Join and renew Become a member today and we’ll put your principles into action. Join from as little as £2 per month.

Our Members' Day next month will include a presentation on our latest report, 'Mission and Misogyny' - revealing the extent to which religious charities are able to promote sexism and even violence against women.

If you'd like to attend, join us👇

www.secularism.org.uk/join-and-renew

School raises safeguarding concerns over covert evangelism NSS alerts school to playworker evangelising primary pupils without parental knowledge or consent Read More »

A non-religious primary school has raised safeguarding concerns after we alerted it to the covert evangelism of its pupils by a playworker - who discussed the matter on an episode of Chester diocese's podcast.

www.secularism.org.uk/news/2025/10...

MPs visit mosque under investigation for “inflammatory” sermon Meeting took place despite previous Charity Commission warning after imam urged Muslims to "wage war for Allah" Read More »

Deeply concerning that a group of MPs saw fit to visit a mosque which is currently under investigation by the Charity Commission for hosting inflammatory and divisive sermons.

Organisations promoting hate shouldn’t be consulted for their views on cohesion.

www.secularism.org.uk/news/2025/10...

Number of children abused because parents think they are witches soars The number of children in England suspected of being abused because of witchcraft, sorcery and black magic beliefs has surged to its highest level on record, the Daily Mail can reveal.

🗞️We're quoted:

Child abuse relating to religion or belief is increasing - and fear of criticising those beliefs can impede tackling this abuse.

The wellbeing of children must always be prioritised above any reluctance to criticise religion or culture.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...

Hard to believe what you’re hearing in these clips.
Reminder: it’s 2025

NSS welcomes ministers’ caution on ‘Islamophobia’ definition New communities secretary says he will reject definition if it threatens free speech Read More »

We've welcomed recent comments from ministers expressing caution about the adoption of an official definition of 'Islamophobia', following engagement with us.

www.secularism.org.uk/news/2025/10...

Scottish Government mulling circumcision human rights compatibility Scottish Government says it takes child safety "very seriously" after parliamentary question on NHS circumcision of boys Read More »

The Scottish government has responded to a parliamentary question from an MSP - tabled following an approach from us - to say it is is "currently considering" whether NHS provision of ritual circumcision is compatible with new human rights legislation.

www.secularism.org.uk/news/2025/10...

Christian nationalism threatens democracy. Secularism protects it. With Christian nationalism apparently gaining ground in the UK, Stephen Evans argues that secularism is needed to safeguard liberal democracy. Read More »

"The claim that only religion can safeguard our freedoms doesn't just distort history; it threatens democracy by undermining the secular principles that protect everyone's rights and freedoms"

Our CEO's new op-ed on the fallacy of Christian nationalism👇

www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2025...

Reform councillor claims studying non-Christian religion could “brainwash” children A Reform UK county councillor has called for Northumberland schools not to teach pupils religious education that is not Christian.

This incident shows reveals the fundamental problem with SACREs, which determine RE curricula - they open the door to those who believe in pushing a religious agenda above giving a broad, balanced and objective education about religions and worldviews. uk.news.yahoo.com/reform-counc...

Giving public money to faith groups *because* they're faith groups is unsecular, unfair and unjustifiable. The Zion Projects debacle serves to illustrate the dangers of this kind of discriminatory approach to community services.

MP Letter: Religious education

#ReligiousEducation is outdated, unpopular & opens the door to proselytising. Tell your MP that it's time to rethink RE 👇 www.secularism.org.uk/religious-ed...

Today Moroccan activist #BettyLachgar is scheduled to go on trial for wearing a ‘blasphemous’ tshirt. We’re joining activists around the world calling for her release. #FreeBetty #EndBlasphemyLaws

School’s bid to cut capacity to keep out non-Catholics blocked Case shows how state-funded faith schools not run in public interest, NSS says Read More »

A faith school's bid to cut capacity in order to admit fewer children from non-Catholic backgrounds has been blocked.

Taxpayers fund them, but religious institutions run faith schools to further their own interests above those of the wider public. www.secularism.org.uk/news/2025/08...

'Children' told 'homosexuality is a sin' at Liverpool church The sermon is being assessed by a regulator as the church said it taught 'the historic Christian position on gender and sexuality'

We've referred a charity to the regulator for describing homosexuality as a "degrading perversion" - just the latest example of a religious charity spreading vicious homophobia. Any suggestion it is acting in the public benefit is utterly farcical.

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpo...

Ozzy Osborne
1948 - 2025

Kindoki Witch Boy film screening The National Secular Society host a screening of the film Kindoki Witch Boy followed by a discussion and Q&A with the filmmakers

Tomorrow!

We're hosting a Q&A in central London with the makers of 'Kindoki Witch Boy', which illuminates the issue of spiritual abuse based on allegations of 'witchcraft'.

