February 21st, 2019
Humanists UK has called on Royal College of Physicians (RCP) members to consider dignity and compassion for all by voting in favour of assisted dying in the College’s survey which closes on 1 March 2019. Last month the RCP announced it would survey its fellows and members on whether or not there should be a […]
February 20th, 2019
Humanists UK has expressed concern about UK Government proposals for a voluntary safeguarding code of practice for providers of out-of-school settings in England. In response to a consultation on the code, Humanists UK stated the draft proposals ‘cannot hope to address the problem of illegal schools’ and may even be used by the providers of such […]
February 19th, 2019
Channel Islands Humanists and Humanists UK have welcomed a decision by the Council of Ministers to commission detailed research into end-of-life choices in Jersey. The research will look into the options of assisted dying and will cover issues associated with protection for patients and ethical codes of conduct. The decision yesterday came about following a petition in […]
February 18th, 2019
To celebrate Darwin Day on 12 February 2019, Humanists UK hosted its largest annual Darwin Day Lecture to date, given by evolutionary biologist Professor Richard Dawkins and chaired by evolutionary anthropologist Professor Alice Roberts, the President of Humanists UK. Close to 2,000 people turned out for the sold-out show at London’s Troxy concert hall. Richard […]
February 17th, 2019
The global review into the persecution of Christians announced by Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt in December must be broadened to include other persecuted groups such as the non-religious, Humanists UK and Humanists International (newly renamed from the International Humanist and Ethical Union) have said today. The call comes in an open letter published in the […]
February 14th, 2019
In an interview with ConservativeHome in which he has defended the decision to allow new 100% religiously selective state schools to open, Education Secretary Damian Hinds argued that the UK is a Christian country and used this to justify Christianity’s prominent role in British politics. Humanists UK has expressed alarm at someone who is responsible […]
February 13th, 2019
Humanists UK and Faith to Faithless have called for better protections for apostates from religiously motivated abuse in response to an inquiry by the Joint Committee on Human Rights into the Government’s draft Domestic Abuse Bill 2019, which was published last month. Humanists UK and Faith to Faithless have called for the definition of perpetrators […]
February 11th, 2019
More than 50 prominent religion and belief leaders, educationists, and LGBT rights advocates have joined forces to write an open letter urging the Secretary of State for Education not to dilute draft guidance for independent schools on teaching respect for LGBT people. The letter, which includes signatories from LGBT groups, representatives of Jewish, Muslim, Christian, […]
February 11th, 2019
The education inspectorate Ofsted will be given stronger legal powers to crack down on the operation of illegal schools, after the Government announced its intention to pass new legislation this year on unregistered schools as part of its new Integrated Communities Strategy Action Plan. Humanists UK, which has led the national campaign for action on […]
February 8th, 2019
Humanists UK has expressed disappointment that the Secretary of State for Education Damian Hinds yesterday attributed good performance by Church of England schools to character education, ignoring evidence showing that higher levels of attainment by these schools are generally the result of selective pupil intakes favouring those from more privileged backgrounds. Speaking to the Church […]
February 8th, 2019
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) have jointly called for an end to the exception granted to certain religious groups that allows animals to be killed without pre-stunning. Humanists UK, which campaigns for an end to non-stunned slaughter in the UK due to its […]
February 8th, 2019
Parliament must reconsider the UK’s laws on assisted dying to give dignity to suffering people who are forced to travel abroad to die, MPs and peers heard yesterday at an event hosted by the All Party Parliamentary Humanist Group (APPHG). Assisted dying campaigner and Humanists UK patron Paul Lamb, who is paralysed from the neck […]
