Press Release

Richard Dawkins to help launch new Conservative Humanist Association at Conservative Party Conference

Birmingham 29 September 2008

Prof. Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion and Vice President of the British Humanist Association, will be speaking at the launch a new Conservative Humanist Association at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham next week.  Until recently only the Labour and Liberal Democrat Parties had recognised Humanist groups.  But now, with the launch of the Conservative Humanist Association, all three major political Parties have groups focused on working for a more secular United Kingdom and contributing a rational humanist approach on public ethical issues within their own parties.

Professor Dawkins will be making his remarks to a fringe meeting organised by the Conservative Humanist Association and British Humanist Association on Monday 29th September at 9.30pm at Birmingham’s ICC – the venue for this year’s Conservative Conference.

The Conservative Humanist Association’s Chairman, Jeffrey Peel, commented, ‘We’re delighted to have Professor Dawkins at our launch fringe meeting at Birmingham this year. Several prominent Conservatives have made clear that they have no religious faith – but that makes them no less Conservative.’

‘I am really heartened that since we announced the formation of the Conservative Humanist Association I have received dozens of emails from Conservatives welcoming the move. We know that there are many in the Conservative Party that have religious faith. However, we also recognize that the United Kingdom is becoming, increasingly, a much less religious country – our Party needs to reflect that. Millions of Conservative supporters have no religious belief and want their elected representatives to properly represent their interests. We want to ensure that this huge and growing constituency has an effective voice within this great Party – a Party that accepts those of all faiths and those of none.’