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Motion to end prayers at Bolton Council defeated as councillors highlight Reform hypocrisy
Reform UK councillors have attempted to end prayers before meetings at Bolton Council – despite Reform introducing Christian prayers at other councils.
At a council meeting on Wednesday, Reform group leader Cllr Trevor Jones moved a motion to "review the practice of including prayers as part of the formal proceedings of Full Council meetings".
Labour-run Bolton Council holds prayers according to the religion of the chaplain appointed by the mayor. The current mayor Mohammed Iqbal is Muslim and the prayers recited at meetings are Islamic. The chaplains of past mayors have also recited Christian and Hindu prayers.
The motion was defeated, with several councillors pointing out the inconsistency that Reform councillors elsewhere have recently introduced Christian prayers as part of their councils' meeting agendas.
Reform councillors also recently objected to Islamic prayers said in Arabic at Birmingham City Council.
Reform UK group leader: "We want to keep religion separate"
In the agenda, Cllr Jones said the motion "is not directed towards any individual, any faith group, or any religious tradition" and his concerns "relate solely to the role of the Council as a public authority representing the whole community".
He said "we serve residents from a wide range of backgrounds" and that in such a "diverse society", it is "increasingly difficult for any single religious observance to reflect the convictions of all Councillors and residents".
He added: "whilst faith undoubtedly plays an important role in the lives of many people, I believe there is an important distinction between individual religious practice and the formal conduct of council business".
Therefore, "the formal proceedings of the Council should be conducted in a manner that is religiously neutral," he said.
The motion called on the council to consider replacing prayers "with a short period of silent reflection" or moving "any prayers or religious observance to a voluntary session immediately prior to the formal commencement of Council meetings".
Wednesday's meeting began with an Islamic prayer from the mayor's chaplain, beginning with "Bismillah hir rahman nir raheem, in the name of Lord God Allah, the most merciful, the most kind, master of the Day of Judgement, you alone we worship and you alone we ask for help".
Reform councillors were not present for the prayers and only entered after they finished.
Introducing his motion at the meeting itself, Cllr Jones said: "We want to keep religion separate.
"This is a place of business, not a place for praying".
He said Reform councillors would continue to choose to enter the chamber after the prayers end while the practice continues.
Seconding the motion, Reform deputy leader Cllr Derek Wunderley said: "We are a diverse borough and embedding any one form of prayer over others risks privileging one belief over others.
"The most inclusive and fair approach is not to choose between religions, but to keep our formal workplace and decision-making spaces neutral and welcoming everybody".
Councillors highlight Reform hypocrisy over prayers
Deputy Leader of the Council Martin Donaghy raised the National Secular Society's work opposing prayers in councils, including the recent decision to introduce recitation of the 'lord's prayer' at Reform-controlled Kent County Council.
Cllr Donaghy pointed out the Reform councillors in Kent "strongly opposed amendments that called for either quiet reflection or prayer said before the meeting start".
But he opposed the motion, saying: "Standing in silence during prayers is about respect for the office of the Mayor and is about the ceremonial importance of our civic duty."
Liberal Democrat group leader Garry Veevers said he "agrees with most of what it says", adding: "Whatever the motivation is behind this motion, Councillor Jones has worked it very carefully in a way that does make it very difficult to oppose".
He said: "I don't really think that religion and politics is a good mix."
Conservative councillor Toby Hewitt spoke out to "defend the custom and practice of Christian prayer within full council", pointing out that prayers are said at the beginning of sittings in both Houses of Parliament. He then proceeded to recite a Christian prayer himself.
Cllr Maureen Flitcroft, leader of the Franworth and Kearsley First group, said she was "confused" as to why Reform want to stop the prayers at Bolton Council, despite introducing Christian prayers at Kent, Essex and Derbyshire county councils.
Leader of the Conservative group Cllr Nadim Muslim highlighted statements from Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage in which he supported prayer in schools and the Houses of Parliament.
Also supporting the prayers, Labour councillor Mohammed Ayub said: "If someone doesn't want to participate, they can simply stay silent".
Although several councillors denied the prayers are part of official council business, they are included in the broadcast of council meetings.
NSS: "The best path a council can take is to have no prayers at all"
NSS head of campaigns Megan Manson said: "This vote reveals the hypocrisy of Reform UK over prayers.
"They claimed this motion was about inclusivity and separating religion from council business. On the face of it, these are laudable, secularist values – but Reform's inconsistent approach in other councils suggests ulterior motives.
"In three county councils under their control, Reform have imposed Christian prayers. Reform's support of Christian worship during council business together with their opposition to Islamic prayers suggests a Christian nationalist mindset which excludes other religions and beliefs.
"Nevertheless, it is disappointing to see representatives of parties which usually stand for pluralism, equality and inclusivity fail to back this motion, which would indeed have made Bolton Council a more welcoming place for people of all religions and beliefs.
"Above all, the tussles over prayers we repeatedly see at councils demonstrate just how divisive they are. We should never have a situation where councillors feel the need to walk out of meetings because they are uncomfortable with prayers, or feel compelled to join in with prayers they don't agree with.
"The best path a council can take is to have no prayers at all – a path which many councils have chosen to avoid unnecessary division and conflict."
