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
New archbishop blocked attempt to let CoE accept same-sex marriage
Posted: Wed, 18 Dec 2019 15:46
The new archbishop of York blocked a parliamentary amendment that would have made it easier for the Church of England to conduct same-sex marriages earlier this year.
On Tuesday 10 Downing Street announced that the queen had nominated Stephen Cottrell to become the second most senior figure in the C of E.
In February Cottrell successfully intervened in the House of Lords to urge the withdrawal of an amendment that would have allowed the church to accept same-sex marriage without consulting parliament.
The amendment would have removed a legal exemption which currently prevents Church of England and Church in Wales clergy from solemnising same-sex marriages without a change in the law.
Opposition to same-sex marriage is official C of E policy. The amendment would not have required the church to accept same-sex marriage, but would have enabled it to change its position if and when it was ready to do so.
Cottrell, who was bishop of Chelmsford at the time, was acting as one of 26 Church of England bishops who sit in the Lords as of right.
The National Secular Society has said the archbishop's appointment highlights the case for disestablishing the church.
NSS chief executive Stephen Evans said: "The appointment of Stephen Cottrell to the second most senior position in the Church of England is a reminder that our established church retains social attitudes which are out of touch with the views of the British people.
"This anti-gay institution shouldn't lead our national ceremonies, have seats in our legislature or run state-funded schools. It should be disestablished so church and state can go their separate ways.
"That the announcement was made by the Prime Minister's Office highlights again the lack of separation between church and state which holds the United Kingdom back from being a beacon of equality and religious freedom for all."
Some Christian traditionalists have expressed dismay at Cottrell's appointment, based on statements he has made or reportedly made on topics including same-sex marriage.
The pressure group Christian Concern was among those to question the decision on Twitter.
But on Wednesday, the Church of England responded by saying the new archbishop "upholds the teaching of the Church of England that recognises marriage as being between one man and one woman".
Image: Stephen Cottrell, via Wikimedia Commons, © Bashereyre [CC BY-SA 3.0]
Labour peer raises case for disestablishment in Lords
Posted: Wed, 28 Nov 2018 16:41
The National Secular Society has reiterated its call for the disestablishment of the Church of England after a peer raised the subject in the House of Lords.
Labour lord Tony Berkeley asked government peer George Young what case there was for disestablishment. Young replied: "None."
Berkeley highlighted NSS reporting from earlier this year which showed the proportion of British people affiliating to the Church of England had halved since 2002.
Crossbench peer Alex Carlile asked Young to reflect on the fact there had been no established church in Wales since the Welsh Church Act 1914.
The church was also accused of being "the Tory party at prayer".
But Young defended the automatic right of the Church of England's 26 bishops to sit in the Lords, saying they "speak with a moral authority that escapes most of us".
Meanwhile the bishop of Worcester, John Inge, and peers from the Labour and Conservative parties defended the church's establishment.
Inge claimed the Church of England's "established status" was "greatly valued by those of other faiths" and said the established church was "a significant force for good".
He was given priority as he stood up to speak, in line with Lords protocol which effectively requires members to sit down when a bishop asks to contribute to the debate. NSS honorary associates Dick Taverne and Michael Cashman were among those who tried to speak during the debate but were unable to do so.
Conservative peers Alistair Cooke (Baron Lexden) and James Mackay were among those to defend establishment. Labour's Robert Winston said the church made him "proud to be British".
NSS chief executive Stephen Evans said the Lords debate suggested "the prevailing attitude among lords is out of touch with that of the public".
"In the House of Lords today Lord Young handled the subject of disestablishment with contempt.
"The UK is long overdue the formal separation of church and state. A secular country would value all citizens equally regardless of their religious orientation or lack of it. The status quo privileges one part of the population, one institution and one set of beliefs.
"It also promotes, without democratic mandate, the contentious view that the Church of England is a force for good. This view has allowed the church – and religious institutions more generally – a free pass in instances where they have caused harm."
Over the last year a series of surveys have suggested substantial public support for separating church and state. A YouGov poll for The Times found that 62% of British people thought religious clerics should have no right to seats in the legislature. In the same poll 65% said political figures should separate their religious beliefs from their decision making.
Fifty-two per cent of people told this year's British Social Attitudes Survey they have no religion. Just 14% belong to the Church of England, including only two per cent of young adults.
The NSS has campaigned for the disestablishment of the church since its founding in 1866. In December 2017 the society outlined the case for change in a major report, Separating Church And State: The Case for Disestablishment. The report noted that the accession of Prince Charles to the throne would be a "particularly opportune moment" to press the benefits of separating church and state.
