PRAYERS uttered at local authority council meetings in England could soon be a thing of the past if the National Secular Society wins a High Court case that began in London yesterday.

Despite the fact that virtually no-one in the UK with an ounce of commonsense believes in the efficacy of prayer, around half of the councils in England insist on starting their meetings with gibberish offered to a non-existent deity.

The NSS, which regards this arcane twaddle as a key secular issue in regard to the separation of religion from politics, has taken Bideford Town Council in Devon to court after it received a complaint from one of its councillors, Clive Bone, that he was disadvantaged and embarrassed as a non-believer by the saying of prayers as part of council business.

Atheist councillor Clive Bone. Photo: Apex

He has either to sit through them or leave the room without leave of the Mayor. The Council even rejected a suggested compromise period of silence.

The Society’s lawyers advised that:

Those of no religion were being indirectly discriminated against without justification (and this unlawfully)

The Council’s actions breach Articles 9 and/or 14 of The European Convention on Human Rights (right to freedom of conscience and protection from discrimination)

The Council has no power to conduct prayers

The NSS contends that the saying of prayers in what should be a secular environment concerned with civic business is inappropriate and could put off people of other religions and none from taking part in an important democratic activity.

Keith Porteous Wood, Executive Director of the NSS, said:

We are not seeking to deny anybody the right to pray, but we are challenging the appropriateness of prayers being conducted during council meetings. The council chamber and council proceedings should be equally welcoming to everyone living in the local community, and should therefore be a religiously neutral and secular place. Prayers should not be foisted on others serving the community as councillors. Those who feel it is necessary to ask for divine guidance before engaging in council business should do so privately outside the meeting or silently in the council chamber.

He added:

Part of the Council’s defence is that the prayers aid cohesion, despite this dispute over several years in which this councillor and others have sought to have prayers removed from the council meeting agenda.

Nor is Bideford the only place where prayers have impeded cohesion rather than contributing to it. A Christian councillor has been reported walking out of Portsmouth council meeting when a Muslim prayer was read out, and we know of disquiet in other councils over prayers. This kind of conflict is unnecessary but will be increasingly common as our society diversifies even further, yet Bideford persists in claiming prayers promote cohesion.

A survey of local authorities carried out by the NSS showed that something like half of councils in England include prayers as part of their proceedings. So, if this case is successful, the ruling will be far-reaching as it will need to be heeded by local authorities throughout England and Wales.

The Christian Institute, which is supporting Bideford Council through the CI’s Legal Defence Fund, yesterday reported London’s comical mayor, Boris Johnson, as saying:

Whatever they may think about the existence or non-existence of God or whatever, it’s quite a good thing that they [councils] should focus briefly in a moment of prayer, which is a unique period of reflection.

Hat tip: BarrieJohn