UK Government minister, Eric Pickles, has vowed to
overturn a judge’s ban on formal council prayers – within a week if
possible.

The backlash follows a High Court ruling last
Friday in a case brought by the National Secular Society against a small
Devonshire town council.

The case led a judge to rule that local councils
have no lawful power to say prayer as part of their formal meetings.

But according to The Daily Telegragh, Eric Pickles, who is the Minister in charge of
local government, said he will fast-track the commencement of a new law that
will restore the right of councils to say prayers at official meetings, if they
so wish.

The new law – the Localism Act – has already been
passed by Parliament, but section 1 of the Act is yet to be brought into force.
Mr Pickles hopes to do this by the end of the week.

If he can’t do it that quickly, he says the new
law will be in place by the end of the month.

It will be a blow to the National Secular Society,
who had said the judge’s ruling was good news for everyone who wanted a secular
society.

But Mr Pickles’ swift response was welcomed by The
Christian Institute. Spokesman Mike Judge said: “Mr Pickles’ actions have
reflected what most people have been saying.

“If a council votes in favour of holding prayers
at its meetings, and as long as no one is forced to take part, let them get on
with it.”

On Friday Mr Pickles told BBC Five Live: “This
change was due to be in by the beginning of April, but I’ve talked to officials
and I hope to have the law changed by the end of the month, and it’s my aim to
actually change it by this time next week.

“It will mean that they will be able to continue,
as councils have for decades if not centuries, been able to have a prayer before
the start of their meeting and for it to be part of the agenda.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister David Cameron and the
Speaker of the House of Commons have backed prayers in the Commons, following
last week’s controversial ruling.

A source at Number 10 said the Prime Minister
“thinks that the prayer sessions are very important and that we should keep
them”.

And a spokesman for the Speaker said there was no
plan for any review of prayers in the Commons.

Currently prayers are said at the start of
proceedings in both the Commons and the Lords. Attendance is voluntary.

A spokesman for John Bercow, the Speaker of the
House of Commons, said: “Under the Bill of Rights 1689, the Commons has the
right to decide on its own processes and procedures.

“It says, ‘The freedom of speech and debates or
proceedings in Parliament ought not to be impeached or questioned in any court
or place out of Parliament.’”

The ruling on Friday centred on Bideford Town
Council in Devon which has, recently, twice voted in support of continuing with
the prayers.

Individual councillors were free to not take part
in the prayers if they wished, and the register of attendance was not taken
until after the prayers had finished.

Government minister Eric Pickles, Labour MP Chris
Bryant and the Bishop of Exeter have been among those who have criticised the
ruling.