Tags: Equality & Human Rights
Equal marriage: Church’s submission “erroneous”, says lawyer
Posted: Tue, 26 Jun 2012
The Church of England's failure to distinguish between social, religious and legal institutions of marriage "confuses the issues" according to a legal opinion obtained by the National Secular Society about the Church's controversial response to the Government's consultation on equal marriage. The consultation has just closed. Read More »
Catholic Education Service rebuked for blurring distinction between faith and politics in schools
Posted: Wed, 20 Jun 2012
The Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove, has written to the Catholic Education Service (CES) to express concern that it has blurred the distinction between discussing matters of faith and promoting partisan political views. Read More »
Woking Council determined to keep free parking for “faith groups” only
Posted: Mon, 11 Jun 2012
Woking Borough Council in Surrey is to consider extending its policy of offering free parking to churchgoers to include those attending places of worship of other religions. Read More »
Gay 'cure’ therapist loses appeal against suspension
Posted: Wed, 23 May 2012
A Christian psychotherapist has lost her appeal against suspension from her professional body after being struck off after attempting to convert a homosexual man to heterosexuality. Read More »
Michael Gove to investigate Catholic schools’ anti-gay petition
Posted: Sun, 29 Apr 2012
The Department for Education has announced that it will investigate complaints that rules were breached when Catholic schools were asked to encourage their pupils to sign a national petition against gay marriage. Read More »
Tribunal kicks out claim that calling someone ‘darling’ amounts to religious discrimination
Posted: Thu, 26 Apr 2012
A claim of religious discrimination was so ridiculous that it was thrown out of an employment tribunal this week before the hearing even got under way. Read More »
Catholic Education Service is abusing its authority in state schools
Posted: Wed, 25 Apr 2012
The Catholic Education Service (CES) has been accused of abusing its authority by contacting Catholic schools asking them to tell pupils about a political campaign against equal marriage legislation for LGBT people. Read More »
Oxford alumnus protests against Christian Concern
Posted: Fri, 13 Apr 2012
An Oxford graduate has returned his degree in protest at his college agreeing to host a conference run by a Christian group which does not favour gay rights. Read More »
More Catholics rebel against hierarchy’s homophobia
Posted: Thu, 22 Mar 2012
Reports suggest that the controversial bishops' letter opposing gay marriage which was supposed to be read out to all Catholic congregations in England and Wales a couple of Sundays ago was widely ignored and disregarded. Read More »
Same-sex marriage – your opinions sought
Posted: Thu, 15 Mar 2012
The Government has launched its three-month long consultation on the legalisation of same sex civil marriages in England and Wales. The NSS will closely follow the debate over the coming weeks and frame our response to the consultation on the basis of that debate – and on what our members want. Read More »
Catholic midwives lose abortion 'conscientious objection' case
Posted: Wed, 29 Feb 2012
Two Catholic midwives have lost a legal battle after claiming that being asked to supervise nurses involved in abortion procedures violated their religious conscience. Read More »
Christian hotel owners fined for refusing to let a gay couple stay
Posted: Fri, 17 Feb 2012
The Christian owners of a private hotel have lost their appeal against a £3,600 fine imposed on them for refusing to allow a gay couple to occupy a double room at Chymorvah House in Marazion, Cornwall, in 2008. Read More »
NSS intervention aims to protect equality laws from religious onslaught
Posted: Fri, 16 Sep 2011
The National Secular Society has, with the leave of the European Court of Human Rights, submitted an intervention to argue that Britain's equality laws should be upheld and not compromised by religious exemptions. Read More »
Non-religious girl may have to leave Brownies because of religious oath
Posted: Fri, 12 Aug 2011
Seven-year old Maddie Willett is in the Brownies, and she really likes it. But now her membership is threatened because she doesn't want to take a religious oath. Read More »
Equality Commission determined to push religion up the hierarchy of rights
Posted: Tue, 12 Jul 2011
The National Secular Society today accused the Equality and Human Rights Commission of supporting special rights for Christians in the workplace – putting the rights of others at risk. Read More »