Yesterday peers from across the House of Lords called for the removal of the bishops in a debate on Lords reform. The debate, put forward by the Government, covered all forms of reform, but it became clear that for many in the chamber the removal of bishops is a high priority.
Currently 26 bishops of the Church of England are in the House of Lords as of right and are allowed to sit, vote, and debate legislation. Humanists UK briefed members of the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group (APPHG) ahead of the debate. Today it welcomed peers’ contributions and hopes that they demonstrate to the Government that it is high time for reform.
In total, nine peers spoke up in favour of removing the bishops, four called for a reduction in number, and only one defended their presence – the Bishop of Sheffield.
Peers speaking out for removal of the bishops included Labour APPHG member Lord Foulkes who said: ‘Some noble Lords have suggested that we should get rid of the Bishops. I agree. They represent just one religion in one part of the United Kingdom and that is indefensible.’
Crossbench APPHG member Lord Birt said: ‘There is wide agreement that many hereditaries and Bishops make invaluable individual contributions, but their participation in this House by right is an historic anomaly not mirrored anywhere else in the democratic world, and it should end.’
Conservative APPHG member Lord Dobbs said: ‘We should be… asking whether the Bishops’ presence is still appropriate.’
Liberal Democrat member of the APPHG Lord Scriven said: ‘I believe that the role of the Bishops has to be part of the reform agenda, in terms of the historical role of the Bishops, which no longer reflects modern Britain. Take a look at the numbers who call themselves Anglican, the number of people who attend church or who would even call themselves religious or Christian in the UK… I ask the noble Baroness, the Leader of the House, what is the Government’s thinking on reform of the Bishops’ Benches in this House?’
While Green peer Baroness Jones said: ‘Why get rid of the hereditary Peers but leave the 26 Bishops in place? … why should they vote on legislation? How does that make sense in a country where we are not even Christian any more and fewer than two out of 100 people regularly attend Church of England services?’
Labour peer Baroness Bryan said: that she through membership of the House of Lords, if known, ‘would probably shock many electors. Most people would want to know… why Bishops of the Church of England are represented in our Parliament.’
The issue of parliamentary prayers was also raised. Conservative peer Viscount Astor said: ‘We cannot have a second Chamber that does not include representatives of other faiths. Prayers should be said not just by the Bishops but by those representing other faiths.’
Humanists UK campaigns for the daily Anglican prayers in both chambers to be replaced by a time for reflection given by a representative of a different faith or belief each day – including humanists. This is the system that operates in the Scottish Parliament.
The Leader of the House of Lords, Baroness Smith, acknowledged the desire for reform herself, in saying ‘We want a more diverse House, in terms of a whole range of characteristics, including geography but also age, gender, ethnicity, religion and other issues as well.’
The debate followed on from yesterday’s votes on amendments in the House of Commons which saw the Liberal Democrats, SNP, Green Party, and Reform, along with many Conservative and a few Labour MPs, supporting removing the bishops.
With a wide range of MPs and peers from multiple parties supporting their removal from the Lords, as well as the majority of the British public and many Church of England clergy behind this reform, Humanists UK hopes the government takes action on this vital issue.
Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson said:
‘It is good to see that the vital issue of bishops in the Lords is being raised in both the Lords and the Commons. With a wide range of support from multiple parties in both houses as well as the public it seems the ideal time for reform. We hope that the Government moves to remove this unfair privilege.’
Notes
For further comment or information, media should contact Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson at press@humanists.uk, or phone 0203 675 0959.
Read the debate transcript on Hansard.
Read more about our work on bishops in the Lords.
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