At the Conservative Party Conference, Humanists UK hosted a fringe event where humanist members of the Conservative Party met to discuss their role in the party and politics as a whole, particularly in relation to issues like freedom of religion or belief (FoRB), freedom of expression, and defending civil liberties.
The fringe event, which was co-hosted by Conservative Humanists (one of several independent party-political humanist groups affiliated to Humanists UK), saw speakers pay tribute to the outgoing government’s commitment to international FoRB, including for humanists at risk, which was made a special focus through dedicated government roles as such as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on FoRB.
Conservative Humanists pledged to be a torchbearer for humanist values in the party as it charts its future direction following a general election which returned a Labour government after 14 years of Conservatives in power. Humanists in the party also vowed to make progress with their colleagues on issues such as faith-based discrimination in schools and humanist marriage, where the party’s stance in recent times has been quite distant from that of Humanists UK.
Advancing and upholding FoRB has been a major priority for Humanists UK in recent years. It has worked with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on issues relating to humanists persecuted for their beliefs overseas, and regularly speaks out on FoRB issues through diplomatic channels and at the UN Human Rights Council. Humanists UK repeatedly condemned the previous government’s Rwanda asylum policy on these same grounds.
Humanists UK attends all the major party conferences each year to meet with parliamentarians, advocate for humanist issues, and engage with its party-political members and supporters. Earlier in the 2024 season, it hosted events at the Green, Lib Dem, and Labour conferences too.
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For further comment or information, media should contact Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson at press@humanists.uk or phone 0203 675 0959.
Read more about our work with party political humanist groups.
Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 120,000 members and supporters, we advance free thinking and promote humanism to create a tolerant society where rational thinking and kindness prevail. We provide ceremonies, pastoral care, education, and support services benefitting over a million people every year and our campaigns advance humanist thinking on ethical issues, human rights, and equal treatment for all.