Equality cannot wait: government must recognise humanist marriages
Humanist weddings still lack legal recognition in England and Wales. (Credit: Viktar Vysotski/Adobe Stock Photo)
3 min read
Scotland and Northern Ireland already legally recognise humanist weddings. England and Wales should follow
For decades, humanist couples in England and Wales have been denied the fundamental right to have their humanist weddings legally recognised. These are not frivolous ceremonies; they are deeply meaningful, non-religious celebrations of love and commitment, grounded in shared values and a profound respect for human connection. The current law, which recognises religious marriages but excludes humanist ones, is a glaring injustice, a discriminatory anomaly that must be rectified without further delay.
The arguments for legal recognition are clear and compelling. Humanist marriages are personal, inclusive, and mirror the deeply held beliefs of a growing segment of our population. These ceremonies, meticulously co-crafted between a humanist celebrant and the couple to reflect their unique bond, are no less valid or significant than those conducted by religious ministers for couples who share their values and beliefs. To deny them legal standing is to deny humanist couples equal respect and dignity under the law.
The injustice of this exclusion was found in the 2020 case of R (Harrison) v Secretary of State for Justice. In that ruling, focused on a case taken by six humanist couples, the judge said that “the present law gives rise to… discrimination”. The justice secretary “cannot… simply sit on his hands” and do nothing. However, she also said that the government could wait for a then-ongoing Law Commission review to finish before acting. The Law Commission’s report was published in 2022 but in the three years since the government has not responded to it, nor has it yet led to a correction of the discrimination Harrison found.
We understand the new government is now considering the Law Commission’s recommendations on marriage law. But this looks set to take years more to implement, with a recent report suggesting it may not happen for another four years. If it happens at all – the Law Commission’s recommendations are quite controversial.
The government first got the power to legally recognise humanist marriages by order in the 2013 Marriage Act. It should use that power without further delay. Doing so would benefit humanists while disadvantaging nobody else. The issue should no longer be held hostage to a protracted process. It is a discrete and urgent matter that demands immediate action.
Humanist couples should not be forced to endure the indignity of a separate, often unwanted, civil ceremony to secure legal recognition. This bureaucratic hurdle undermines the very essence of equality and inflicts unnecessary emotional and financial burdens.
The international community is watching. Parts of the British Isles – Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Channel Islands – already recognise the validity of humanist marriages, as do countries like Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the US, Iceland, and Norway. Across all those jurisdictions, humanist marriages have proven hugely popular. England and Wales has been left behind, clinging to outdated and discriminatory laws.
We call on the government to support this crucial reform. Let us finally right this wrong and make sure that all couples in England and Wales have the freedom to celebrate their love and commitment in a way that is true to their values and beliefs. This is a matter of equality, and it cannot wait.
Sarah Edwards is the Labour MP for Tamworth; Freddie van Mierlo is the Liberal Democrat MP for Henley and Thame; Lizzi Collinge is the Labour MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale and chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group. The three MPs are the co-leads of today’s Westminster Hall debate on legal recognition of humanist marriages
