Alice Roberts is wrong. Faith schools save money – and they’re not indoctrinating anyone

Church schools are not an expensive conspiracy theory funded by the taxpayer, says Ben Phillips. They save the state money, and if they are designed to fill the pews with children and young people who don’t know any better, it’s hardly a strategy that’s working

Professor Alice Roberts is fast replacing Richard Dawkins as the enfant terrible of the Humanist cause. While Professor Dawkins has, in recent years, admitted he has a “certain love for the Anglican tradition”, Roberts has become the poster woman for picking a fight with Christians – and particularly the Church of England.

It is therefore no surprise that Roberts recent quote, tweeted by Humanists UK, raised eyebrows: “We really don’t need more faith schools in this country. I wish the government would prioritise inclusive schools, rather than using taxpayer’s money to fund the Church of England’s indoctrination programme.”