In 2010, Mayor of Enfield Jayne Buckland bravely opened council meetings with a poem reading instead of prayers. In 2012, the High Court ruled that it was unlawful to make prayers a formal part of council proceedings.
Now Communities Secretary Eric Pickles is supporting attempts to enable councils to force the religious practices of one religion onto all council members by making prayers a formal part of council meetings.
As a liberal in both outlook and politics, I support the right of an individual to follow their own faith, or none, without hindrance. But this right does not mean that religious groups should be able to force their religion onto other individuals, and this includes forcing religion into the governance of Enfield.
I encourage Enfield residents to support religious freedom by contacting their MP immediately and asking them to vote against the Local Government (Religious, etc, Observances) Bill 2014,15, when it comes before Parliament.
Paul D Smith
Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Enfield Southgate
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