"Being religious – or being from 'our' religious tradition – should not give any politician a privileged position or a get-out clause that allows them to ignore the accepted bases of authority: logic, scientific fact, experimental test, critical evaluation and an appeal to values we share in common."
Gordon Brown, former prime minister

"Despite promising to defend equality, tolerance and mutual respect in schools as part of the drive against extremism, ministers appear to be turning a blind eye to taxpayers' money being used to promote the idea that girls are inferior to boys."
Rachel Sylvester, political columnist at the Times, says the Government must face up to prejudiced teaching in Islamic schools

"They will say that it is just verbal and political. They know that in this world right now this is not the way some other people see it. It really isn't a joke. It is genuinely dangerous. These campaigns are all part of an attempt to intimidate public figures from saying anything at all about integration into our society."
Trevor Phillips, the former equalities chief, responds to being nominated for an annual 'Islamophobia award'

As secularism comes under attack on a range of fronts, the NSS is entering an exciting new era. On Saturday our AGM saw the changing of the guard among officers, councillors and staff.

Keith Porteous Wood, whose long tenure as executive director came to an end, was elected as our new president. Terry Sanderson stood down as president after 11 years; he and Richard Scorer were elected as vice-presidents.

Ed Moore was re-elected as treasurer. Robert Forder and Patricia Wallis were elected as new members of council, while Afonso Reis e Sousa and Dorothy Smith were re-elected. Meanwhile Stephen Evans's appointment as chief executive was confirmed.

As we restate our commitment to the secularist cause, we thank you for your support and pass our thanks to outgoing officers and members of council for their hard work.