At a time when there's a perception of 'two-tier justice', one religion being ringfenced for special treatment is unlikely to enhance community cohesion – or the lives of British Muslims. Labour should ditch plans to define Islamophobia. secularism.org.uk/opinion/2025/0…

On Wednesday I argued that Government work on defining Islamophobia should be paused until the national inquiry on grooming gangs has concluded. This Policy Exchange report reaches the same conclusion. policyexchange.org.uk/publication/ho…

🗞️Parents protest secular school takeover plans. If these plans go ahead, the local community will lose its sole secular primary school. Considering Bristol's increasing diversity and decreasing religious affiliation, this is ill-considered. secularism.org.uk/news/2025/06/p…

The proliferation of faith schools is not only denying choice, it is adding to the separation and segregation of our children who are effectively being told that they are so different that they cannot even sit next to a child of different faith or none. Christian, Muslim, Jewish,

Nonreligious primary school in #Bristol told it must either close or be merged into faith school - taking on its name, uniform, and Church of England designation. National Secular Society are supporting parents to protect secular school provision. Were quoted👇 bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-n…

Reserving a privileged role in policymaking for representatives of specific religious institutions is undemocratic, unfair and unjustifiable. Congratulations Falkirk Council for removing the voting rights of religious appointees on education committees. secularism.org.uk/news/2025/06/c…

Lots of disquiet about Government plans to adopt a definition of Islamophobia and the manner in which they’re doing it. I’m quoted for @nataecsoc in today’s Times. Government should rethink its approach. thetimes.com/article/5d4099…

I'm quoted here for @natsecsoc along with former anti-extremism tsar Lord Walney, calling on the Government to drop the term 'Islamophobia'. thetimes.com/uk/politics/ar…

The government promised to implement IICSA’s mandatory reporting recommendations "in full" – but as Richard Scorer points out, they’ve delivered a law that's all show and no substance. thecritic.co.uk/the-law-is-fai…

Turkey detains cartoonists from satirical magazine after allegedly depicting Mohammed. Criminalising "publicly insulting religious values" is incompatible with freedom of expression – a right which has steadily deteriorated under Erdoğan. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

Spot on from Russell Sandberg pointing out the self-interest at play when the Bishop of Guildford uses his privileged position in the House of Lords to undermine independent celebrants and resist comprehensive reforms for fairer wedding laws for all. sandbergrlaw.wordpress.com/2025/07/01/the…

“It is a matter of grave public interest, the extent to which religious MPs came under pressure to represent their religion and not necessarily their constituents in the assisted dying vote”, says MP denied communion for backing assisted dying. churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2025/…

Istanbul’s governor has defended the arrest of LeMan magazine editors for publishing a cartoon of Muhammad, saying, “We will not remain silent against any vile act targeting our nation’s faith.” Nations having a religion is toxic to free expression. theguardian.com/world/2025/jul…

"These blasphemers will be held accountable before the law" The response from the authorities yesterday and the lack of a ‘Je suis LeMan’ movement today shows how Turkey's secularism has being eroded by Islamist authoritarianism. spectator.co.uk/article/turkey…

A satirical magazine’s cartoon of Muhammad has been deemed a 'vile provocation' and an 'Islamophobic hate crime' by Erdogan's regime. This is the rhetoric of Islamists seeking to impose blasphemy codes. Don’t buy it. uk.news.yahoo.com/turkey-says-ca…

The Hereditary Peers Bill returns to the House of Lords today. Regrettably, the Government has little appetite for meaningful Lords reform, and CofE bishops will retain their seats as of right. The hereditary principle will go, but so should the clerics. secularism.org.uk/scrap-bishops-…