British Humanist Association and another v Richmond upon Thames London Borough Council (Secretary of State for Education intervening) – WLR Daily

British Humanist Association and another v Richmond upon Thames London Borough Council (Secretary of State for Education intervening) : [2012] EWHC 3622 (Admin);   [2012] WLR (D)  386

“The obligation on a local authority to invite proposals to establish academies under section 6A of the Education Act 2006, as amended, was triggered if a local authority thought there was a need to establish a new school in their area. It was implicit in the scheme of Part 2 of the 2006 Act that there was a distinction between the concept of a “need”, which imported a sense of compelling requirement to establish a new school under section 6A, and a more general assessment by a local authority whether it might be beneficial for a new school to be established.”

WLR Daily, 14th December 2012

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

British Humanist Association v LB Richmond and ors [2012] EWHC 3622 (Admin) – Education Law Blog

Posted December 17th, 2012 in Christianity, education, judicial review, local government, news, school admissions by sally

“In this judgment (handed down on 14 December 2012), Sales J has rejected a challenge to the decision of the London Borough of Richmond accepting proposals from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster for the establishment of two voluntary-aided Roman Catholic schools (1 primary, 1 secondary) in Twickenham.”

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Education Law Blog, 17th December 2012

Source: www.education11kbw.com

High Court rejects Humanist Association’s challenge to faith school proposals in Richmond – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted December 17th, 2012 in Christianity, education, judicial review, local government, news, school admissions by sally

“This was an application for judicial review of decisions of the defendant Council to approve proposals put forward by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Westminster to establish a voluntary aided secondary school designated by the Secretary of State as a school having a religious character as a school for Roman Catholics and a similarly designated primary school.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 15th December 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Upper Tribunal confirms illegality of Catholic Charity’s ban on same-sex couple adoption – UK Human Rights Blog

“A private adoption agency could not justify its exclusion of same-sex prospective parents by arguing that this policy would keep open a source of funding that would otherwise dry up and reduce the number of adoption placements.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 3rd November 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

The thorny issue of religious belief and discrimination law (again) – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 22nd, 2012 in Christianity, hotels, human rights, news, sexual orientation discrimination by sally

“The Christian owner of a B&B in Berkshire was found to have discriminated against a gay couple by refusing to allow them stay in a double-bedded room because of her belief that all sexual activity outside of marriage is wrong.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 20th October 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Gay couple win Berkshire B&B refusal case – BBC News

“A gay couple who were turned away from a bed and breakfast were discriminated against, it has been ruled.”

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BBC News, 18th October 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Judge in late abortion case linked to conservative Christian charity – The Guardian

Posted September 24th, 2012 in abortion, Christianity, conflict of interest, judges, news, sentencing by sally

“A judge who criticised UK abortion policies while sentencing a woman to eight years in prison for performing her own abortion at a late stage in her pregnancy is one of at least five members of the judiciary with links to a Christian charity which has campaigned for more conservative abortion laws.”

Full story

The Guardian, 21st September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Are Christians really marginalised in this country? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 10th, 2012 in belief discrimination, Christianity, human rights, news by tracey

“We will have to wait some time before Strasbourg hands down its judgment in the religious discrimination cases it heard earlier this week. Whatever the outcome – which is perhaps predictable – the Court’s ruling will have a significant influence on the place of religion in public life and on how the relationship between religion and the state should be structured to reflect the aims of fairness and mutual respect envisaged in the Convention.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 7th September 2012

Source: http://ukhumanrightsblog.com

Christian rights cases go before Strasbourg court – The Guardian

“The freedom of Christians to wear crosses at work and to refuse to support same-sex relationships will come under international legal scrutiny at the European court of human rights this week.”

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The  Guardian, 2nd September 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge rules boy’s life support can be switched off despite parents’ hope of miracle – Daily Telegraph

“A judge has ordered that doctors can switch off a young boy’s life-support system even though his devout Christian parents pleaded for him to be kept alive in case of a miracle.”

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Daily Telegraph, 13th August 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Suffer the little children to come unto me – The Guardian

Posted August 10th, 2012 in children, Christianity, Judaism, news, parental rights by tracey

“Should a 10-year-old Jewish girl be baptised against her mother’s wishes? Judge Platt handed down an empathetic judgment last week.”

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The Guardian, 8th August 2012

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge decides that Jewish girl could be baptised – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted August 6th, 2012 in children, Christianity, divorce, Judaism, judiciary, jurisdiction, news, parental rights by sally

“Judges have to get involved in disputes on divorce, of which the current case is an exquisitely difficult example. Its facts are very simple. C was 10. Her parents and grandparents are Jewish. Her father is a Christian convert, and C wanted to be baptised. Her mother did not want this. She said father had brainwashed C, and it was premature. Mother went to court to stop any baptism proceeding until C was 16. The Court could not simply wash its hands of the case; that would encourage self-help taken by one or other parent, to the lasting resentment of the other.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 4th August 2012

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Girl of 10 can choose to convert from Judaism to Christianity, judge rules – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 3rd, 2012 in children, Christianity, families, Judaism, news by tracey

“The schoolgirl’s divorced parents were ‘at war’ over her desire to be baptised at the church her father, himself a convert, now attends. But at the end of an unusual case a judge has ruled that she is mature enough to choose her religion, and alongside his judgment wrote a personal letter to the girl explaining his decision.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 2nd August 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Christian sues NHS over ‘totalitarian’ stance on abortion – Daily Telegraph

“A Christian mental health worker who was sacked over her opposition to abortion is suing the NHS accusing it of having a ‘dangerously totalitarian’ approach to dissent on the issue.”

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Daily Telegraph, 28th May 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Judge declares Christian radio ad ‘political’ – Daily Telegraph

“The proposed 30-second advert for Premier Christian Radio called on listeners to report their experiences as part of a campaign for ‘a fairer society’.”

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Daily Telegraph, 20th April 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

TfL bans Christian groups’ ‘gay cure’ advert from London buses – The Independent

Posted April 13th, 2012 in advertising, Christianity, freedom of expression, homosexuality, news by tracey

” An attempt by evangelical Christians to promote ‘gay cure’ therapies on the sides of London buses was banned last night, sparking an angry row over free speech.”

Full text

The Independent, 13th April 2012

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Christians have no right to wear cross at work, says Government – Daily Telegraph

“Christians do not have a right to wear a cross or crucifix openly at work, the Government is to argue in a landmark court case.”

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Daily Telegraph, 10th March 2012

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Christian hotel owners consider gay couple appeal at Supreme Court – BBC News

Posted March 12th, 2012 in appeals, Christianity, equality, news, sexual orientation discrimination by sally

“Two Christian guesthouse owners are considering taking their legal fight against rulings of discrimination to the Supreme Court.”

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BBC News, 12th March 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Equality law ‘should be extended to cover faith’ – BBC News

Posted February 27th, 2012 in Christianity, equality, news, religious discrimination by tracey

“A report on the status of Christianity in the UK says equality laws should cover people with religious beliefs.”

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BBC News, 27th February 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Christian loses employment tribunal over Sunday working – BBC News

“A Christian woman who claimed she was forced to leave her job because she was made to work on Sundays, has lost her case against Merton Council.”

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BBC News, 23rd February 2012

Source: www.bbc.co.uk