dave says:

Indeed it is sad. But England, in company with France and other countries has a history of religious intolerance. Edward 1st threw out the Jews in 1290. In 1536, Henry 8th seized all church property and closed down the monasteries throwing out the monks and nuns. Cromwell desecrated numerous churches. Civil rights for Catholics were removed under Elizabeth 1st and not largely restored until 1829. The present queen, as evidenced by her annual Christmas address that she writes herself as opposed to reading a script from the Government, has provided a model of Christian leadership that slows the secularist drive. But sadly, she is now 86. England is descending into a phase of atheist-inspired oppression of Christianity.