Representatives of the IHEU affiliate the National Secular Society delivered a 28,000-name petition to 10 Downing Street on 4 March 2010, requesting that the cost of Pope Benedict XVI’s trip to Britain be borne by the Church rather than the taxpayer. The delegation from the NSS presented the petition with a covering letter to prime minister Gordon Brown calling on him to downgrade the visit to “pastoral” so that the Church is made responsible for the estimated £20 million cost.
President Terry Sanderson handed over the petition (pictured)together with executive director Keith Porteous Wood, council members Elizabeth O’Casey and Gerard Phillips, and staff members Tessa Kendall and Stephen Evans (also pictured next to the famous Big Ben clock).
You can see some pictures of the event here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationalsecularsociety/sets/72157623557992972/show/
See also: first minister invites Pope to visit Wales http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8547718.stm
We also invite protestors to add their names to new official protest on the Prime Minister’s website. This petition is in the name of Protest the Pope, a coalition of groups including the NSS who have objections to the visit:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/ProtestthePope/
–Keith Porteous Wood