Harriet Harman has proposed an amendment to remove the automatic right of Church of England bishops to sit in the House of Lords, calling their presence outdated. She argues that having representatives from just one religious denomination undermines the legitimacy of legislative scrutiny, comparing it to Iran's theocratic legislature. While she acknowledges individual bishops may be valuable, she emphasizes the need for a secular parliament, suggesting that morality is not exclusive to the Church. The proposal is part of broader efforts to decrease hereditary peers in the Lords and enhance its legitimacy.
'It is outdated that we have legislative scrutiny carried out by representatives of one Christian denomination. The only other legislature that has religious theocrats as members by right is Iran.'
'If we were starting afresh, I don't think anyone would give bishops an automatic right to sit in parliament.'
'The argument that the bishops provided a moral element in the Lords was spurious. I don't think anyone in 2025 believes that morality is the exclusive preserve of the Church of England.'
'This is not about individual bishops or whether they make a good contribution [to the Lords].'
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