News
Defamation Act passed by House of Lords
April 29th, 2013The House of Lords have passed the Defamation Act, after a three-year campaign calling for the reform of Britain’s libel laws. On Tuesday last week, peers voted by a majority of 78 to pass the legislation, and the Act gained Royal Assent on Thursday. The new Act will help to protect free speech, as well [...]
Lords debate Personal, Social, Health and Economic education
April 26th, 2013On Wednesday the House of Lords debated Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education, including Sex and Relationships Education (SRE). The debate was initiated by Baroness Massey of Darwen, Vice Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Humanist Group, and saw her and many other Lords argue in favour of strengthening the teaching of PSHE in [...]
Catholic schools to seek to take over management of schools without a religious character
April 26th, 2013The Catholic Education Service has today announced it is working with the Government to draw up plans to have its schools take over the management of many English state schools without a religious character, it has today been announced. The TES has reported that the Church is to follow the approach pioneered by the Church [...]
BHA responds to English national curriculum review
April 24th, 2013The British Humanist Association (BHA) has responded to the UK Government’s consultation on reform of the national curriculum in England, and to its consultation on secondary school accountability. In its wide-ranging response to the former, the BHA has considered in detail issues around sex and relationships education, evolution and creationism, the removal of human rights [...]
Paul Lamb ‘L’ waives right to anonymity in assisted dying court case
April 18th, 2013Paul Lamb, a claimant seeking the right to a doctor-assisted death, has waived his right to anonymity. He was previously referred to only as ‘L’. Last month, the Court of Appeal decided that he can be joined to the legal case of the late Tony Nicklinson, who was also seeking to establish the right to [...]
Humanists call for action on imprisoned Bangladeshi atheist bloggers
April 15th, 2013Police in Bangladesh have arrested several “atheist bloggers” and shut down their websites. Those confirmed arrested include Subrata Adhikari Shuvo, Mashiur Rahman Biplob, and Rasel Parvez, from Dhaka, and the popular blogger, Asif Mohiuddin, who was viciously attacked in January. They have all been interrogated and remanded in custody. Islamists have provided the Bangladeshi government with a [...]
Non-religious Academy in Solihull decides to religiously select in admissions
April 15th, 2013After completing a consultation, Tudor Grange Academy, a secondary school without a religious character in Solihull, has decided to adopt an admissions policy that prioritises pupils who attend a religiously selective Church of England primary school – potentially excluding others who live closer to the Academy. The British Humanist Association (BHA) previously wrote to the school [...]
Group tells parents that attending meeting in support of proposed Islamic Free School is ‘more serious than death’
April 12th, 2013A private school with connections to a proposed Muslim Free School in Halifax has written to parents warning them that attending an upcoming consultation meeting is ‘more serious than death.’ The British Humanist Association (BHA) has questioned the appropriateness of the group being involved in running a school. The Sunniyy School is a private school [...]
BHA signs SEF letter calling for strong sex education in national curriculum science
April 12th, 2013Take Action! Make sure you respond to the English national curriculum review before the 16 April deadline. The British Humanist Association (BHA) is one of almost 100 organisations to have signed a letter organised by the Sex Education Forum (SEF) and published today in The Times, calling for strong teaching around sex education as part [...]
Outgoing scientific adviser criticises homeopathy
April 11th, 2013The use of homoeopathy by the NHS has been described as ‘mad’ by Professor Sir John Beddington, a former Government scientific adviser. Sir John has also criticised the Government for ignoring his advice against the NHS funding of homeopathy. The British Humanist Association (BHA), which opposes the NHS funding of homeopathy, welcomes Sir John’s comments. [...]
BHA challenges unfair admissions policy of London Catholic school
April 5th, 2013The British Humanist Association (BHA) today raised concerns about the highly discriminatory nature of the London Oratory School, a Roman Catholic state school in Fulham, London. The school’s admissions policy is more selective than any other school that the BHA is aware of, including giving points to applicant’s parents for ‘Service… in any Catholic parish’, [...]
GMC updates doctors’ guidance on personal beliefs
April 3rd, 2013The General Medical Council (GMC) has updated its guidelines for doctors, including its rules on personal beliefs and medical practice. However, the new rules are problematic in that they allow doctors to conscientiously object to providing certain types of treatment, such as access to contraception. They also allow the religious beliefs of parents to take [...]
