MPs from across the House of Commons have backed a motion to end prayers as formal business. Humanists UK, which has long called for an end to parliamentary prayers, has welcomed this much-needed call for inclusive reform.
Currently every day in the Commons starts with Anglican prayers. This is despite the fact that most people are non-religious and this is the most non-religious Parliament ever. MPs who attend prayers have the advantage of being able to use a prayer card to reserve their seat for the rest of the day, meaning those who don’t attend those are less likely to secure a seat on busy days and less likely to be picked to speak.
Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green, and Scottish National Party MPs signed a motion for debate in the House of Commons, called an Early Day Motion (EDM), to end prayers as part of formal House of Commons business. The motion calls for parliamentary meetings to be equally welcoming to all attendees and states that prayers are not compatible with a society that upholds freedom of religion or belief. While EDMs are effective at demonstrating the strength of feeling in the House towards an issue, they rarely result in debate unless they attract significant parliamentary or media support.
Earlier this year the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group (APPHG), which brings together over 120 non-religious MPs and peers, submitted evidence to the Modernisation Committee of the House of Commons to ask for the removal of the ‘prayer privilege’, and supported many current and former MPs to do the same. The Committee was set up to look at reforms to the House of Commons in order to modernise it and improve its efficiency. Humanists UK provides the secretariat to the APPHG.
More recently it emerged that some Labour MPs have begun to informally drop using the prayer card system as it was perceived to be ‘outdated’.
Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson commented:
‘The tide is turning against parliamentary prayers as more MPs call for an inclusive and fair parliament. The current set-up is discriminatory, outdated, and not fit for today’s diverse parliament nor wider society.
‘We call on the Modernisation Committee to listen to MPs and bring the UK Parliament into the 21st century.’
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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 on religion in Parliament.
Read the APPHG’s response to the Modernisation Committee.
Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 130,000 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.