Humanists warn of the dangers of Christian nationalism at party conferences

Humanists UK sounded the alarm over the rising threat of Christian nationalism during this year’s party conference season. Humanists UK engaged with MPs, peers, members, and the public to warn against the cynical exploitation of religion to smuggle bigotry and division into the political mainstream.

Working alongside our dedicated party-political humanist groups, we advocated for a more secular and rational approach to politics. At the Liberal Democrats party conference, our team joined the panel of two fringe events held by the Humanist and Secularist Liberal Democrats (HSLD), and the Liberal Democrat Christian Forum on Christian nationalism. We held our annual well-attended Humanists UK drinks reception which saw Tom Gordon MP speak alongside Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson and Chair of HSLD Jenny Wilkinson. At Labour, we raised Christian nationalism at our exhibition stand alongside our campaign for legal recognition of humanist marriages. Our evening drinks reception at Labour saw Lizzi Collinge MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group, speak alongside Lauren Edwards MP, sponsor of the recent Assisted Dying Bill, Laura Kyrke-Smith MP, Sam Carling MP on behalf of Labour Humanists, and Andrew Copson. At the Green Party Conference, Green Humanists had an exhibition stand and held a conference social.

A key theme across conferences this year was the pressing need to defend democratic institutions and inclusive education from the creeping influence of far-right religious extremism. Humanists UK warned delegates that Christian nationalism, a movement many thought could never take root in Britain, is increasingly being used to promote exclusion, roll back human rights, and push for compulsory Christianity in schools.

Humanists UK also called for the legal recognition of humanist marriages without delay. Humanist marriages can be recognised in England and Wales by the UK Government laying an order, under powers from the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013. We have been campaigning relentlessly for the Government to make use of said power.

Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson commented:

‘Christian nationalism is politics dressed up as piety. We used to dismiss this as a uniquely American problem, but we are now seeing the weaponisation of faith in our own political discourse. Whether it is calls to impose a single religious identity on our inclusive schools, or the hijacking of shared symbols to promote blood-and-soil nationalism, it is a direct threat to our diverse, tolerant society.

‘That is why it was so vital for us to be present at party conferences this year. By working across the political spectrum alongside our dedicated party-political groups, we will continue to champion equality, reason, and freedom of religion or belief for all.’

The party-political humanist groups, Labour Humanists, Green Humanists, Conservative Humanists, and the Humanist and Secularist Liberal Democrats, are independent humanist groups within the political parties themselves. They bring non-religious people together in each of those respective parties to advocate for humanist issues and a more secular and rational approach to politics.

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, Labour, and Conservative conferences.