By Ian Dunt

Some faith schools constitute an act of child abuse because of the way they rid children of freedom, Professor Richard Dawkins has said.

Speaking at a fringe meeting at the Liberal Democrat Conference in Bournemouth, the famous atheist and scientist told delegates that it was unacceptable to indoctrinate children into any religion or belief system.

“I’m in favour of religious education,” he said, responding to a question from the audience.

“I’m in favour of children learning about religion and its role in history.

“What I’m passionately against is indoctrination. That is wicked, that is evil, that is child abuse,” he continued.

“You would never describe a child as a Keynesian child, but we all ascribe to this anomaly where religion can be hung round the neck of a child.”

Professor Dawkins was promoting his new book, The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution, at an event organised by the British Humanist Association (BHA).