It’s always struck me as a bit strange. Yes, there’s a historic context to this situation. But that can be said of a myriad of legacy rules that we have long since put to one side. Today, there will be a general debate in the Westminster Hall[1]. The topic of the debate is: “Bishops in the House of Lords”. The question being should they be?
The way our system of governance is set up is that bishops have an automatic right to sit in the House of Lords. Now, you can do a double take, if you like. It means that the senior people, representing one religion, have an automatic right to legislate in the UK. There are few countries in the world where religious leaders sit in the legislature. One of them is Iran, for example.
It’s not just one or two representatives. 26 bishops of the Church of England, selected by the church, sit in the House of Lords as a matter of right.
For many democratic countries a separation of church and state is written into their constitutions. The reasons for this are again historic. Conflicts, disputes, and persecutions of the past drove the framers of “modern” constitutions to ensure that religious bodies did not have exclusive influence over national laws.
I believe that one religion, namely the Church of England shouldn’t be allowed to appoint bishops into the House of Lords. In a 21st century democratic country we should take account of the variety of faiths in the country[2]. Each member of the legislature will bring their own faith to their work. So, faith is represented. Giving significant privileges to one faith is unjust.
Putting religious leaders in situations of public conflict with directly elected politicians creates its own problems. You could say that would be the same inside or outside of the legislature but it’s not. The singular privileges afforded to one religion, above all others, to table amendments to legislation is powerful. It’s far more than to speak out in public.
The Church of England is known as “the established church” because of this place in the establishment. It can be argued that this position limits the courses of action it may take. It constrains people of faith to fit an establishment model of behaviour.
I’m expressing these views fully aware of the good that Church of England members can do. The objections to bishops in the House of Lords are based on discrimination, unjust privilege, and unfairness not objection to the good that they can do.
The Church of England should not appoint bishops into the House of Lords.
[1] https://whatson.parliament.uk/event/cal44066
[2] https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2023/6-april/news/uk/bishops-should-not-sit-as-of-right-in-the-lords-commission-argues
John Vincent 