What I Believe

Andrew Copson speaks to Labour MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale and Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group, Lizzi Collinge, about the practical application of humanist principles within the often-turbulent world of politics. It's a glimpse into the unique challenges and 'profound' rewards of being a humanist voice in Westminster, and how MPs can work within the system to create collective and meaningful change. This podcast was recorded on 11 June 2025.

What I Believe was the title of two separate essays by the philosopher Bertrand Russell and the philosopher EM Forster in the early 20th century. These two humanists set out their approach to life, their fundamental worldview, in a way that was accessible to all. In this podcast, Chief Executive of Humanists UK, Andrew Copson, speaks to humanists today to understand more about what they believe, to understand more about the values, convictions, and opinions they live by.

Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non religious people to advance free thinking and promote a tolerant society. If you’d like to support the podcast or find out more about the humanist approach to life or the work that we do, please visit humanists.uk. If you like what you see, please consider joining as a member.

You can follow Humanists UK on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok – and please remember to leave a 5 star review! What I Believe is produced by Sophie Castle.

Andrew Copson speaks to economist James Forder about his view on individual freedom and limited government as a self described 'old-fashioned liberal'. He discusses his belief in free enterprise as not just an economic engine but a powerful moral good that fosters self-reliance and the pursuit of individual goals. He also delves into the profound philosophical implications of our finiteness and how this very limitation gives life its meaning. 

What I Believe was the title of two separate essays by the philosopher Bertrand Russell and the philosopher EM Forster in the early 20th century. These two humanists set out their approach to life, their fundamental worldview, in a way that was accessible to all. In this podcast, Chief Executive of Humanists UK, Andrew Copson, speaks to humanists today to understand more about what they believe, to understand more about the values, convictions, and opinions they live by.

Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non religious people to advance free thinking and promote a tolerant society. If you’d like to support the podcast or find out more about the humanist approach to life or the work that we do, please visit humanists.uk. If you like what you see, please consider joining as a member.

You can follow Humanists UK on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok – and please remember to leave a 5 star review! What I Believe is produced by Sophie Castle.

Andrew Copson speaks to bestselling author Sarah Bakewell who discusses her intellectual journey through the lives and ideas of history's great thinkers. From Montaigne's enduring wisdom to the existentialists' quest for meaning and the rich tapestry of humanism, Sarah discusses how she uncovers the 'inhabited philosophy' of fascinating individuals from the past and what these explorations reveal about the particularities and universalities of being human.

What I Believe was the title of two separate essays by the philosopher Bertrand Russell and the philosopher EM Forster in the early 20th century. These two humanists set out their approach to life, their fundamental worldview, in a way that was accessible to all. In this podcast, Chief Executive of Humanists UK, Andrew Copson, speaks to humanists today to understand more about what they believe, to understand more about the values, convictions, and opinions they live by.

Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non religious people to advance free thinking and promote a tolerant society. If you’d like to support the podcast or find out more about the humanist approach to life or the work that we do, please visit humanists.uk. If you like what you see, please consider joining as a member.

You can follow Humanists UK on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok – and please remember to leave a 5 star review!

What I Believe is produced by Sophie Castle.

Andrew Copson speaks to acclaimed novelist and Humanists UK patron Jane Fallon about the beliefs that have shaped her journey from vegetarianism to veganism, her lifelong love for animals, and her transition from TV producer to the author of 14 bestselling books.

What I Believe was the title of two separate essays by the philosopher Bertrand Russell and the philosopher EM Forster in the early 20th century. These two humanists set out their approach to life, their fundamental worldview, in a way that was accessible to all. In this podcast, Chief Executive of Humanists UK, Andrew Copson, speaks to humanists today to understand more about what they believe, to understand more about the values, convictions, and opinions they live by.

Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non religious people to advance free thinking and promote a tolerant society. If you’d like to support the podcast or find out more about the humanist approach to life or the work that we do, please visit humanists.uk. If you like what you see, please consider joining as a member:

You can follow Humanists UK on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok – and please remember to leave a 5 star review!

What I Believe is produced by Sophie Castle.

Andrew Copson speaks to Labour peer, campaigner, humanist, and former child refugee Lord Alf Dubs who shares the beliefs that have shaped his lifelong quest for social justice, including a childhood encounter with discrimination in 1940s UK and finding himself unexpectedly part of history as a hospital patient on the day the NHS began. He also opens up fleeing the Nazis, travelling as a child refugee on Nicholas Winton’s Kindertransport.

What I Believe was the title of two separate essays by the philosopher Bertrand Russell and the philosopher EM Forster in the early 20th century. These two humanists set out their approach to life, their fundamental worldview, in a way that was accessible to all. In this podcast, Chief Executive of Humanists UK, Andrew Copson, speaks to humanists today to understand more about what they believe, to understand more about the values, convictions, and opinions they live by.

Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non religious people to advance free thinking and promote a tolerant society. If you’d like to support the podcast or find out more about the humanist approach to life or the work that we do, please visit humanists.uk. If you like what you see, please consider joining as a member:

You can follow Humanists UK on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok – and please remember to leave a 5 star review!

What I Believe is produced by Sophie Castle.

Andrew Copson speaks to Liberal Democrat peer and patron of Humanists UK, Baroness Lynne Featherstone who shares her political experiences as a Minister of the Conservative–Liberal Democrat Coalition Government (2010-2015). From being the chief architect of the same-sex marriage act, to the values that drive her liberal beliefs, it’s a must-listen episode about an individual whose actions have left a significant impact on the world of politics and social change.

What I Believe was the title of two separate essays by the philosopher Bertrand Russell and the philosopher EM Forster in the early 20th century. These two humanists set out their approach to life, their fundamental worldview, in a way that was accessible to all. In this podcast, Chief Executive of Humanists UK, Andrew Copson, speaks to humanists today to understand more about what they believe, to understand more about the values, convictions, and opinions they live by.

Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non religious people to advance free thinking and promote a tolerant society. If you’d like to support the podcast or find out more about the humanist approach to life or the work that we do, please visit humanists.uk. If you like what you see, please consider joining as a member: 

You can follow Humanists UK on Twitter (X), Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok – and please remember to leave a 5 star review!

What I Believe is produced by Sophie Castle.

Andrew Copson speaks to science communicator Alom Shaha who shares his experiences as a teacher and author. From growing up in a strict Bangladeshi Muslim area in south-east London, to the role of his teachers in shaping his worldview, it’s a thought-provoking episode about the power of education and the thrill of intellectual endeavour. 

Alom Shaha is a patron of Humanists UK. In 2012, he published The Young Atheist’s Handbook: Living a Good Life Without God. The book chronicles his upbringing in a strict Bangladeshi Muslim area in south-east London in the 1970s and 80s and outlines the intellectual journey which led him to identify as a humanist. It was launched at an event organised by Humanists UK, which later ran a successful crowdfunder to distribute copies of the book to every school in the country. Alom is also a former trustee of Humanists UK.

What I Believe was the title of two separate essays by the philosopher Bertrand Russell and the philosopher EM Forster in the early 20th century. These two humanists set out their approach to life, their fundamental worldview, in a way that was accessible to all. In this podcast, Chief Executive of Humanists UK, Andrew Copson, speaks to humanists today to understand more about what they believe, to understand more about the values, convictions, and opinions they live by.

Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non religious people to advance free thinking and promote a tolerant society. If you’d like to support the podcast or find out more about the humanist approach to life or the work that we do, please visit humanists.uk. If you like what you see, please consider joining as a member: 

You can follow Humanists UK on Twitter (X), Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok – and please remember to leave a 5 star review!

What I Believe is produced by Sophie Castle.