National National Secular Society Bulletin 25 Red Lion Square, London WC1R 4RL Secular Telephone/Fax: (020) 7404 3126 Executive Director: Keith Porteous Wood Society Email Addresses: Executive Director: [email protected] Research Officer: [email protected] Website: www.secularism.org.uk Oct ISSUE 25 2003 EU Constitution and the Survival of a Secular Europe s we go to press, Ministers from included in the preamble to the around Europe are gathering to constitution. So far they have been Agive final consideration to the unsuccessful, but Catholic countries new European Union Constitution. The such as Italy, Ireland and Spain are draft was thrashed out over many threatening to reopen negotiations on months by a committee headed by this issue when ministers meet in Rome. France’s former president Valery Giscard The ailing pope, meanwhile, continues d’Estaing. to put pressure on politicians throughout Europe, perhaps trying to The Vatican and other religious bodies generate sympathy votes. have been agitating in recent months for a reference to God and Christianity to be Continued on p.2 Who will really be running Europe? NSS Meets the Minister ollowing protests about the advanced and would, in fact, soon be establishment of a committee to completed. Nor did she want to reopen Fconsult with “faith communities” the membership of the Group, which over government policy- making, Keith had taken much effort to negotiate. Porteous Wood, Executive Director of When we asked to be included in any the NSS, was invited to the Home Office ongoing group she assured us that there to meet Fiona Mactaggart, the minister were no plans for a continuing standing for Race Equality, Community Policy committee of religious representatives. and Civic Renewal on 24 September. Mr Wood emphasised the powerlessness Ms Mactaggart is the chair of a many non-religious people feel under recently established high-powered this government. Working Group involving faith The meeting was cordial and representatives (read more about it on constructive and the minister agreed to page 3). respond, after consulting with As she had already indicated in a colleagues, on some proposals Mr Wood letter to the NSS, the Minister was had made. She also made a number of helpful suggestions on the main and Fiona McTaggart MP unwilling to invite any non-religious wider issues that both her department representatives onto the Group, even as and the Society will be following up. observers. She justified this on the basis that the work of the Group was well Continued on p.3 & 4 NSS AGM — 29th November 2003 PRELIMINARY NOTICE See back pages See Page 3 for Index1 Government & Religion “The pope has a very clear Continued from P.1 the ten new EU members - Poland, “Because of its religious Slovakia, Lithuania, Hungary, and Vatican Power-Seeking at agenda of reinforcing Survival of Secular Europe nature, the Holy See always Slovenia - are majority Roman Catholic. However, the controversy over the support for traditional The majority of Latvians and Estonians United Nations stresses the primacy of preamble could be seen as a distraction are Lutherans. The other three are the he Vatican has let it be known on in the developing world and retarding Catholic morality, expressed from something much more serious. progressive legislation aimed at peace. Because of its Czech Republic, Malta, and Cyprus. The Tthree occasions this year that it Religious bodies have already increasing the rights of women. in law in countries like Vatican has already negotiated intends to begin the process of seeking universal nature, it follows negotiated a significant privilege for full voting status at the United Nations. EU Constitution Slovakia before they move “concordats” with several of the former The NSS has joined together with with concern all the critical themselves in the constitution in the The Vatican currently enjoys permanent soviet countries that will give it others who are interested in stopping into the EU, because that is shape of clause 51, which reads: observer status, which allows it to attend situations in the world. powerful influence over most of their and speak at meetings, but not to vote in the Vatican’s power-seeking at the UN the way to preserve the 1. The Union respects and does not domestic institutions, including And, finally, because of its full plenary sessions of the UN. under the campaigning banner “See prejudice the status under national education, the military and the Christian tradition in Negative uses to which this power is Change”, and will continue to lodge humanitarian nature, it law of churches and religious government. directed include thwarting attempts to complaints with UN representatives Europe. The pope’s associations or communities in the insists that all proper Article 51 of the new constitution will make contraception and abortion easier when appropriate. member states. European agenda ... is to aid the pope in these ambitions. As measures be taken in favour 2. The Union equally respects the status Keith Porteous Wood wrote to Denis reinsert traditional Catholic Continued from P.1 of civil populations” - of philosophical and non-confessional MacShane: “Those wishing even to morality into a unified organisations. question State religions, religious tax- More Government Cardinal Sodano, making raising powers, medieval blasphemy Europe.” 