The British Humanist Association (BHA) has today responded to the attacks on secularists and ‘unbelievers’ made by Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor in his lecture in Westminster Cathedral yesterday.

Andrew Copson, BHA Director of Education and Public Affairs, said ‘Those of us campaigning for a secular state are not out to deny the right of religious people to participate freely and equally in the public sphere or, as the Cardinal suggests, attempting "to eliminate the Christian voice from the public forum". What we do want is an end to religious privilege, such as the state-funding of faith schools, Bishops sitting as of right in the House of Lords, and exemptions from equality law such as those that the Cardinal lobbied for. In a society as diverse as modern Britain, religious and non-religious people alike need the sort of free public space that only secularism can provide.

For more comment or information, please contact Andrew Copson here or on 020 7079 3584.

The British Humanist Association (BHA) is the national charity representing and supporting the non-religious and campaigning for an end to religious privilege and discrimination based on religion or belief.