An SNP MP has known as for bishops to have their “privileged” reserved place within the House of Lords eliminated, claiming that it's unfair for the Church of England to have a assured function in Parliament.

Tommy Sheppard led a Parliamentary debate on Thursday, July 6, calling for Anglican bishops to not be granted assured seats within the 800-strong House of Lords.

He stated that reserving 26 seats in Parliament’s higher chamber for bishops, together with two for the archbishops of Canterbury and York provides “democracy a bad name”.

Tory MP Chris Loder agreed and stated that it was “damaging” for clergymen to change into concerned in political debates. Earlier this week the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby criticised the Government’s immigration insurance policies.

Yet Labour MP Neil Coyle stated he can be “disappointed” if Church of England bishops weren't taking part in political debate.

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Cabinet Office minister Alex Burghart responded on behalf of the Government, saying that eradicating bishops from the House of Lords was “not something that the Government will be engaging in”.

The 2021 census data showed that Christianity is in decline among Britons with less than half the population of England and Wales describing themselves as Christian, and many more now claiming they have no religion. Mr Sheppard said that Parliament needed to take note of the change in public sentiment.

He told the PA News Agency: “I don’t seek to exclude people of faith from Parliament, I just say they shouldn’t have a special privileged section where they and only they inhabit this bunch of seats.”

A Church of England spokesperson said that bishops serving in the House of Lords provide “an independent, non-partisan voice in parliamentary debates, bringing an ethical and spiritual perspective that is also informed by their roles as key figures in local civil society”.

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