Agenda. 1. Prayers

So it's illegal for public bodies to put prayers as an agenda item. (See here for the story). But, as usual, the press has not explained this well, favouring instead sensationalist headlines.
The judge's formal statements are:

A local authority has no power under section 111 of the Local Government Act 1972, or otherwise, to hold prayers as part of a formal local authority meeting, or to summon councillors to such a meeting at which prayers are on the agenda.

And

The saying of prayers in a local authority chamber before a formal meeting of such a body is lawful provided councillors are not formally summoned to attend.

So councils can still say prayers before meetings, they're just not allowed to put them on a formal agenda, and people can absent themselves from prayers if they want to. Well, I'm not sure I have a problem with that. Surely no Christian is going to want to force non-Christians to pray to the Lord God in whom they don't believe? We're not into forcing our beliefs on others (unlike some...).

Nevertheless, the fact that Clive Bone and the National Secular Society brought this case shows once again just how illiberal and fundalmentalist these secularists really are. Bone was so intolerant of God that he stepped down from the council to avoid being in the same room as those who were praying. What's he afraid of? Could he not just play Angry Birds on his i-pad for a few minutes while those who want to pray, pray? But then perhaps not - it's Bristol concillors who may be given i-pads to save money...