BHA: MPs asked to represent opposition to Holy See's policies during Pope state visit

Wednesday, 8 September 2010 12:00 AM

An email lobby has been launched today by the British Humanist Association (BHA) for the Protest the Pope campaign, encouraging people to contact their MPs regarding their concerns about the practices and policies of the Holy See, and providing an online service to make this easier.

The Pope will be visiting the UK next week and, as part the official visit, will be meeting with Party leaders and other senior politicians.

Ahead of the election in May, Party leaders were clear that they opposed many of the policies and practices of the Holy See. Our campaign seeks to make sure that Party leaders and other politicians, as our elected representatives, raise those and wider issues with the Pope as head of state when they meet him.

Andrew Copson, BHA Chief Executive, said, 'We regard the recognition of the Pope as a head of state as a diplomatic fiction, the function of which is solely to amplify the voice and influence of the Vatican on the world stage. However, the Pope is coming to the UK in his capacity as a head of a state to meet the political representatives of the British people. At least one of the functions of the visit must be for our representatives to reflect the opposition of many people in this country to the Holy See's policies, not least on reproductive and sexual health rights, the human rights of children, women and LGBT people, which conflict with UK policy in so many ways.

'We've launched this service to make it easier for people to contact their MP, and ask him or her to have the leaders of their parties and the representatives of our government represent their views to the Pope when he meets them.'

The British Humanist Association has also written to the leaders of the three main parties encouraging them to ensure that the serious objections shared by so many British citizens to the policies of the Holy See are conveyed to the Pope when they meet him.

Notes

You can Take Action! and email your MP here www.humanism.org.uk

For further comment or information, please contact Andrew Copson on 07534 248596 or andrew@humanism.or.uk

The BHA is a member of the Protest the Pope Campaign which protests against the state visit of the Pope to the UK www.protest-the-pope.org.uk

The BHA and other members of the Protest the Pope campaign are not against the Pope coming to the UK as a religious leader. Our opposition is to the visit being a state visit, with the British people footing the bill.

The British Humanist Association is the national charity representing and supporting the interests of ethically concerned, non-religious people in the UK. It is the largest organisation in the UK campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, and for a secular state.

Naomi Phillips
Head of Public Affairs
British Humanist Association (BHA)

1 Gower Street, London WC1E 6HD
Tel: 020 7079 3585
Mob: 07540 257101
Fax: 020 7079 3588

www.humanism.org.uk

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