All-Party Groups (APGs) within United Kingdom politics are informal, cross-party, interest groups of the

UK Parliament The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...

. APGs have at least 20 members who are all Members of the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. T ...

and

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminste ...

. The All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group (APPHG) is a subject group of the APG whose purpose is to bring together non-religious humanist, atheist and agnostic MPs and peers to discuss matters of shared interest.

History

The APPHG first took shape in the mid-late 1960s. In 1968, its earliest members were Leo Abse, Austen Albu,

Bessie Braddock Elizabeth Margaret Braddock (née Bamber; 24 September 1899 – 13 November 1970) was a British Labour Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for the Liverpool Exchange division from 1945 to 1970. She was a ...

, James Dickens, Edward Fletcher,

Michael Foot Michael Mackintosh Foot (23 July 19133 March 2010) was a British Labour Party politician who served as Labour Leader from 1980 to 1983. Foot began his career as a journalist on ''Tribune'' and the ''Evening Standard''. He co-wrote the 1940 p ...

, William Hamling, John Horner, Peter Jackson (Secretary), Lena Jeger, Hugh Jenkins, David Kerr (Chairman),

Ian Mikardo Ian Mikardo (9 July 1908 – 6 May 1993), commonly known as Mik, was a British Labour Member of Parliament. An ardent socialist and a Zionist, he remained a backbencher throughout his four decades in the House of Commons. He was a member of Nat ...

, Maurice Miller, Stan Newens, Reginald Paget, Arthur Palmer, John Parker, Renee Short,

Brian Walden Alastair Brian Walden (8 July 1932 – 9 May 2019) was a British journalist and broadcaster who spent over a decade as a Labour politician and Member of Parliament (MP). He was considered one of the finest political interviewers in the history ...

, Lord (Fenner) Brockway, Lord Chorley, Lord Francis-Williams,

Lord Listowel William Francis Hare, 5th Earl of Listowel, (28 September 1906 – 12 March 1997), styled Viscount Ennismore between 1924 and 1931, was an Anglo-Irish peer and Labour politician. He was the last Secretary of State for India as well as the l ...

Lord Raglan Baron Raglan, of Raglan in the County of Monmouth, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 20 October 1852 for the military commander Lord FitzRoy Somerset, chiefly remembered as commander of the British troops ...

, Lord Ritchie-Calder, and Lord Willis. The group's membership was heavily involved in several successful progressive campaigns of the 1960s, which culminated in the decriminalisation of homosexuality and abortion. By 1996 it had 47 members. From the 2010s to present, it has had over 100. Although the Group is not part of, nor affiliated to, Humanists UK (formerly called the British Humanist Association), the organisation does provide the secretariat.

Topics discussed

The Group meets around 4 times a year to hear speakers and discuss relevant issues, as well as to share information and receive briefings on matters of interest. These matters are wide-ranging and include the promotion of a rational approach to bioethical, medical, and scientific issues, the defence of free speech, civil liberties and education.

Officers and members

Since May 2022, the officers of the APPHG have been chair: Tommy Sheppard MP; co-chair:

Joan Bakewell Joan Dawson Bakewell, Baroness Bakewell, (''née'' Rowlands; born 16 April 1933), is an English journalist, television presenter and Labour Party peer. Baroness Bakewell is president of Birkbeck, University of London; she is also an author a ...

; secretary: Aaron Bell MP; vice chairs: Clive Lewis MP, Ruth Cadbury MP,

Rachel Hopkins Rachel Louise Hopkins (born 30 March 1972) is a British politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Luton South since 2019. A member of the Labour Party, she has been a Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office since 2021. Hopkins ...

MP, Jeff Smith MP,

Lloyd Russell-Moyle Lloyd Cameron Russell-Moyle (born 14 September 1986) is a British Labour and Co-operative Party politician who was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Brighton Kemptown in the 2017 general election. He retained his seat in the 20 ...

MP, Lord Warner of Brockley, Lord Taverne of Pimlico, Lord Garel-Jones of Watford, Baroness Massey of Darwen, Baroness Flather of Windsor and Maidenhead; and treasurer: Lord Dubs of Battersea. The total membership of the group exceeds 100. Former members have included

Michael Connarty Michael Connarty (born 3 September 1947) is a British Labour Party politician, who served as the Member of Parliament for Linlithgow and Falkirk East from 2005 until 2015, and Falkirk East (1992–2005). Parliamentary career He unsuccess ...