Reform UK councillors have attempted to end prayers before meetings at Bolton Council – despite Reform introducing Christian prayers at other councils.
At a council meeting on Wednesday, Reform group leader Cllr Trevor Jones moved a motion to "review the practice of including prayers as part of the formal proceedings of Full Council meetings".
Labour-run Bolton Council holds prayers according to the religion of the chaplain appointed by the mayor. The current mayor Mohammed Iqbal is Muslim and the prayers recited at meetings are Islamic. The chaplains of past mayors have also recited Christian and Hindu prayers.
The motion was defeated, with several councillors pointing out the inconsistency that Reform councillors elsewhere have recently introduced Christian prayers as part of their councils' meeting agendas.
Reform councillors also recently objected to Islamic prayers said in Arabic at Birmingham City Council.
Reform UK group leader: "We want to keep religion separate"
In the agenda, Cllr Jones said the motion "is not directed towards any individual, any faith group, or any religious tradition" and his concerns "relate solely to the role of the Council as a public authority representing the whole community".
He said "we serve residents from a wide range of backgrounds" and that in such a "diverse society", it is "increasingly difficult for any single religious observance to reflect the convictions of all Councillors and residents".
He added: "whilst faith undoubtedly plays an important role in the lives of many people, I believe there is an important distinction between individual religious practice and the formal conduct of council business".
Therefore, "the formal proceedings of the Council should be conducted in a manner that is religiously neutral," he said.
The motion called on the council to consider replacing prayers "with a short period of silent reflection" or moving "any prayers or religious observance to a voluntary session immediately prior to the formal commencement of Council meetings".
Wednesday's meeting began with an Islamic prayer from the mayor's chaplain, beginning with "Bismillah hir rahman nir raheem, in the name of Lord God Allah, the most merciful, the most kind, master of the Day of Judgement, you alone we worship and you alone we ask for help".
Reform councillors were not present for the prayers and only entered after they finished.
Introducing his motion at the meeting itself, Cllr Jones said: "We want to keep religion separate.
"This is a place of business, not a place for praying".
He said Reform councillors would continue to choose to enter the chamber after the prayers end while the practice continues.
Seconding the motion, Reform deputy leader Cllr Derek Wunderley said: "We are a diverse borough and embedding any one form of prayer over others risks privileging one belief over others.
"The most inclusive and fair approach is not to choose between religions, but to keep our formal workplace and decision-making spaces neutral and welcoming everybody".
Councillors highlight Reform hypocrisy over prayers
Deputy Leader of the Council Martin Donaghy raised the National Secular Society's work opposing prayers in councils, including the recent decision to introduce recitation of the 'lord's prayer' at Reform-controlled Kent County Council.
Cllr Donaghy pointed out the Reform councillors in Kent "strongly opposed amendments that called for either quiet reflection or prayer said before the meeting start".
But he opposed the motion, saying: "Standing in silence during prayers is about respect for the office of the Mayor and is about the ceremonial importance of our civic duty."
Liberal Democrat group leader Garry Veevers said he "agrees with most of what it says", adding: "Whatever the motivation is behind this motion, Councillor Jones has worked it very carefully in a way that does make it very difficult to oppose".
He said: "I don't really think that religion and politics is a good mix."
Conservative councillor Toby Hewitt spoke out to "defend the custom and practice of Christian prayer within full council", pointing out that prayers are said at the beginning of sittings in both Houses of Parliament. He then proceeded to recite a Christian prayer himself.
Cllr Maureen Flitcroft, leader of the Franworth and Kearsley First group, said she was "confused" as to why Reform want to stop the prayers at Bolton Council, despite introducing Christian prayers at Kent, Essex and Derbyshire county councils.
Leader of the Conservative group Cllr Nadim Muslim highlighted statements from Reform UK party leader Nigel Farage in which he supported prayer in schools and the Houses of Parliament.
Also supporting the prayers, Labour councillor Mohammed Ayub said: "If someone doesn't want to participate, they can simply stay silent".
Although several councillors denied the prayers are part of official council business, they are included in the broadcast of council meetings.
NSS: "The best path a council can take is to have no prayers at all"
NSS head of campaigns Megan Manson said: "This vote reveals the hypocrisy of Reform UK over prayers.
"They claimed this motion was about inclusivity and separating religion from council business. On the face of it, these are laudable, secularist values – but Reform's inconsistent approach in other councils suggests ulterior motives.
"In three county councils under their control, Reform have imposed Christian prayers. Reform's support of Christian worship during council business together with their opposition to Islamic prayers suggests a Christian nationalist mindset which excludes other religions and beliefs.
"Nevertheless, it is disappointing to see representatives of parties which usually stand for pluralism, equality and inclusivity fail to back this motion, which would indeed have made Bolton Council a more welcoming place for people of all religions and beliefs.
"Above all, the tussles over prayers we repeatedly see at councils demonstrate just how divisive they are. We should never have a situation where councillors feel the need to walk out of meetings because they are uncomfortable with prayers, or feel compelled to join in with prayers they don't agree with.
"The best path a council can take is to have no prayers at all – a path which many councils have chosen to avoid unnecessary division and conflict."
