Plans by the Welsh Government to introduce a database of children not being educated in a school setting have been welcomed by Wales Humanists as an important measure in making sure children in Wales are protected from proprietors of illegal schools.  Under the proposed plan, each council in Wales would be required to establish a database of children in their area who may be missing education or not educated in a school, and includes children who are home educated. Local health boards and general medical contractors would also be required to share information with local authorities.  ..read more

A debate held yesterday in Westminster heard strong arguments for a change in the law on assisted dying. Humanists UK applauds those who attended and spoke at the debate, which is a step forward in the national conversation on assisted dying. The debate provided a platform for robust discussion on the need for legislative reform, came in response to a petition started by Dame Esther Rantzen which now has over 200 000 signatures. Humanists UK members rallied outside parliament to show the depth of public support for a change. Rachel Hopkins MP, Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Hu ..read more

The Sunday Telegraph has reported that the Government will announce their intention this week to remove the 50% admissions cap on new faith schools in England. This would mean that they would no longer have to offer a proportion of their places to children without considering their families’ religion but would instead be able to apply religious discrimination in 100% of their admissions. This same proposal was dropped by the Government in 2018 after extensive opposition and evidence of the benefits of the cap. Responding to rumours of the move two weeks ago, former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr ..read more

Earlier this week Tynwald (Manx Parliament) took one step closer to removing the automatic right to vote of the Bishop of Sodor and Man. This follows on from a public consultation earlier this year which saw the Manx public come out in support of removing the bishop’s right to vote as well as parliamentary prayers. The Constitution Bill 2023, sponsored by Lawrie Hooper MHK, which started its passage through Tynwald last year, passed its clauses stage on Tuesday which means it will now move onto its third reading. This reflects the desire of the populace of the Isle of Man to ensure equal repr ..read more

Humanists UK and My Death, My Decision (MDMD) will be holding a rally on Parliament Square on 29 April at 15:30 to show their support for assisted dying legislation for the terminally ill and the incurably suffering. On Monday the House of Commons will be holding a Westminster Hall debate on assisted dying after an e-petition on the subject reached over 200,000 signatures. This debate is the latest in a series of developments on assisted dying across the UK. In Scotland an assisted dying bill was published last month, while both Jersey and the Isle of Man have taken steps towards assisted dyi ..read more

The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill finally passed through parliament last night after weeks of parliamentary ping-pong, despite the fact that Rwanda’s blasphemy laws raise significant human rights concerns for the non-religious and religious minorities. The legislation passed last night asserts Rwanda as a ‘safe country’ overriding a Supreme Court ruling against this fact. Humanists UK has repeatedly raised concerns about Rwanda’s blasphemy laws where individuals accused of blasphemy can face imprisonment and/or fines.  Humanists UK is deeply concerned about the wider hum ..read more

The Northern Ireland Assembly has passed a motion mandating compulsory ‘standardised, inclusive, high-quality, evidence-based and age-appropriate’ Relationship and Sex Education (RSE).  Northern Ireland Humanists welcomed the legislative change to better prepare young people to understand consent, build healthy relationships, and combat violence against women and girls. The motion passed with strong support, with 49 MLAs in favor and 33 against. This is a significant step forward in educational reform, and highlights the Assembly’s commitment to enhancing the well-being and development o ..read more

Humanists UK is saddened to learn of the death of Daniel Dennett, a towering figure in the field of philosophy and a celebrated advocate for humanist values. He died aged 82. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Dennett was a scholar whose work extended across the boundaries of philosophy of mind, science, and biology. He was renowned for his contributions to the understanding of consciousness and his advocacy for a scientific view of the mind. A staunch supporter of evolutionary approaches, Dennett applied Darwinian ideas to a wide range of topics including human cognition and religiosity. ‘There ..read more

The think tank Policy Exchange has released a new report expressing concern about a definition of Islamophobia that has in recent years been proposed by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for British Muslims. The report was written by Labour MP Khalid Mahmood, former Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Sir John Jenkins, and Dr Martyn Frampton, with a foreword by former Home and Communities Secretary Sir Sajid Javid MP. Humanists UK has also expressed concern about the definition, for its failure to distinguish between prejudice against people and criticism of beliefs. Prejudice against Muslims in the U ..read more

Pictured: Humanists UK Chief Executive, Andrew Copson, The Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief, London 2022 Humanists UK has welcomed a statement published by the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA) that highlights the persecution of the non-religious and calls for their protection. IRFBA is a network of 38 countries, including the UK, committed to advancing freedom of religion or belief around the world.  The right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) includes the right to hold non-religious beliefs, such as humanism. Humanists at Risk S ..read more