy towards – the House of Lords Reform Bill, you will settle on a secular approach. That is, that the Parliamentary Labour Party will oppose government proposals to retain reserved places for Church of England bishops in a partially elected chamber.

As you know, Labour’s policy to have a 100% elected Lords would have meant abolishing the Lords Spiritual, and Labour Humanists can see no good legal, practical or ethical reason why in a partially elected chamber we should not similarly end the undemocratic ‘right’ for the Church of England to sit in our parliament.

Despite the Liberal Democrats’ clear policy against reserved seats for bishops in any reformed chamber, their leaders in parliament have introduced a Bill which retains that unjustifiable religious privilege, and those on the government payroll may be whipped to support that provision.

Labour has a real opportunity to take a more principled position – let us now take the lead in working for secular reform which privileges nor discriminates against any member of the Lords on the basis of religion or belief.

By all means let Church of England bishops, and any other clergy or religious representatives, stand for election or be eligible for appointment to a reformed Lords but let that be on the same basis as everyone else.

Promoting equality and campaigning against privilege in our democratic arrangements is not just a secularist position, it should be the Labour position. We are convinced that many in the Party, religious and non-religious, would fully support moves by the PLP to amend the government’s Bill in a way to get rid of the bishops’ bench. Indeed, former minister for constitutional reform Chris Bryant MP, who is ordained in the Church of England, has been one of the most outspoken advocates of ending the right of bishops to sit in parliament, and has spoken alongside prominent humanists on the issue.

Should you wish to discuss this important issue further, we would be delighted to meet with you or your staff at your convenience.

Yours sincerely

Naomi Phillips

Chair, Labour Humanists

Tags bishops, lords reform, secularism

News

Labour must lead fight for secular Lords reform

Post author By Admin
Post date April 23, 2012

Labour must fight lead the fight for secular Lords Reform, Labour Humanists have said in response to a parliamentary report, published today, which recommends keeping reserved places for Church of England Bishops in a reformed House of Lords and that the ‘Appointments Commission consider faith’
when appointing peers.

Commenting on the report, Labour Humanists’ chair Naomi Phillips said, ‘The Labour Party campaigned on a policy position and manifesto pledge for a 100% elected House of Lords – and that means no reserved places for Bishops. The Bishops’ place in Parliament has nothing to do with merit or democracy but because of an outdated, sexist, unequal tradition which has no place in a truly reformed second chamber. Campaigning against the proposals to retain a reserved and privileged place for Bishops in Parliament is not just a secularist position, it should be the Labour position.

‘Retaining, even at a reduced number than at present, the Church of England boys’ club in Parliament would not only be an embarrassment, it would send a clear signal that those of other religions or of no religion have a second-class status in our democracy.’

Events News

Labour Humanists at Fabian Society conference

Post author By Admin
Post date February 14, 2012

Together with the British Humanist Association (BHA), we had a stand at the Fabian Society annual conference in London. With 1000 Labour Party members, activists, and influencers attending, this was an excellent opportunity for us to speak to people and recruit new members to Labour Humanists.