No prayers at council meetings rules LJ Ousley in High Court

In a case brought by National Secular Society on behalf of a councilor, Mr Bone from Bideford Council the Head of the Administrative Court, Mr Justice Ouseley, directed: "I do not think the 1972 Act [...] should be interpreted as permitting the religious views of one group of councilors, however sincere or large in number, to exclude, or even to a modest extent, to impose burdens on or even to mark out those who do not share their views and do not wish to participate in their expression of them. They are all equally elected councilors".

In England up to now atheists and members of other religions were forced to endure prayers at the start of each Council meeting.

I wonder what are the implications for Privy Council and other places where prayers are also practiced.

While this judgement is fair and has delighted many the fact is that in UK there is a great deal of oppression and religious bias left in many public institutions including medical.

Mr Bone is capable and lucky in finding the right assistance from National Secular Society but this is not what happens to all who have equally good causes.

Mentally ill people who suffered abuse as children by clergy still have to have nun visiting them as a social worker if their local NHS/Social Services provider decides so. They would be experiencing painful reminders of their traumas including panic attacks.

There are people who have learning difficulties and I do not see how they would be able to take their case to the High Court for their human rights to be protected. Should the willing doctor do that then High Court is not interested in their rights. Judicial reviews appeals for permission to appeal can be far too demanding on the judge who has far too much work thrown at him/her and of course, mistakes are bound to happen.

General Medical Council and Criminal Records Bureau checks by Dr Helen Bright

According to the response to Freedom of Information request from Criminal Records Bureau UK's regulator of medical profession has performed only two Criminal Records checks in the last twelve months. If one takes into consideration the number of staff (at least 500) and fitness to practice panelists (at least a couple of hundred if not more) as well as their turnover, this number of Criminal Records Bureau checks appears to be far too low.
Both medical professionals and patients are far too vulnerable to take risks with those who may have even been caught in criminal activities, even if this was some time ago. They should not be part of medical regulation.
Some organizations with criminal intent may actually have the program of infiltrating regulators.

Doctors4Justice would like to see better scrutiny of staff and panelists at the General Medical Council.
General Medical Council has been engaged in persecution of locum doctors in particular for many years now but these doctors get CRB checks once a year at least and sometimes more frequently on changes of organizations where they work or employment agencies which find them work. General Medical Council employs doctors in permanent jobs and these doctors may had one CRB check many years ago when they were first employed.

Congratulations, Sharon Smiley wins the right to benefits

Sharon Smiley won her case after being fired for working during lunch hour. Prior to being fired she was given more and more work and needed to work during lunch hour to finish the work. After she was fired she could get no benefits and experienced significant hardship. She had a stroke as well in 2009 and had to take some time off.
Her state - Illinois, seems to have laws that allow firing for no reason as well as long as it is not discriminatory!
No lawyer wanted to take her case. She had to do it herself. She won the right to state benefits which, of course, only pay a proportion of her previous salary. Awful case, really.
Click on the photo to read more about her case.