EU referendum: Vicar's speech leads to call to cancel council prayers

The Reverend Andrew Wickens was accused of bringing politics into prayer when raising the issue, leading to concerns from some councillors.

He sparked a furore when he said those arguing for an exit from the EU 'need to be aware of the risks of stoking anti-European sentiment'.

Councillors, including Dudley UKIP group members, hit out at the speech last month.

But council leader Councillor Pete Lowe and Dudley North MP Ian Austin have supported Rev Wickens.

• MORE: Unholy row over vicar's EU prayer at Dudley Council meeting

The National Secular Society, which campaigns for a secular democracy, has urged council officials to rethink prayers in light of the issue.

High Court judges ruled in 2012 that there was no 'lawful' place for prayer during formal council proceedings.

And society campaigns manager, Stephen Evans, in a letter to the Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Steve Waltho, said: "With the merits of prayers during official Council business under scrutiny, I would urge you to take this opportunity to rethink the practice of including prayer in council meetings.

"I would hope that all serving councillors are keen to ensure that the meetings of Dudley MBC are conducted in a manner equally welcoming to all attendees, regardless of their individual religious beliefs or lack of belief.

"The inclusion of acts of religious worship in civic meetings can be inimical to this aim.

"We very much share your aspiration for more people become involved in 'community politics'. One barrier to this can be councils appearing to corporately identify with a particular religious belief or the expectation to take part in religious worship."

He added: "Despite councils now having the power to impose prayers on councillors, the spirit of this ruling still holds true. The ruling was recognition of secularism as a basis for equality in public life and public office.

"We therefore respectfully suggest that Dudley reconsiders the practice of including prayer as part of its business meetings and instead ensures that all elected councillors, and indeed members of the public, are accorded equal respect and esteem at council meetings, regardless of their privately held religious beliefs, or indeed lack of them."

The speech was made during the prayer held at the start of the full council meeting on February 22.

Sedgley councillor Bill Etheridge, who is also a UKIP MEP, vowed to launch an official complaint to Councillor Waltho. Mr Wickens is the vicar in charge at St Thomas and St Luke's Church, known as Top Church, in Dudley.

He was been backed by the council's leader Pete Lowe, who accused UKIP of 'political posturing'.

After the meeting last month, Councillor Etheridge said: "Far from the Star of Bethlehem, the Chaplain seemed more focused on the stars of the EU. The service was utterly appalling."

Mr Wickens, speaking after the meeting, said:

"In this role as chaplain I have generally prefaced the prayers with a reflection as I did last night. If my words caused offence then that is something I regret though it was certainly not my intention."

The vicar did continue to lead prayers at the start of Dudley Council's meeting last Monday evening.