April 7th, 2021
The NASUWT teachers’ union voted ‘overwhelmingly’ at their annual conference this weekend to end the exemption to equality legislation that allows for discrimination against teachers in Northern Ireland based on their religion. The motion called on the NASUWT to lobby the Northern Ireland Assembly to remove Article 71 of the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern […]
March 23rd, 2021
A new survey has shown that the British public is against the House of Lords continuing to have places for Church of England bishops by more than three to one. The YouGov poll found that 53% of adults favour removing the bishops, with only 16% favouring keeping them. The result was consistent across supporters of […]
March 20th, 2021
This Sunday marks the day of the 2021 Census in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and Humanists UK is encouraging people who are not in any meaningful sense religious to tick the ‘no religion’ option. It is doing so because the Census question is used by decision-makers on everything from the continuing requirement for compulsory […]
March 17th, 2021
If you’re not religious, say so! We’re encouraging people to tick the ‘no religion’ option on the 2021 Census. Below you can find out more about one aspect of this campaign. Pledge to tick ‘no religion’ ✅ We strongly recommend that if you are not religious in your beliefs or practices, then no matter what […]
March 17th, 2021
A bill passed its first vote in the Northern Ireland Assembly yesterday that would prevent abortions when carrying a pregnancy to term would lead to a severely impaired child in constant pain. The Severe Fetal Impairment Abortion (Amendment) Bill passed its Second Stage debate by 48 votes to 12. Northern Ireland Humanists opposes the Bill, […]
March 16th, 2021
The Northern Ireland Department of Communities’ advisory panels on gender and LGBTI+ equality have published their Gender Equality Strategy and LGBTQI+ Strategy, respectively. Both recommend that inclusive relationships and sexuality education (RSE) should be taught in a comprehensive and standardised way across all schools and that the subject should not, as is currently the case, […]
March 12th, 2021
Scotland is set to repeal its blasphemy law, after the Scottish Parliament voted the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill through its final stage of debate. Humanists UK has welcomed the news as a victory for free speech of global significance, and congratulated its sister charity Humanist Society Scotland (HSS) for spearheading the successful […]
March 11th, 2021
For the first time, apostates can tick the ‘no religion’ option on the Census secretly without the risk of their beliefs being exposed to other members of their household. For apostates – people who leave the religions they were raised in, often against their family’s wishes – something as simple as filling in the Census […]
March 5th, 2021
Professor Sarah Gilbert, Oxford Project Leader of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine tonight delivered the Rosalind Franklin Lecture 2021, ‘Racing against the virus’ in an event viewed by around 2,000 people worldwide and chaired by multi-award-winning journalist Samira Ahmed. Sarah’s lecture delivered a brief history of the science of vaccination, before recounting the astonishing progress of the […]
March 5th, 2021
The UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights has published its response to the Government’s Independent Human Rights Act Review stating there is no need for reform. Humanists UK has welcomed this submission, and has warned against proposals that might weaken the Act. Following the Government launching its Independent Human Rights Act Review, the Joint […]
March 5th, 2021
Humanists UK has defended the operation of the Human Rights Act 1998 in response to a consultation by the Government-established Independent Human Rights Act Review. In its submission, Humanists UK stated that the Act ‘is a signature piece of rights protection in the UK. It has not only enabled ordinary citizens to enjoy and defend […]
March 4th, 2021
Sign up to Humanist Climate Action to hear more about its events and activities. Humanists UK members and supporters have come together to announce Humanist Climate Action (HCA), a new volunteer-led network that will ensure that the non-religious have a voice in the major environmental debates that define our time – ‘for the one planet […]
