This essay, on whether religious views have a place in secular political debate, was my Observer column this week. It was published on 1 December 2024, under the headline “Who should have the last word on assisted dying in a secular Britain?” For many years, I used to give an annual lecture to theology students training to be Anglican priests at Trinity College, Bristol, on “Why I am an atheist”. One perennial response from the students was that “without belief in God, […]

Categories: Philosophy & Ethics, Politics, Britain • Tags: secularism, atheism, religion, blasphemy, assisted dying, faith, shabana mahmood, kim leadbetter, lord falconer, tahir ali