National Secular Society launches legal bid to outlaw council prayers

The National Secular Society is to bring a judicial review against Bideford Town Council in an attempt to end its practice of saying prayers before council meetings, claiming that the “archaic practice” is in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

The action follows a complaint made by an atheist member of the 16-member council, which has recently voted to retain the prayers, and legal advice given by Beachcroft.

Keith Porteous Wood, Executive Director of the National Secular Society, said that the practice was contrary to the ECHR's guarantee of “freedom to manifest religion” which, he argued, also guaranteed “freedom from religion”.

He said: “It is nonsense to claim that the rights of councillors to manifest their religion would be restricted if the Review is successful. Councillors can, like anyone else, go to church or pray at home whenever they wish, and indeed we do not have a problem with them praying separately before or after Council meetings. But it is not appropriate in modern-day Britain for prayers to form an integral part of the Council meeting. The majority of people in this country do not enter a church, expect perhaps for weddings and funerals, from one year’s end to the next. It is also possible that some from other religions will not feel comfortable being expected to participate in Christian prayers.

“In a nation that is rapidly changing, with many non-believers and non-Christians taking part in the democratic process, religion should be left to the individual conscience and not foisted onto people in contexts that are inappropriate.”

It is unclear whether the town council will defend the judicial review. Bideford's Mayor, Andrew Powell, told the BBC that the judicial review was “ a bit of an overreaction”. He said: "I think there are far greater issues than whether we should pray before council meetings. It would be obscene if this cost council tax payers money. We cannot allow that to happen."