On the day of the Pope's arrival in Britain, a national secular society has spoken out following comments made by Government Minister Baroness Warsi. The British Humanist Association (BHA) expressed dismay following comments made by the baroness, who as well as being a Minister without Portfolio is chairman of the Conservative Party.
In a speech, made to Bishops of the Church of England in Oxford, Lady Warsi suggested that the new Government would "defend people of faith" and that the previous Government had failed to "create policies to unleash the positive power of faith in our society" because of anti-religious prejudices.
The Muslim peer also asserted that there was a "vocabulary of secularist intolerance" and that "those who are religiously observant are more likely to volunteer and give than their non-believing or non-practising counterparts".
She said faith groups played a key role in David Cameron's vision of a Big Society, and would have more opportunity to set up schools and carry out public services.
Pepper Harow, BHA campaigns officer, said: "It is very worrying that a Government Minister feels that the previous Government did not support faith when the reality is that their policies privileged religious people and groups.
"They increased the number of faith schools, gave millions of pounds in grant funding to religious organisations, appointed "faith advisors" and gave religious organisations greater exemptions from UK non-discrimination laws than European law allows.
"If the Government wants to go even further, that is a cause for serious concern.
"It is untrue that non-religious people do less for charity; various studies and surveys have confirmed this and is insulting to hard-working secular charities and voluntary groups (which make up two thirds of the voluntary sector) to suggest otherwise.
"We will be writing to the Minister to make these points and remind her that at least 43% of the UK population consider themselves non-religious.
"If the Government truly wants to create a successful 'Big Society,' excluding non-religious people is not the way to go about it."
The British Humanist Association is a national charity that campaigns for a secular state and an open society. It represents and supporting non-religious people.
For more information go to humanism.org.uk.