Can the law truly understand religion? Should bishops sit in the House of Lords? Why is marriage law reform necessary? It was a pleasure to discuss these and other questions as a panelist on Beyond Belief. It is repeated on Sunday at 6.05am and is also on BBC Sounds: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Beyond Belief - Religion and the Law - BBC Sounds

Exploring the place and nature of faith in today's world.

bbc.co.uk

My new blog post discusses why Wales Humanists are right to call for the Senedd to review the law on religious worship in schools Read it on my blog: sandbergrlaw.wordpress.com/2026/10/07/w... Thanks to @willhaycardiff.bsky.social newsletter for bringing this to my attention

I’m delighted to be one of the panelists on the ‘Beyond Belief’ episode dedicated to religion and the law. It’s on Radio 4 today at 3.30pm and available on BBC Sounds afterwards. I’m looking forward to hearing what made the edit!

Congratulations to Cardiff Law student Aaliyah Ignatovaite on running the Cardiff half marathon to raise funds for International Animal Rescue. You can still sponsor her at: www.justgiving.com/page/aaliyah...

Racing for Rescue!

Help Aaliyah Ignatovaite raise money to support International Animal Rescue

justgiving.com

A truly bucket list moment! I’m in the @radiotimes.bsky.social - love the Radio Times - I read cover to cover every week! The episode of Beyond Belief featuring me on the panel is on Radio 4 next Tuesday and will be on BBC Sounds after that. I’m looking forward to hearing what makes the edit!

Cardiff Law graduate Aaron Slade is taking on Scaffell Pike, the highest mountain in England, to mark raising 50% of his fundraising target for Mind ahead of running the Cardiff half marathon. Do sponsor him if you can please: cardiffhalf26.enthuse.com/pf/aaron-slade

Aaron's page

Even though 1 in 4 people have mental health problems, most of us don’t get the help we need. This has to change. We’re Mind. We’re here to fight mental health. For support for respect, for you. We ch

cardiffhalf26.enthuse.com

The Law Society has expressed its broad agreement with the proposals on marriage law reform and has stated that independent celebrants should be legally recognised. For more see my new blog post: sandbergrlaw.substack.com/p/law-societ... sandbergrlaw.wordpress.com/2026/09/25/l...

Law Society Supports Recognition of Independent Celebrants

The Law Society has published its full response to the consultation on wedding law reform that closed yesterday.

sandbergrlaw.substack.com

The need to legally recognise humanist weddings is compelling but the number of issues with our archaic laws on marriage means that comprehensive reform is needed as the Government proposes. To do otherwise would simply replace one discrimination with another.

Humanists UK@humanists.uk · 2w ago

50,000 couples a year would choose a legal humanist wedding in England and Wales. Our trained and accredited celebrants are ready. The Government needs to make it legal.

The Government’s Consultation on proposed reform to the law on getting married in England and Wales has now closed. My response to the Consultation can be found at: orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/18... #marriage #marriagelaw #weddings #weddinglaw #FamilyLaw

These plans look really good. They balance freedom of religion or belief with the need to keep weddings safe and dignified.

National Secular Society@natsecsoc.bsky.social · 3w ago

We are greatly encouraged by the Government's proposed reforms to wedding law, which will drastically improve equal access to weddings for all people in England and Wales, regardless of their religion or belief. More 👇 www.secularism.org.uk/news/2026/09...

We are greatly encouraged by the Government's proposed reforms to wedding law, which will drastically improve equal access to weddings for all people in England and Wales, regardless of their religion or belief. More 👇 www.secularism.org.uk/news/2026/09...

NSS backs wedding reform plans for England and Wales

Ministry of Justice consulting on proposals which NSS helped shape Read More

secularism.org.uk

Cardiff Law graduate Nia Capper, who raised so much money for charity as a student - not least though organising the charity moots - is at it again. She’s raising funds for Alzheimer’s Society by taking on a zip line. Please sponsor her if you can: www.justgiving.com/page/nia-sop...

Zip Lining over Cardiff Stadium for Alzheimer's Society

Help Nia Capper raise money to support Alzheimer's Society

justgiving.com

If would be production teams want any help ensuring that they can demonstrate ‘Deep knowledge of the world of Doctor Who’, then I’m happy to be contacted as one of the editors of the upcoming first academic handbook devoted to #Doctorwho www.bbc.co.uk/commissionin...

New opportunity: Doctor Who invitation to tender

Deadline for initial submissions: 2 October

bbc.co.uk

Doctor Who Production News@doctorwhopn.bsky.social · 4w ago

BBC posts Doctor Who Invitation to Tender for 2028/2029 transmission cultbox.co.uk/news/bbc-pos...

