John Breeds, mayor of Rye in East Sussex, said he expects councillors will now say prayers ahead of their meetings. "We will try to find a way around it. It doesn't actually have to be part of the meeting. Presumably if we can't say prayers at the beginning of the meeting proper, then we will just have to say them beforehand," he said. in other words prayers that are not an official part of council business - seems fair "It's been a tradition for hundreds of years, it's part of the whole sense of ceremony, with the robes and mace and chains, so I think it's a real shame." which surely sums up the only reasons this kind of thing is still tolerated and that were we to choose a head of state and/or national anthem today, there would be nothing about or relating to god(s) in either one as it's all a bit silly