Secularist councillor won't pray in chamber

A row has erupted after an Exeter councillor refused to stand for prayers during a civic meeting.
Reposted from NSS Newsline 27/7/07

Councillor Paul Pettinger sought to explain his decision but was told to be quiet by Exeter's Lord Mayor, Councillor Hazel Slack, at the full council meeting last week.

But Councillor Yolonda Henson, the council's Conservative Party leader, said she would ask for a new rule, requiring anyone who does not want to stand at council meeting prayers to leave the chamber. The Lord Mayor began the meeting by saying that she intended to be a traditionalist, which appears to mean she will not tolerate dissent.

She added: "I have no qualms in asking you all to show the mayor, and whoever, respect and more importantly, respect for each other. I realise we do not all follow the same religions but I ask we stand for prayers to show respect."

After the prayers, Councillor Henson said she wished to introduce a rule requiring those who did not wish to stand should leave the meeting during prayers. Councillor Pettinger replied that he had two reasons for not standing. He began to explain that he was not a Christian, despite a Christian education, but the Lord Mayor interjected that councillors swore an oath to represent the city of Exeter.

When he continued to talk, she said: "As Lord Mayor I've asked you to sit down. Could you please sit down or I will ask you to leave the chamber."

Councillor David Morrish, a Liberal said: "I think this is the wrong forum...it should be discussed at the leaders' meeting."

Cllr Pettinger, who, at 24 years old, was the youngest councillor in the city when he was elected in 2004, declared that he intends to maintain his position: "I'm elected to do a job for my residents and the people of Exeter and faith has nothing to do with it," he said. "I am a secularist and believe in the complete separation of personal faith and state. I'm an atheist and don't wish to take part in Christian worship. It's highly inappropriate to put pressure on people to act in this way when there are people of so many faiths in this country."

He suggested councillors should instead be given the option to hold prayers in a separate room beforehand.

Cllr Henson told a local paper that she would raise the issue at future talks with other party leaders. "I felt, at the full council meeting, that as senior member of the house, it's got to be said," she added. "It doesn't matter what religion you are, the Lord Mayor is the representative in Exeter of the Queen.

"Why should he presume he's the only atheist in the room? He's probably not. But we all show a mark of respect."