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COMMENT

Scots are being denied the human right to worship

The Times

Although Boris Johnson put England into another national lockdown he kept churches open. This shows what many of the three million regular Sunday worshippers hope is a realisation that freedom of worship sits in a different category to other activities and needs special protection.

Not for Scotland, though. In setting out her independent course for imposing legal restrictions at the start of this year Nicola Sturgeon announced that churches were to be closed. So, what lies behind the greater freedom in England?

Perhaps No 10 was persuaded that the medical evidence was not strong enough to justify closing churches. In May, the places of worship task force worked to ensure that all buildings could be fully Covid-secure through distancing, mask-wearing, a ban on singing,