My seventh and last blog post looks at how officiants will be regulated. It explains and applauds the proposed system of regulatory bodies (nominated bodies and celebrancy membership of organisations) and a central regulator. sandbergrlaw.wordpress.com/2026/09/16/u...

My penultimate post of my guide to the marriage law reform consultation applauds the interim conclusion to include independent celebrants but expresses disbelief at the lengthy attempt to define religion and belief. sandbergrlaw.wordpress.com/2026/09/15/u... sandbergrlaw.substack.com/p/untangling...

The Church Appointments (Repeal of Discriminatory Provision) Bill has now been published: bills.parliament.uk/bills/4296 Explanatory notes: publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbi...

We're back for the AGM of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group in Parliament. We start with Humanists UK Chief Executive Andrew Copson reflects on a year of hard-fought successes and fresh challenges, and thanks the cross-party MPs and peers driving change.

Part five of my chapter-by-chapter look at the wedding law consultation looks at locations. Another area where the consultation improves upon the Law Commission’s work: sandbergrlaw.wordpress.com/2026/09/15/u... sandbergrlaw.substack.com/p/untangling...

That was quick! www.gov.uk/government/n... A welcome sticking plaster but a sticking plaster nonetheless. For background see my previous blog post: sandbergrlaw.wordpress.com/2026/07/28/a...

In the fourth of my chapter-by-chapter blog posts on the wedding law reform consultation, I try to summarise its Dignity Framework and highlight some defects - as well as looking the recommendations on the use of religious or belief elements in ceremonies.

There’s just 10 days left to respond to the wedding law consultation. My latest blog looks at one issue where the proposal needs revising: instead of different rules for what will constitute consent for different officiants, I argue for a universal rule with limited variations.

A fascinating editorial from @stephenmevans.bsky.social on @natsecsoc.bsky.social on a topic on which I am currently researching:

Stephen Evans@stephenmevans.bsky.social · last mo.

Dispatches from the Reform UK conference – and some thoughts on the American-style Christian nationalism gaining ground in Britain. www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2026...

The second part of my chapter by chapter guide to the wedding reform consultation looks at preliminaries where there are four technical questions about the modernising and tightening up proposals that will allow some liberalisation in terms of ceremonies: sandbergrlaw.wordpress.com/2026/09/11/u...

In the wake of Reform's conference, our chief exec @stephenmevans.bsky.social reflects on the growing ecosystem of Christian nationalism - and why Britain's constitutional intertwinement of religion and state leaves the door open to religious identitarianism. www.secularism.org.uk/opinion/2026...

Britain’s archaic Church-state settlement could enable Reform’s Christian nationalism

With Christian nationalism being embraced as an answer to Islamism and social fragmentation, Stephen Evans argues that secularism offers a far better defence of Britain's freedoms. Read More

secularism.org.uk

The BBC have published the Invitation To Tender (ITT) for Silent Witness, potentially of interest to #DoctorWho fans... www.bbc.co.uk/commissionin...

New opportunity: Silent Witness invitation to tender

Deadline for initial submissions: 25 September

bbc.co.uk

Excellent news. See my earlier blog post on this: sandbergrlaw.substack.com/p/andy-burnh...

Andy Burnham’s Religion and the Constitution: A Note

After being quoted in a Guardian article about how Andy Burnham’s Catholic faith might affect his new role as Prime Minister, I thought it might be useful to share the fuller information I sent to the...

sandbergrlaw.substack.com

National Secular Society@natsecsoc.bsky.social · last mo.

BREAKING: Andy Burnham has said he will end the ban on Catholic & Jewish PMs advising on Church appointments, following our campaigning. Good news - but the state should have no role in appointing clerics. What we need is separation of Church & state. www.secularism.org.uk/news/2026/09...

This is the first in a series of blog posts looking at the wedding law consultation chapter by chapter. It looks at the main features and principles of the proposed reform and is critical of the way in which the Consultation distinguishes between belief and civil officiants.

As the Bayeux Tapestry comes to the UK and is on display to the public, my new blog post asks ‘What have the Normans Ever Done for Us’? It is an edited extract from my book ‘A Historical Introduction to English Law: Genesis of the Common Law’ (Cambridge University Press, 2023). (1/2)

With the Consultation on wedding law reform closing later this month, my latest blog post identifies five ways in which the proposals could be improved. lawandreligionuk.com/2026/09/07/f...

The Ministry of Justice Consultation on wedding law reform gets so many things right but how could it be improved? In my new blog post, I suggest five tweaks: lawandreligionuk.com/2026/09/07/f...