Julian Huppert Julian Leon Huppert (born 21 July 1978) is a Liberal Democrat politician in the United Kingdom and former Member of Parliament for Cambridge from 2010 to 2015. He succeeded David Howarth, who stood down after one term as an MP. At the 2015 gene ...

Ian Swales Ian Cameron Swales (born 5 April 1953) is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Redcar in England. Swales took Redcar from Labour incumbent Vera Baird for the Liberal Democrats at the 2 ...

, Colin Challen,

Crispin Blunt Crispin Jeremy Rupert Blunt (born 15 July 1960) is a British politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Reigate since 1997. A member of the Conservative Party, he was the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Prisons and ...

Lynne Jones Lynne Mary Jones (born 26 April 1951) is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Birmingham Selly Oak from 1992 until the dissolution of parliament in April 2010. Early life Jones was born in Birmingham ...

Evan Harris Evan Leslie Harris (born 21 October 1965) is a British Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Oxford West and Abingdon from 1997 to 2010, losing his seat in the 2010 general election by 176 votes to Conservative ...

, Paul Holmes and

Sandra Gidley Sandra Julia Gidley MRPharmS (''née'' Rawson; born 26 March 1957) is a British pharmacist and politician who served as the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament (MP) for Romsey in Hampshire from 2000 to 2010, when she lost her seat to Conserva ...

, William Goodhart,

Joel Joffe Joel Goodman Joffe, Baron Joffe, (12 May 1932 – 18 June 2017) was a South African-born British lawyer and Labour peer in the House of Lords. Life and career Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, to the Joffe family. His mother was born in Man ...

, and

Rhodri Morgan Hywel Rhodri Morgan (29 September 1939 – 17 May 2017) was a Welsh Labour politician who was the First Minister of Wales and the Leader of Welsh Labour from 2000 to 2009. He was also the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011 and ...

, later First Minister of Wales. Other members include Baroness Bakewell.

Notable debates

April 2007 – Religion: Non-believers

Thursday 19 April 2007 debate Religion: Non-Believer in House of Lords lasted two and a half hours. Lord Harrison called to attention the position in British society of those who profess no religion. Edited verbatim Hansard report. The debate was summarised by HASSNERS. The speakers were Lord Harrison, Baroness Carnegy of Lour, Lord Goodhart, The Archbishop of York, Lord Judd, Baroness Flather, The Lord Bishop of Worcester, Lord Macdonald of Tradeston, Baroness Byford, Baroness Greengross, Baroness Rendell of Babergh, Lord Carey of Clifton, Baroness Murphy, Baroness Massey of Darwen,

Lord Wedderburn of Charlton Kenneth William Wedderburn, Baron Wedderburn of Charlton, (13 April 1927 – 9 March 2012) was a British politician and member of the House of Lords, affiliated with the Labour Party. He briefly became a crossbench member, citing his disli ...

, Baroness Whitaker,

Lord Joffe Joel Goodman Joffe, Baron Joffe, (12 May 1932 – 18 June 2017) was a South African-born British lawyer and Labour peer in the House of Lords. Life and career Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, to the Joffe family. His mother was born in Man ...

Lord Graham of Edmonton Thomas Edward Graham, Baron Graham of Edmonton, (26 March 1925 – 21 March 2020) was a British Labour and Co-operative politician. Career Born in Newcastle, Graham was educated at the Co-operative College and held several positions in the co ...

Lord Roberts of Llandudno John Roger Roberts, Baron Roberts of Llandudno (born 23 October 1935), is a Welsh Liberal Democrat politician, Methodist minister, and life peer. He was for many years President of the Welsh Liberals, and later, the Welsh Liberal Democrats. ...

, Baroness Wilcox, and Baroness Andrews.

July 2013 – Contributions of atheists and humanists to society

A debate in the House of Lords on Thursday 25 July 2013 lasted two and a half hours and more than 20,000 words were spoken. The motion of the debate was "That this House takes note of the contribution of atheists and humanists to United Kingdom society." Watch the video and read the edited verbatim report of the debate. It was covered by media sources including the

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