Provincial Grand Lodge of Suffolk

• Ads taken in Times, Telegraph and Guardian newspapers
• Personal letter by Dr David Staples, Chief Executive of the United Grand Lodge of England references writing to the Equality and Human Rights Commission to make its case

Embargoed until 00.01 hours Thursday 8 February 2018: The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) has taken full page ads in The Times, Daily Telegraph and Guardian calling for an end to discrimination of its 200,000 plus members.

Headlined ‘Enough is Enough’, the ad is a personal letter from Dr David Staples, Chief Executive Officer, which reiterates the organisation’s values and highlights how throughout its 300-year history when people have suffered discrimination, Freemasonry has welcomed them into lodges as equals.

Further to the recent news coverage, and following a press enquiry received this morning at 12:30 David Staples has taken the opportunity to appear on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme to further broadcast our condemnation of the misrepresentation we have suffered this week.

In something resembling a scene from the Wild West a large raiding party from Felix United Service Lodge made an unprovoked attack on an unsuspecting Felix Lodge and “Claimed the Gavel”. The Master of Felix, Richard Harvey, was unfortunately absent having been taken ill just a few days before but his stand-ins, at very short notice, WBro. Robert Smith and WBro. Steve McDade conducted a splendid ceremony of raising for Bro Graham Popple.