Tags: Church & State
Peer proposes bill to abolish bishops’ bench in House of Lords
Posted: Fri, 20 Dec 2019
The NSS is backing a private member's bill which would end the automatic right of Church of England bishops to sit in the House of Lords. Read More »
New archbishop blocked attempt to let CoE accept same-sex marriage
Posted: Wed, 18 Dec 2019
The NSS has said the appointment of the new archbishop of York has highlighted the case for disestablishing the Church of England. Read More »
NSS urges lord chancellor to scrap Anglican judges’ service
Posted: Tue, 01 Oct 2019
The NSS has urged the lord chancellor to scrap the annual Anglican services which mark the start of the legal year. Read More »
Just 12% of Brits are affiliated to C of E, major survey reveals
Posted: Thu, 11 Jul 2019
The NSS has called for a "serious rethink" of religion's public role amid a significant decline in affiliation to the Church of England. Read More »
Britain’s non-religious population growing rapidly, figures show
Posted: Fri, 12 Apr 2019
The number of people who say they are non-religious in Great Britain has risen by 46% in seven years, according to official figures. Read More »
Bishop helps scupper amendment to let CoE allow same-sex marriage
Posted: Thu, 07 Feb 2019
An amendment that would make it easier for the C of E to allow same-sex marriage has been withdrawn amid opposition from a bishop. Read More »
Prayers shouldn’t be part of parliamentary business, say MPs
Posted: Mon, 14 Jan 2019
MPs have called for an end to the practice of holding prayers in parliament in an early day motion backed by the NSS. Read More »
Just a third of public supports royal ties with CoE, NSS poll finds
Posted: Fri, 04 Jan 2019
Only a third of the UK public thinks the monarchy's ties to the C of E should remain intact, according to a poll conducted for the NSS. Read More »
Welby’s political interventions seen as inappropriate, poll finds
Posted: Wed, 02 Jan 2019
A plurality of the public thinks it is inappropriate for the archbishop of Canterbury to express political opinions, a poll has found. Read More »
Labour peer raises case for disestablishment in Lords
Posted: Wed, 28 Nov 2018
The NSS has reiterated its call for the disestablishment of the Church of England after a peer raised the subject in the House of Lords. Read More »
CoE spent £40m of public money without proper scrutiny, NSS reveals
Posted: Thu, 22 Nov 2018
The government let the C of E spend £40m of taxpayers' money on cathedral repairs without proper scrutiny, NSS research has revealed. Read More »
Bishops’ place in Lords must be reviewed, say MPs
Posted: Mon, 19 Nov 2018
A committee of MPs has said the number of bishops in the House of Lords should be reviewed as part of proposals for Lords reform. Read More »
Greece takes major step towards disestablishment of Orthodox Church
Posted: Fri, 09 Nov 2018
Clerics in Greece's Orthodox Church will stop being civil servants, the country's government has announced. Read More »
Most Britons support key secularist principles, says Pew research
Posted: Thu, 01 Nov 2018
Britons support several key secularist principles but a significant minority are unwelcoming of religious minorities, a study has found. Read More »
Princess removed from line of succession for being Catholic
Posted: Tue, 02 Oct 2018
The NSS has said a princess's removal from the monarchical line of succession is "a reminder that Britain needs a secular head of state". Read More »
NSS reiterates call for end of Anglican judges’ service
Posted: Tue, 02 Oct 2018
The NSS has again written to the justice secretary to call for the end of Anglican services which mark the beginning of the legal year. Read More »
C of E wants unconditional government support for church repairs
Posted: Fri, 28 Sep 2018
The NSS has urged the government not to submit to a Church of England demand for at least £30m per year for church maintenance. Read More »
NSS dismisses ‘regressive’ proposal to extend religious representation in Lords
Posted: Fri, 14 Sep 2018
The NSS has dismissed a call from the government's 'faith minister' for seats as of right in the House of Lords to extended to other 'faith leaders'. Read More »
Affiliation to C of E has halved since 2002, major survey shows
Posted: Fri, 07 Sep 2018
The National Secular Society has called the Church of England's established status "unsustainable" after new figures revealed a sharp decline in affiliation. Read More »
“Establishment” helped abusive bishop evade justice, inquiry hears
Posted: Thu, 26 Jul 2018
Figures including an archbishop of Canterbury, politicians and judges helped a bishop who committed sexual abuse, an inquiry has heard. Read More »