3. Recognising their identity and the case for the Vatican’s laws, or perhaps even legal settlements specific contribution, the Union shall Involvement for Religion are likely to be barred from doing so by upgrade at the UN. Timothy Byrnes, a maintain an open, transparent and ensuring that Prison chaplaincy Article 51. The practical effect of Clause Background to our meeting regular dialogue with these churches provision meets the needs of inmates professor of political 51, therefore, will be to obstruct moves with the Minister and organizations. from many faith communities. It also towards secularity, which will almost by In a reply to a parliamentary question, science at Colgate complements the work my Department The NSS and other European definition mean also moves towards Home Office Minister Fiona Mactaggart, is doing to deepen engagement with University, secularist groups have been opposing greater democracy.” revealed that a new committee had been individual communities through this clause on the grounds that religions formed by the Home Office “to consider The NSS has joined together with its ministerial visits and meetings.” will use it as an excuse to interfere in the most effective means of achieving French counterpart Libre Pensée to issue secular law-making processes. Keith greater involvement of the faith This announcement, which no one a statement upholding the principles of Porteous Wood wrote to the British communities in policy-making and noticed until the NSS uncovered it, sent secularism in Europe. You can read it on Minister for Europe, Denis MacShane, delivery across Whitehall; to identify the shock waves through secularist circles. our website at http://www.secularism. asking him to oppose Article 51 and specific policy areas where this input The Observer picked up the story and org.uk/librepensee1.htm, or if you don’t resist a religious reference in the would be most valuable; to oversee the quoted the NSS’s letter of protest to have access to a computer, you can ask preamble. Keith pointed out that the agenda of the Working Group, and to Fiona Mactaggart at length. for a printed version by sending a Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan had comment on and monitor its work.” Ms stamped addressed envelope to: Joint NSS honorary associate Alice Mahon made clear that his country – Mactaggart said that the Group included Declaration, NSS, 25 Red Lion Square, MP wrote to the Prime Minister a number of Ministers from departments overwhelmingly Muslim but with a expressing her concern, saying: “I was London WC1R 4RL. with a particular interest, as well as a secular constitution - would prefer the deeply concerned to read the report by raft of religious appointees. EU to leave out all religious references Kamal Ahmed in Sunday’s Observer so that it did not become “a Christian Add Your Voice, She said that Prime Minister, Tony about your intention to allow Christian club”. This was a significant in Paris Blair “attaches considerable importance” organisations and other ‘faith groups’ a development, as Turkey is hoping to to the group, which included The NSS and Libre Pensée are central role in policy making at the open negotiations with the European representatives from the Evangelical organising a joint event to launch highest level of Government. Union with a view to becoming a Alliance, Catholic organisations, the this statement in Paris on 6th “One of the huge strengths of our member. Mr Erdogan said in Rome Muslim Council of Britain, National December. Members are invited to democracy has been the separation of recently: “If the concept of religion is Council of Hindu Temples, Network of INSIDE attend and support this initiative. If religion and politics and along with included in the constitution, it would Sikh Organisations, the Chief Rabbi, Page 5 Thought for you are interested in spending some many other democrats I believe this is a contradict those principles and centuries Baha’is and, of course, the omnipresent the Day time in the beautiful City of Light, in very dangerous path to take. Can I ask of progress on the continent.” The and mandatory bishop - on this occasion a country that is at the forefront of when this decision was taken, and by Page 6 President’s Society wrote to PM Erdogan to the Bishop of Leicester. the secularist struggle against whom? As this involvement in Labour Message encourage him not to back down on this religious ambition, ask for more Ms Mactaggart said: “It will lay the policy making is not included in our Page 7 Employment position.