According to Premier, a group of church leaders has said it will sue the government over its decision to close churches in the new lockdown set to begin on Thursday.
Seventy-one church leaders have signed the pre-action letter asking the government not to impose a ban on worship services and say they will pursue judicial review to overturn the ban if necessary.
The new restrictions state that “places of worship will be closed” with exceptions for funerals, broadcast acts of worship, individual prayer, essential voluntary public services, formal childcare, and some other exempted activities.
The group of church leaders includes 25 leaders who started legal action against the government for its closure of churches in the first lockdown in March.
Legal group Christian Concern is supporting the leaders. The organisation said the church leaders involved in the new action also includes Welsh leaders who have already sent a pre-action letter to the Welsh government. They are challenging the closure of churches over three Sundays for the Welsh ‘firebreak’ lockdown.
This new challenge comes after 885 church leaders signed an open letter to the Prime Minister and First Ministers stating that “we must not be asked to suspend Christian worship again. For us to do so would cause serious damage to our congregations, our service of the nation, and our duty as Christian ministers.”
