MPs to consider call to remove Church of England bishops from House of Lords

MPs are to consider calls to remove the Church of England bishops from the House of Lords and introduce a mandatory retirement age for peers.

Conservative former minister Sir Gavin Williamson has tabled amendments in a bid to press Labour to both honour manifesto commitments and then go further in the party’s efforts to reform the upper chamber.

The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill seeks to deliver on Labour’s commitment to bring about an “immediate modernisation” by abolishing the 92 seats reserved for peers who are there by right of birth.

Labour’s manifesto also said it would impose a retirement age of 80 on members of the Lords at a later date.

The Government has yet to outline a timeline on further changes, including its long-term ambition for an “alternative second chamber that is more representative of the regions and nations”.

Sir Gavin, the MP for Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge, has tabled a series of amendments to be heard during the Bill’s committee stage on Tuesday.

New clause one would prevent the Church of England bishops from being members of the Lords.

New clause three would ensure peers would no longer be entitled to membership of the Lords at the end of the parliamentary session in which they turn 80 and that no-one can be appointed a life peer after they reach that age.

New clause four seeks to introduce a minimum participation requirement for peers of one contribution every eight sitting weeks, while new clause five would result in a consultation on proposals for an alternative second chamber.

Sir Gavin has tabled other amendments, including one to create a commission to advise the Prime Minister on who to recommend for appointment as a non-party political peer.

Speaking during the Bill’s second reading, Sir Gavin said it was “fundamentally wrong” that his children, who are Catholics, have “no form of representation” in the Lords.

He said last month: “There’s a big opportunity here. There is an unfairness, there is an injustice that so many people of so many faiths, and so many people of no faith at all, see that there are 26 bishops (in the House of Lords).

“They are not reflective of the United Kingdom and not reflective of what this country looks like today and yet they are still there.

“So I will, if the Government is not willing to table an amendment, table an amendment to remove those 26 bishops from (the House of Lords).”

Other MPs have also put forward proposals, with the SNP’s Pete Wishart (Perth and Kinross-shire), a long-term critic of the House of Lords, proposing the abolition of the upper chamber.

The Bill is expected to clear the Commons on Tuesday after completing its committee stage and third reading.

It will then undergo further scrutiny in the Lords where it could face stiffer resistance.