Christianity under attack: Anger as major court rulings go against British worshippers

Town hall prayers banned in 'assault on Britain's Christian heritage'

Judge rules tradition unlawful after he upholds discrimination complaint

Government says it is 'surprised and disappointed' by the decision

Prayers at Parliament and Forces chaplains could be next to be outlawed

A landmark legal ruling banning the tradition of saying prayers at council meetings was denounced last night as an ‘assault on Britain’s Christian heritage’.

The High Court controversially backed an anti-religious campaign to abolish official acts of worship.

Christians and politicians reacted with dismay after a judge overturned centuries of custom by outlawing a town hall in Devon from putting prayers on the formal agenda.

Controversial victory: Former councillor Clive Bone, pictured outside the town council offices in Bideford, won a legal battle to outlaw prayers at meetings - drawing instant criticism from religious groups It prompted concern that it would pave the way for Parliament to abandon prayers before Commons and Lords business, mark the end of hospital and Forces chaplains, and could even lead to the abolition of the Coronation Oath, pledged by Kings and Queens taking the throne. The ruling means prayers will not be allowed at the start of council meetings across England and Wales, though they may still be said before the official start. It comes as two Christian B&B owners who refused to let a gay couple share a room lost an appeal against a ruling they must pay thousands in compensation to the men. RELATED ARTICLES Previous

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Atheist former councillor Clive Bone started the case against Bideford town council in July 2010, claiming he had been ‘disadvantaged and embarrassed’ when religious prayers were recited at formal meetings. Backed by the National Secular Society, he insisted that the ‘inappropriate’ practice breached the human right to freedom of conscience and discriminated against non-believers, making them feel ‘uncomfortable’. The society claimed council meetings should be ‘equally welcoming to everyone in the local community’ and should therefore be ‘religiously-neutral’. High Court: Backed by the National Secular Society, Mr Bone insisted that the 'inappropriate' practice breached the human right to freedom of conscience and discriminated against non-believers

Mr Justice Ouseley, sitting in London, rejected the human rights and equality challenges. But he ruled that formal prayers at council meetings were unlawful because of a technicality in the Local Government Act 1972.

He said local authorities had no power to ‘say prayers or to have any period of quiet reflection as part of the business of the council’. Acknowledging the widespread importance of the case, Mr Justice Ouseley gave Bideford council permission to appeal.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles described the ruling as ‘very illiberal’.

He said: ‘The ruling is surprising and disappointing. Christianity plays an important part in the culture, heritage and fabric of our nation.’

He vowed to override the High Court ruling by bringing in the Government’s Localism Act, which would give councils the power to hold prayers at the start of meetings, as early as next Friday.

Sitting at the High Court, Mr Justice Ouseley, left, rejected the human rights argument but ruled prayers were unlawful because of a technicality in the Local Government Act. Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, right, called the ruling 'very illiberal' and vowed to nix it through the Government's Localism Act

Simon Calvert, of the Christian Institute, said: ‘Prayers have been a part of council meetings for centuries, and many people, either for religious reasons or cultural reasons, see them as a positive part of our national life.

‘It’s a shame the courts have taken sides with those whose goal is to undermine our Christian heritage. It is high time Parliament put a stop to this assault upon our national heritage.’

‘This has got nothing to do with intolerance towards religion. Religious freedom is an absolute right and so is freedom from religion an absolute right, in my view.’ Clive Bone, the atheist former councillor who brought the case



Harry Greenway, a former Tory MP and ex-chairman of the National Prayer Breakfast, said: ‘If people do not want to attend prayers of this nature, they can stay away instead of meddling and busybodying with other people’s beliefs.

‘Non-believers are not harassed in this way by believers. Why cannot the non-believers show the same kind of tolerance?’



Mr Bone, who left Bideford council because of its ‘refusal to adjust’ its prayers policy, said: ‘I’m delighted. I’m not surprised, I expected to win.

‘This has got nothing to do with intolerance towards religion. Religious freedom is an absolute right and so is freedom from religion an absolute right, in my view.’

Keith Porteous Wood of the National Secular Society said: ‘We’re very pleased with the judgment.’