Tynwald (Manx Parliament) has moved closer to removing the political vote of the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man as the Constitution Bill passed its latest stage in the Legislative Council. Humanists UK welcomes this progress towards making Manx politics fair and inclusive and called for Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) to support the Bill at its final reading on 11 November.
The Constitution Bill 2023 will strip the vote, but not the membership, of the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, who has an automatic seat and, currently, the right to vote on the Legislative Council. The Bill has already passed through the House of Keys, the Manx lower chamber, and is now being considered by the Legislative Council, Tynwald’s upper chamber. Yesterday the Bill voted 5-3 in favour of removing the vote, with one of the votes against coming from the current bishop.
The Bill will have its final reading on Tuesday 11 November. If passed, it will head to Royal Assent. However, MLC Gary Clueit has expressed an intention to amend the Bill to enable the current bishop to retain voting powers until the end of her term. If this is supported, the Bill will go back to the House of Keys for consideration. But that seems unlikely as the bishop opposes the amendment.
The situation on the Isle of Man currently reflects that in the UK, where 26 bishops of the Church of England have automatic seats in the House of Lords. The bishops regularly vote and contribute in debate while enjoying privileges over and above other peers. These include privileged speaking rights in the chamber (if a bishop stands to speak, all others are expected to stop speaking and sit down), and unique exemptions from the Code of Conduct.
Humanists UK Director of Public Affairs and Policy Richy Thompson commented:
‘This is an important moment for fairness and democratic representation in the Isle of Man. Removing the automatic voting rights for the bishop sends a clear message: no religious representative should be given automatic voting rights within a legislature. We welcome the continued progression of the Bill and call on MLCs to pass it at final reading.
‘We hope this news brings energy to addressing the same problem in Westminster, where 26 Anglican bishops also enjoy reserved places and voting rights. In today’s modern and diverse society, this reform is increasingly needed.’
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 Isle of Man Constitution Bill 2023.
Read more about our work on House of Lords reform.
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