Tickets are free 🎟️

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/kindoki-wi...

Community Care Inspiring excellence in social care. Read the latest social work and social care news, opinion and analysis and find your perfect social work or social care job

Our human rights lead Dr Alejandro Sanchez sets out the arguments for non-therapeutic male circumcision to be considered a safeguarding concern by social workers, and why the practice contravenes the rights of children.

communitycare.co.uk/2025/07/23/n...

LIFT THE BAN
www.wedonotcomply.org

Watch as this young man explains in 30seconds why the de-proscribing of Palestine Action is a democratic and moral imperative.

This is the reason hundreds are willing to risk absurd “terrorism” charges for holding simple truthful signs.

Reform ‘Thought for the Day’ Thought for the Day should include nonreligious contributions – or be scrapped.

Fewer than one in five British people think BBC Radio 4 's #ThoughtForTheDay should exclusively feature religious content. Join our campaign to reform #TftD 👇👇👇 www.secularism.org.uk/thought-for-...

NSS: cohesion report shows need to tackle segregated faith schools Research finds public believe schools key to community cohesion but few report meeting people from different backgrounds there Read More »

A new report by British Future and Belong Network has confirmed the need to challenge religious segregation in education.

www.secularism.org.uk/news/2025/07...

Survey: one in four self-censors on religion due to safety fears Research finds "clear pattern of increased sensitivity" around Islamic topics Read More »

A survey on how the public view and experience free speech has found a quarter of respondents had held back on expressing views on religious topics because of "concerns for their safety".

www.secularism.org.uk/news/2025/07...

Gay man awarded compensation after ‘exorcism’ at Sheffield church in the US A gay man has received a five-figure settlement from a Church of England-linked congregation in Sheffield after being subjected to a so-called “exorcism” intended to change his sexual orientation. Ma...

The Church of England's 'deliverance ministry' is legitimising the concept of 'possession', and leads to incidents such as this one - in which a man was subject to a gay conversion 'exorcism'.

www.scenemag.co.uk/gay-man-awar...

Happy birthday to Suzanne Vega!

Jupiter deal means £100m payday for Church of England charities Ethical asset manager CCLA is selling out to the FTSE 250 fund manager

The Church is poised for a £100m payout from the sale of its investment fund - so why does it continue to lobby for publicly-funded subsidisation of its building maintenance?
www.thetimes.com/article/df90...

Parliamentary modernisation must address religious privilege The practice of opening parliamentary sessions with Christian prayers is an outdated tradition that undermines inclusivity. Ending these rituals would reflect the reality of modern Britain, says Steph...

Prayers in Parliament are outmoded in modern Britain - but also fail to be inclusive of an increasingly irreligious set of parliamentarians.

Our chief exec on the need for reforms to eliminate religious privilege from our governing institutions 👇

www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2025...

NSS-led coalition calls for parliamentary inquiry on circumcision Call comes amid new complaints against doctors in which one boy "almost lost their life" and another's penis was "mutilated" Read More »

We've co-ordinated a coalition urging Parliament's health and social care committee to launch an inquiry into the non-therapeutic circumcision of boys.

www.secularism.org.uk/news/2025/06...

Experts at NSS event discuss how to end caste discrimination Event co-hosted by Leicester Secular Society brings together campaigners to raise awareness of caste discrimination Read More »

It was a pleasure to co-host a panel discussion with @leicsecularsociety.bsky.social on ending caste discrimination. Huge thanks to the speakers @sahdaish.bsky.social, Elizabeth Joy, Santosh Dass, Annapurna Waughray, Sat Pal Muman & Amar for their expertise!
www.secularism.org.uk/news/2025/06...

'No anaesthesia' ritual circumcision charity reported to regulator Unanaesthetised circumcisions contradict medical guidance and are of "questionable legality", says NSS Read More »

We've raised concerns about a charity which facilitates the unanaesthetised ritual #circumcision of boys.

The public purse should not be subisiding a practice that contradicts medical guidance and is of questionable legality.

www.secularism.org.uk/news/2025/06...

Oceans | The Observer <p>A series investigating fishing and the state of our oceans</p>

The 2025 UN Ocean Conference begins today.

At The Observer, we’ve been examining the state of our oceans — from illegal fishing by foreign fleets to destruction within the UK’s marine protected areas.

Here’s a round-up of our reporting so far 🧵

bit.ly/43Ral7r

The world is watching: it’s time to honour our oceans Marine ecosystems are disappearing faster than the advance of efforts to protect them. The world must act fast

Alexandra Cousteau: 'Over the course of my own lifetime, I’ve watched the ocean I grew up in disappear bit by bit.'

This week, world leaders are gathering in Nice, France, for the 2025 UN Ocean Conference. It is a moment for leadership.

bit.ly/4e0dpD0

@oceana.bsky.social @greenpeace.org