Calls for the Lords Spiritual to be removed from the House of Lords are nothing new. It is a frequent occurrence that only increases whenever the 24 bishops who occupy the Bishops’ Benches are perceived to be holding back the advance of progressive liberalism, such as the current Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill. But it […]
Tag: human-rights
Police in Pakistan say Rimsha Masih is innocent
Police in Pakistan have submitted an interim charge sheet to the court in the case of Rimsha Masih, the young girl accused of desecrating the Qur’an, and have concluded that she is innocent of the charges. The charge sheet, lodged with the court on Saturday, suggests that Mohammed Khalid Chishti, the local imam, is guilty […]
Pakistan urged to stop blasphemy law’s ‘massive human-rights violations’
Pakista is being urged to set up a commission to investigate the “tragic consequences” of its blasphemy law and “suggest a way out of this difficult and embarrassing situation”. The call came in a communiqué issued on 19 September by the World Council of Churches after a series of public hearings in Geneva. The laws […]
‘Bigot’ slip coincides with further same-sex rows
Teachers could face disciplinary action, including dismissal, if they fail to endorse same-sex marriage, suggests legal advice published by the pressure group Coalition for Marriage. The warning came in the week when the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, briefly labelled opponents of the Government’s same-sex marriage consultation “bigots”, and the Green Party expelled a Brighton […]
British Government lawyer: No religious discrimination at work if Christians can resign
Christians cannot claim that they have suffered religious discrimination at work if they have the freedom to resign and look for another job, a British-government lawyer told the European Court of Human Rights this week. James Eadie QC made his comments as he outlined the Government’s position in four cases: those of Nadia Eweida and […]
Strasbourg to hear religious-discrimination cases
The European Court of Human Rights, in Strasbourg, will next week hear the cases of four British people who claim that they lost their jobs as a result of discrimination against their Christian beliefs. Two of the cases concern the right to manifest religious belief, and whether this extends to wearing a cross or crucifix […]
PM backs right to wear cross at work
The Prime Minister has pledged to change the law to ensure that Christians can wear crosses at work. Speaking during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon, David Cameron said that he fully supported the right of people to wear religious symbols at work. He described it as “a vital religious […]
Wedding-hours change will not apply to the Church of England
A relaxation of the law that places a restriction on the hours when marriages may be solemnised does not apply to wedding services in the Church of England, lawyers from Church House said this week. They warned that conducting a marriage outside the permitted hours “would amount to an ecclesiastical offence for the purposes of […]