Fraser speaking to an interviewer behind the camera on STV News. He has short brown hair and glasses and wears a suit jacket without tie and blue and white checked shirt.

Humanists in the media on new data showing Scotland is majority non-religious

May 22, 2024

We’ve been having our say in the media on new census data from the National Records of Scotland showing Scotland is a majority non-religious country for the first time.

Our CEO Fraser Sutherland has had a busy week speaking to radio, TV, and newspaper about new data from the National Records of Scotland showing that Scotland is a majority non-religious country for the first time. We believe this is a huge moment for our country. It shows that the majority of people in Scotland do not need the trappings of organised religion to live meaningful, ethical lives.

TV & radio

Fraser spoke to STV News for their six o’clock news show (video below). He pointed out that more people are forming their ethical views and living meaningful lives without organised religion. Fraser also featured on BBC Radio 4 news. He argued that Christianity still holds too dominant a place in our education system. We are currently campaigning to remove voting rights from religious representatives on local education committees and end compulsory religious observance at schools.

Print media

We also had our say in The Guardian’s coverage of the new census data. Fraser reminded readers that Humanist Society Scotland had encouraged non-religious people to be honest about their beliefs when the census survey was sent round in 2022. “These results bear out the fact that more people feel confident and open about expressing an atheist, secular or agnostic worldview than ever before.” We also featured on the BBC news online coverage of the census release, and in the Scottish Daily Mail and Grampian Online.

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