The Church of England’s announcement that it intends to open up 25% of new schools admissions to non-church families was condemned today as a cynical ploy aimed at misleading public opinion. The National Secular Society (NSS) said that the move would have minimal effect on community cohesion but was an attempt to deflect criticism ahead of plans to open more state-funded Church schools.

It is vital that the BBC stands firm against attempts by the Catholic Church to silence its investigations into child abuse, says the National Secular Society (NSS).

The National Secular Society will be presenting the second Irwin Prize for Secularist of the Year on Saturday October 7th at a central London hotel. The prize consists of a cheque for £5,000 donated by Dr Michael Irwin.

Worcester Acute Health Trust was urged by the National Secular Society to stick by its decision to cut the number of chaplains it employs and not to give in to religious pressure.

NSS Vice-president Terry Sanderson has condemned the government's refusal to allow its new commission to consider that faith schools are part of the problem with integration.

Catholic educators are opposing the Government’s proposal to allow students over 16 to withdraw themselves from Collective worship, despite a parliamentary committee saying that forced worship is a breach of their human rights.

In a move that has infuriated secularists, the Church of England is proposing that non teachers jobs in the 7,000 “faith” schools could be reserved for practitioners of the school’s religion. Almost all of England’s faith schools are Christian.

The Government has accepted that it is almost certainly a breach of human rights to force pupils of 16 and over to attend collective worship in schools if it is against their conscience. It now intends to amend the law accordingly.

Christians protesting against Jerry Springer the Opera (which is playing in the Dome until Saturday) are misguided and ignorant, says the National Secular Society (NSS).

The Archbishop of Wales’ comments that the Jerry Springer opera is inciting religious hatred were branded as “naïve and laughable” by the National Secular Society.