Opinion
Blasphemy is a catalyst for progress. Let’s celebrate it.
Blasphemy has been a powerful driver of individual rights and freedoms, argues Stephen Evans.
British ex-Muslims, already unfree, face perils of worsening censorship
To mark International Apostasy Day on 22 August, Dr Ben Jones reflects on his recent research into the experiences... Read More »
Defining ‘Islamophobia’ is not the answer to combatting anti-Muslim hate
The recent upsurge in anti-Muslim bigotry should be universally condemned. But supporting affected communities doesn't... Read More »
Book review: ‘The Divine Economy’, by Paul Seabright
Paul Seabright's economic perspective on religion provides useful insights into the power of religious institutions... Read More »
Secularism and the safeguarding of liberal values
Stephen Evans highlights the myriad threats to secular liberalism and sets out what's needed to preserve it ahead... Read More »
Starmer must bring our diverse but divided people together
Megan Manson says the election revealed the threats faith-based politics poses to community cohesion, and calls for... Read More »
Bishops shouldn’t have a role in the Isle of Man’s parliament
Muriel Garland explains why she supports removing bishop's vote in Tynwald's upper chamber.
What do parties in NI, Scotland & Wales have to offer secularists?
Megan Manson examines what Alliance, DUP, Sinn Féin, SDLP, ALBA, SNP and Plaid Cymru think about secularist... Read More »
What secularists want from the next UK Government
Stephen Evans says the next Government should support inclusive education, uphold free expression and make progress... Read More »
How will secularism fare after the election?
Megan Manson summarises the policies of the main nationwide players in the General Election 2024 and where they stand... Read More »
The next government must legislate to protect children from abuse in religious settings
Abuse law expert Richard Scorer explains why the government's proposed 'mandatory reporting' law was anything but... Read More »
Mandatory Christian worship has no place in modern education
Most senior school leaders don't support the law which requires daily acts of collective worship in school. The next... Read More »
Ritual circumcision cannot be reconciled with child rights
Following the Worldwide Day of Genital Autonomy earlier this month, Dr Alejandro Sanchez notes that while child rights... Read More »
Scrapping admissions cap signals alarming lurch towards religious privilege
The decision to scrap the 50% cap on faith-based admissions at free schools is a symptom of growing deference to religious... Read More »
We must stop ignoring the elephant in the (religious) court room
As the issue of religious 'courts' is debated in UK media, Helen Nicholls says we must not be afraid to point out... Read More »
We must empower secular schools to assert their ethos
When Islamists tried to bully Michaela Community School, the school refused to back down. Other schools have not been... Read More »
Allowing more religious selection in schools would be a big mistake
Abandoning the 50% admission cap would exacerbate the discrimination, disadvantage and division inherent with faith... Read More »
Three years on, the lessons of Batley are yet to be learned
The Batley affair exposed the Islamist threat to UK schools. We're still yet to come to terms with its implications,... Read More »
A state Church is no bulwark against extremism – but secularism is
With its commitment to the separation of religion and state and safeguarding the rights of all individuals, secularism... Read More »
We can’t allow extremists to make the truth taboo
If accusations of Islamophobia can be used to silence criticism of Hamas, the UK is in a very dangerous place, argues... Read More »
We must stop giving public funds to religious colleges which restrict academic freedom
Many religious higher education providers are shirking their duty to uphold freedom of expression and academic freedom.... Read More »
Michaela shows the need to end collective worship laws
The Michaela case demonstrates why we need a change in law to enable schools to promote a secular, inclusive ethos,... Read More »
Ritual slaughter: is the government about to renege on its commitment to consult?
Stephen Evans criticises the government's U-turn on animal welfare and says food labelling policy should serve consumers... Read More »
Time to bring policies on religion in line with public opinion
As yet another study confirms Brits aren't keen on religion, Megan Manson says politicians should reflect public opinion... Read More »
Religion should not be a roadblock to child safeguarding in healthcare
A new paper highlights barriers to reforming guidance on non-therapeutic circumcision. The author, Dr Antony Lempert,... Read More »
