National Secular Society - Your daily media briefing

Secularism in the media

Church leaders launch legal proceedings over lockdown in Scotland

Religious leaders in Scotland have started legal proceedings against the Scottish government over the closure of churches.

STV News

Christian leaders withdraw legal action against government after being allowed to keep churches open in England and Wales

More than 100 church leaders across England and Wales have withdrawn their legal action against the government after they were allowed to stay open for public worship during the latest national lockdown.

Christian Today

Paedophile priest Joseph Quigley jailed for more than 10 years

A paedophile Catholic priest who was sent to the US for "therapy" before being reinstated as a minister on Cardinal Nichols' watch will spend more than a decade in prison.

The Telegraph

Covid crisis to bring 'radical changes' to Church of England

A leaked internal document has warned that up to 20% of the C of E's regular worshippers may never return and questioned the "sustainability of many local churches".

The Telegraph

Campaign to boycott Jewish News for exposing lockdown criminality

Sections of the strictly-Orthodox Jewish community in Stamford Hill in north London have launched a campaign to boycott the newspaper for exposing extensive and potentially deadly lockdown breaches.

Jewish News

Local parents raise concerns over new Catholic school in Peterborough

A mother who moved into a new development in Peterborough has said she is "disappointed" that she faces a long trip to send her son to school despite a new primary opening across the road.

Peterborough Telegraph

Pandemic 'has highlighted archaic wedding laws'

Restrictions forcing couples to cancel weddings during the coronavirus pandemic have highlighted "archaic" marriage laws, a legal body has said.

BBC

‘The SNP may never recover from its bungled Hate Crime Bill’ – NSS mentioned

When the Scottish government published its proposals on hate crime last year, they attracted almost universal condemnation. It takes quite something to persuade the Catholic Church to make common cause with the NSS.

The Spectator

President Macron gets tough with radical Islam after death of Samuel Paty

President Macron's crackdown on radical Islam reaches parliament today as a wide-ranging bill proposes to curtail cultural practices.

The Times (£)

Portuguese parliament approves law to legalise euthanasia despite Catholic opposition

Portugal could become the fourth country in Europe to legalise euthanasia after its parliament yesterday passed a vote despite Catholic opposition.

Mail Online

Pakistan: Christian woman denounced for blasphemy

Police in Pakistan arrested a Christian woman for blasphemy, found no charge against her, freed her, and then arrested her again. She was beaten and tortured by hospital staff and visitors after the initial accusation last week.

Independent Catholic News

Denmark sermons law could stifle free worship, warns C of E bishop

The liberties of the centuries-old community of Anglicans in Denmark are being threatened by a draft law requiring all sermons to be translated and submitted to the state, the Church of England's bishop in Europe has said.

The Guardian

secularism.org.uk

Challenging Religious Privilege

Your daily media briefing - Monday 1 February