Commenting on the report, Labour Humanists’ chair Naomi Phillips said, ‘The Labour Party campaigned on a policy position and manifesto pledge for a 100% elected House of Lords – and that means no reserved places for Bishops. The Bishops’ place in Parliament has nothing to do with merit or democracy but because of an outdated, sexist, unequal tradition which has no place in a truly reformed second chamber. Campaigning against the proposals to retain a reserved and privileged place for Bishops in Parliament is not just a secularist position, it should be the Labour position.

‘Retaining, even at a reduced number than at present, the Church of England boys’ club in Parliament would not only be an embarrassment, it would send a clear signal that those of other religions or of no religion have a second-class status in our democracy.’

The UK is the only Western democracy that has clerics in its parliament as of right.  With reform of the House of Lords currently a hot topic, Labour Humanists are hosting an open debate on whether it is time to evict the ”Lords Spiritual.”

Is their presence in the House of Lords unsupportable in a country where less than half of the people belong to Christianity, far less, the Church of England? Those opposed would point out these clerics are all men, they are unrepresentative and – despite their claims – they have no special insight or universally accepted morality to bring to the debate. They also point out that this is unfair on those of other faiths, and those of no faith. If we are to have religious leaders in our legislature, then should we not also have Islamic, Jewish, Sikh and Scientologist leaders in there too, by right?

Yet their supporters would say that as non-aligned members, their activities in the Upper House are not subject to a whip, and can be a force for good. Their presence in the Lords, supporters claim, is an extension of their general vocation as bishops to preach God’s word and to lead people in prayer. Bishops provide an important independent voice, and spiritual insight to the work of the Upper House; and are a voice for all people of faith, not just Christians.

Join us for a vigorous debate!

Paul spoke to the questions Is there too much sex on TV? and Has religion any place in politics? He successfully took on the conservative (and Conservative) Christian contingent on their conflation of homosexuality with incest, and highlighted the need for politicians to be up-front about their religious beliefs.

Afterwards Paul said: “I was proud to represent Labour Humanists and make our points heard on national TV. It was great to show on national television that there is a substantial body of members in the party that oppose issues like faith schools which are – in my view – a profoundly un-Labour policy, being for the few and not the many. I’m also really excited about the coming year ahead too – LH are really gearing up for a year of campaigning as never before on the issues that matter to us. I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Faith schools, together with Bishops in the Lords, are both examples of religion institutionalised into politics and the State in the UK. Labour Humanist manifesto 2010 calls for the removal of both, and we will be holding events on these over the year ahead of the general election.

You can watch the programme on BBC iPlayer here.

"Some local authorities in the UK wanted to ban Christmas at one stage,
and tried to invent a ‘winterval’, a winter festival, with no
associations."

Oh no they didn’t Julia and you are our latest nominee for Winterval Wally of 2007 for recycling lies in the Phoney War on Christmas. See here, here and here for more details on the award. 

Read the article and it seems Julia might be a potential recruit for this year’s new culture clash, the War on Halloween. We shall watch with interest.

From Hansard for October 22nd 2006

                Ken Purchase (Wolverhampton North East, Labour) Link to this | Hansard source

"The hon. Gentleman mentioned church schools, which are bedevilling—forgive the pun, which was not intended—education in his constituency. The reason given for establishing academies there is that they will provide more parental choice. My constituency
has three private schools, a girls grammar school, four Church schools,
two foundation schools, a city technology college, Walsall academy, St.
Thomas More Catholic school and a raft of specialist schools. In fact,
the situation has become impossible for a liberal-minded parent who
wants a school for their child that is non-selective, non-sectarian and
non-fee-paying. This is how, in the hon. Gentleman’s constituency,
like mine, the choice agenda has resulted not in a wide liberal choice
for progressives, but in a narrowing down of opportunities, which are
restricted basically to those of a regressive understanding of
education."

Later in the same debate:

                Bob Russell (Colchester, Liberal Democrat) Link to this | Hansard source

"Although I have a Christian upbringing, I am not an Anglican, but come
from good nonconformist stock. I have serious misgivings about two of
Colchester’s local secondary schools being shut down and their
replacement academy handed over to the Chelmsford diocese. If the
diocese wants to have a secondary school to promote Anglican teachings
then let it, like the Brentwood Roman Catholic diocese, organise its
own school in Colchester to serve the whole of north Essex for those
parents who wish to have such a denominational school—not impose itself
on a particular geographic area of the town whose parents may not
necessarily wish to have their children taught under a religious
regime. What parental choice will there be for those in Monkwick and
Shrub End who do not want their children to attend a religious academy?
Will other secondary schools in Colchester have places available to
accept them?"

"Yet it seems like an unlikely time to be pushing religious toys,
especially given that the multicultural nature of our country has
already led to many schools ditching the term ‘Christmas’ in favour of
the more inclusive ‘Winterval’."

Excuse me? Schools ditching Christmas in favour of Winterval! Where is the evidence for this, it’s a new one on me. Of course, we know there isn’t any, as evidence and truth play no part in the phoney War on Christmas. 

Anyhow, as no one has put their name to this article, on the online version at least, we will have to award this Winterval Wally award to the guy who signed off this guff, Management Today editor, Matthew Gwyther. Congratulations Matthew, you are our second* Winterval Wally of the season. Happy Holidays!

* Nathan Bevan from Wales on Sunday was the winner of the first Winterval Wally award.