Humanists UK raised the pressing need to legally recognise humanist marriages with ministers, MPs, peers, councillors, and other attendees at the Labour Party Conference this year. Our conference attendance included us holding two fringe events, and running a busy exhibition stand.
Our annual drinks reception held jointly with Labour Humanists was a hit with parliamentarians and conference attendees alike. Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson opened proceedings to welcome our guests and introduce our impressive line-up of speakers. We first heard from Kim Leadbeater MP, sponsor of the Assisted Dying Bill, who shared her background and her journey into politics. Kim set out why, after coming top of the Private Members’ Bill ballot, she decided to bring forward the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. She explained that she saw the failure of our prohibitive assisted dying laws, and the pressing need to give a safe, compassionate, and dignified choice to terminally ill people. Kim thanked Humanists UK for our ongoing work supporting the Bill, and also voiced her support for the campaign to legally recognise humanist marriages.
Lizzi Collinge MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group (APPHG), summarised her journey from entering Parliament after the 2024 General Election and mentioning being a humanist in her maiden speech, to becoming Chair of the APPHG in January earlier this year. Lizzi said ‘through the APPHG we have been pushing the humanist agenda in Parliament’, sharing that this includes supporting the Assisted Dying Bill, closing down illegal faith schools, upholding freedom of expression, raising awareness of Humanists UK’s Faith to Faithless service, and calling for legal recognition of humanist marriages in England and Wales. Expanding on the latter campaign, she outlined that the APPHG held a backbench debate on humanist marriages earlier this year and called on the new Justice Secretary to legally recognise humanist marriages without delay.
Sam Carling MP, APPHG member, opened his speech by backing the campaign to legally recognise humanist marriages and pay tribute to the work of humanists in Parliament. Sam shared that as a former Jehovah’s Witness who has experienced leaving a religion, he is proud of the APPHG’s work on the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to close illegal schools. Sam also spoke about the Government’s introduction of a mandatory duty to report sexual abuse of children and outlined a number of areas he is working with the APPHG to strengthen these proposals.
Tony Vaughan MP, APPHG member, put on record his gratitude to Kim Leadbeater MP for her work on the Assisted Dying Bill, and spoke about his work to support the vote to decriminalise abortion for women ending their own pregnancies in the Crime and Policing Bill which was backed by the APPHG. He also shared that he had a humanist wedding, and called for legal recognition of humanist marriages in England and Wales.
In addition to our reception, we also held a fringe with More in Common entitled Britons and Blasphemy, chaired by Will Hazell, from The i Newspaper, featuring Luke Tryl, Executive Director, More in Common; Lizzi Collinge MP; Sam Rushworth MP for Bishop Auckland; and Humanists UK’s Andrew Copson. This panel event explored how the Government can balance addressing prejudice against religious people and safeguarding the rights of those who want to challenge religion, as well as the risk of blasphemy laws returning in light of recent events.
Across the conference, Humanists UK spoke to a large number of MPs as well as peers and councillors, receiving widespread support from across the party on our campaign to legally recognise humanist marriages without delay. The day after the Labour Conference, the Government announced that it will legally recognise humanist marriages as part of wider marriage reform, however this law change is still some time away.
Humanists UK attends all the major party conferences to meet with parliamentarians, advocate for humanist issues, and to engage with our party-political members and supporters. We were also at the Liberal Democrat, Conservative, and Green conferences.
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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.
Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non-religious people. Powered by over 150,000 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.