Twenty-six Anglican bishops are given seats as of right in the House of Lords.
The UK is the only western democracy which reserves seats for clerics in its legislature.
This is unfair, undemocratic and undesirable. It's time to abolish the bishops' bench.
Two archbishops and 24 bishops of the Church of England currently have automatic seats in the House of Lords. They are sometimes known as 'the lords spiritual'.
We campaign for a secular upper house with no specific religious representation, whether of Christian denominations or any other faiths. In a secular state no religion or its leaders should have a privileged role in the legislature.
Any serious proposals to reform the House of Lords must address the unjustified privilege of the bishops' bench.
62% of Brits think no religious clerics should have an automatic right to seats in the House of Lords.
After over a century of decline in religious attendance in Britain, the claim that bishops — or any other religious representatives — speak for any significant constituency is not warranted. Less than 1% of the British population now attend Anglican services on the average Sunday.
In addition, the presence of religious leaders amounts to double representation of religious interests as many peers already identify themselves as being religiously motivated. Retired religious leaders are often appointed as peers.
Bishops do not have any "special moral insight" unavailable to everybody else. The idea that bishops or any other 'religious leaders' have any monopoly on issues of morality is offensive to many non-religious citizens. Those who profess no religion are no less capable of making moral and ethical judgements.
In an increasingly secular society the role of religious representatives in our legislature has become irrelevant, and has stood in the way of progressive legislation.
Take action!
1. Write to your MP
Ask your MP to help end the archaic, unfair and undemocratic bishops’ bench in the House of Lords.
2. Share your story
Tell us why you support this campaign, and how you are personally affected by the issue. You can also let us know if you would like assistance with a particular issue.
3. Join the National Secular Society
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
Majority of public opposes places for bishops in Lords, poll finds
Posted: Tue, 23 Mar 2021 09:07
A majority of the British public thinks the House of Lords should stop reserving places for Church of England bishops, a YouGov poll has found.
Fifty-three per cent of respondents to a poll published this week said the Lords should not continue to have places for C of E bishops.
Just 16% said it should, with 31% saying they didn't know.
The poll also showed majorities of Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat voters, and majorities of Remain and Leave voters, all agreed on the topic.
26 places reserved
Twenty-six places in the Lords are reserved for C of E bishops and archbishops as of right. The National Secular Society argues for the end of this practice, as part of its campaigning to separate church and state.
Last year the NSS helped to draft a bill to end C of E bishops' automatic right to sit in the Lords, which was introduced by Liberal Democrat peer Dick Taverne.
In response to another YouGov poll for The Times in 2017, 62% said no religious clerics should have "an automatic right to seats". Only 8% said the bishops should retain their seats.
NSS comment
NSS chief executive Stephen Evans said: "Giving Anglican clerics an automatic role in running the country is an unjustifiable privilege that undermines the principle of equal citizenship.
"Their proximity to political power also puts those who oppose the church's positions at a democratic disadvantage.
"Any plans to reform the House of Lords must include the abolition of the anachronistic bench of bishops. This poll suggests there would be substantial public support for that."
Notes
- The C of E's two archbishops and 24 of its other diocesan bishops make up the 'lords spiritual' in parliament. Religious leaders have sat as the lords spiritual since the 14th century.
- Iran is the only legislature in the world other than the UK which gives unelected clerics automatic representation.
Read more: The bishops' bench is an affront to democracy. Let's scrap it, by Stephen Evans
Bill to end bishops’ automatic right to sit in Lords introduced
Posted: Wed, 29 Jan 2020 08:28
A bill to end the automatic right of Anglican bishops to sit in the House of Lords, which the National Secular Society helped to draft, has been introduced to parliament.
Liberal Democrat peer and NSS honorary associate Dick Taverne introduced the House of Lords (Removal of Bishops) Bill on Tuesday.
The private member's bill would end the practice whereby 26 places in the House of Lords are reserved for the Church of England's bishops and archbishops.
In response NSS chief executive Stephen Evans said: "The fact that 26 Church of England bishops are afforded an automatic right to sit in the House of Lords is unjustifiable.
"Giving representatives of one religion a privileged position in the legislature undermines the principle of equal citizenship and puts those who oppose the church's positions at a disadvantage in the democratic process.
"Dick Taverne's bill would strike a blow for fairness, equality and democracy, and we urge parliamentarians to show their support for it."
The NSS also urged supporters to write to their MPs to encourage them to show support for the bill.
Dick Taverne said: "One of the great achievements of the enlightenment was the separation of church and state. Theocracies in which religion is still part of the state – hardly shining examples of democracy and the protection human rights – show how important this achievement was.
"Although the bishops are liberal minded by comparison, the influence of the Church of England, despite the steep and ongoing decline in the number of Anglicans, should not be underestimated.
"And the separation of church and state is far from complete in the UK. The continued presence of bishops in the Lords is an anachronism that should be addressed."
Notes
- The C of E's two archbishops and 24 of its other diocesan bishops sit in the Lords as the 'lords spiritual'. Religious leaders have sat as the lords spiritual since the 14th century.
- In response to a YouGov poll for The Times, published in 2017, 62% of people said no religious clerics should have "an automatic right to seats" in the legislature. Only 8% said the bishops should retain their seats.
- Iran is the only legislature in the world other than the UK which gives unelected clerics automatic representation.
- The NSS campaigns for the end of bishops' automatic right to sit in the Lords as part of its work to separate religion and state.
- The bill was entered in the Lords ballot for private members' bills to be heard during the new parliament in December.
- This week it was announced that the bishop of Blackburn, Julian Henderson, would become the latest member of the lords spiritual on 6 February.
See also: Separation of church and state is far from complete in the House of Lords, by Dick Taverne for Politics Home.
Watch: House of Lords (Removal of Bishops) Bill is introduced
