Twenty-six Anglican bishops are given seats as of right in the House of Lords.
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.
Only one other sovereign country reserves seats in its legislature for clerics: the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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 2% 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
Lords Reform Committee to recommend retention of the bishops' bench
Posted: Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:40
According to a BBC report, recommendations from the Parliamentary Joint Committee on House of Lords Reform due to be published in May will include keeping the Bishops Bench but reducing the number from 26 to 12.
Ministers have made clear that they intend to accept this proposal and it will almost certainly be included in the Queen's Speech in May.
The National Secular Society has long campaigned for the removal of the bishops from the House of Lords, arguing that they are an anachronism in a modern democracy.
Keith Porteous Wood, Executive Director of the National Secular Society, said: "Britain remains the only country in the world that still gives religious representatives the right to sit in its legislature. A 21st century reform that retains the bishops is a betrayal of democracy and political cowardice of historic proportions.
"These reforms are likely to increase the power of the bishops. Even if their number is reduced to 12 from 26 this means they will form a higher proportion of the second chamber than they do now. What's more, the 12 are likely to become professional lobbyists rather than diocesan bishops attending on a rota.
"The bishops simply duplicate religious representation already provided by the mix of members in the Lords. They cannot make any real claim to be representative either: the bishops are all middle class men from England alone and only one in 50 of the population attends their churches on a normal Sunday."
Mr Wood said that retention of the bishops was a betrayal of Britain's diverse population. "Claims by the bishops that they speak for all religions are patronising and dishonest. In many instances they have conspired to use their privileged position in parliament to protect the interests of their own Church."
You can read our evidence to the House of Lords Reform Draft Bill Committee here.
The complete list of written evidence can be read here. (Ours appears on page 506)
Majority of Britons want bishops out of the House of Lords
Posted: Tue, 31 Jan 2012 14:45
A Yougov poll for the Sunday Times has revealed that the majority of people in this country do not think Church of England bishops should be entitled to sit in the House of Lords.
The poll asked: "Currently, 26 senior Church of England bishops are entitled to sit in the House of Lords and vote on laws. Do you think bishops should or should not be entitled to seats in the House of Lords". In response, 58% said no, they should not be entitled, while 24% thought they should. 18% didn't know.
It also asked asked: "How in touch or out of touch with public opinion do you think the Church of England bishops are? 65% said they were out of touch, 21% said they were in touch while 14% didn't know.
Keith Porteous Wood, Executive Director of the National Secular Society, said: "The Government should take its cue on the Bench of Bishops in the House of Lords from the public, who overwhelmingly believe the Bishops should go. The time has gone for kow-towing to these out of touch bishops and vested interests in the Church. When reform of the House of Lords comes up for debate, the removal of the Bench of Bishops can now be considered with confidence with the knowledge that most of the country think it should go."
