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Richards was heavily involved in the passive resistance movement opposed to the Education Act of 1902/03 which abolished 2,568 elected School Boards, replacing them with Local Education Authorities (LEAs). [badseysociety.uk],
Public funding for denominational (mainly Church of England and Roman Catholic) schools, known as “voluntary schools.” [en.wikipedia.org]
LEAs now controlled both board and voluntary schools, but voluntary schools could still teach denominational doctrine while receiving ratepayer money. [en.wikipedia.org]
To many Nonconformists, this meant they were being forced to pay taxes (“rates”) to support religious teaching they opposed.
Leading Nonconformists—Baptists, Congregationalists, Primitive Methodists and others—saw the Act as:
Compelling them to fund religious instruction contrary to their own beliefs.
Supporting schools not fully under public control, yet publicly financed.
Allowing religious tests for teachers in church schools.
This feeling was strong enough that David Lloyd George led opposition in Parliament, calling it an infringement upon liberty of conscience.