Leader of the Commons rules out reviewing parliamentary prayers

Leader of the House of Commons Lucy Powell MP has ruled out a review of parliamentary prayers stating Parliament remains ‘attached to the Church of England, and that’s sort of important’. Humanists UK expressed dismay at this update, and pointed out that other countries with established churches don’t have prayers in their legislatures in this way. Humanists UK has long called for an end to prayers at the start of parliamentary business so that all MPs, regardless of their religion or belief, can have the same access to seats in the Commons.

Currently each day in the Commons starts with Anglican prayers, even though most people are non-religious and this is the most non-religious Parliament ever. This is made worse by the system of prayer cards. MPs who attend prayers can use a prayer card to reserve their seat for the rest of the day. As there are only 427 seats for 650 MPs this means on busy days such as Prime Minister’s Questions those MPs who don’t attend prayers and their constituents are at a disadvantage as those MPs who are left standing are much less likely to be picked by the speaker to contribute. No parliamentarian should be put at a democratic disadvantage because of their religion or belief. 

In comments made to The House regarding the scope of the Modernisation Committee’s review of the House of Commons, Powell dismissed calls for prayers to be removed as she said Parliament remains ‘attached to the Church of England, and that’s sort of important, so we’re not looking at prayers’. She also said a secular alternative to prayer cards was in operation to reserve seats in the chamber. Humanists UK believes that this is in reference to cards MPs who are in a Select Committee can use in order to reserve their seats for the day, even if they don’t attend prayers. However if an MP does not have a Committee meeting, then they still must attend prayers to reserve their seat. 

Powell’s explanation does not fit with the international picture. The other European countries with established churches are Denmark, Greece, Iceland, Malta, Liechtenstein, and Monaco. Finland, Norway, and Scotland also have ‘national’ churches. None of them except Malta hold daily prayers before each sitting as the UK Parliament does, and in the case of Malta, it does not allow seats to be reserved on that basis. Scotland starts each session with a ‘time for reflection’, which is led by people of different religions and humanists, and again seats are not allocated on the basis of attendance.

Last year, the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group (APPHG), which brings together over 120 non-religious MPs and peers, submitted evidence to the Modernisation Committee of the House of Commons to ask for the removal of the ‘prayer privilege’, and supported many current and former MPs to do the same. 

Earlier this year, it emerged that some Labour MPs have begun to informally drop using the prayer card system as it was perceived to be ‘outdated’ and recently MPs called for an end to parliamentary prayers in an Early Day Motion.

Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson commented:

‘Every MP should have the same right to access seats in the House of Commons regardless of their religion or belief. Affording those who attend Anglican prayers to reserve their seat for the day, with no equal alternative, is unquestionably out of step with today’s modern and diverse society.

‘That is exactly why it is fundamental for the Modernisation Committee to review the practice of prayers at the start of parliamentary business, and we urge them to do so.’