Scrap automatic right of bishops to sit in Lords, says Harriet Harman

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/jan/26/right-of-bishops-sit-lords-should-scrapped-harriet-harman?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky&CMP=bsky_gu

by zeros3ss

18 comments

  1. > The argument that the bishops provided a moral element in the Lords was spurious

    They don’t exactly have a great record of putting the needs of the most vulnerable before the interests of the church. Or of making sure their members face punishment for crimes committed against children under the care of the church.

  2. Every automatic right to sit should be scrapped, it’s a good first step to getting rid of it all together

  3. There is no good reason for anyone to have an automatic right to sit in the Lords

  5. If there was a checklist we could use to assess potential candidates for the Lords we should ask “do you have an invisible friend and do you never shut up about him?”. If the answer is yes -50 pts

  6. Government and religion, never the twain should meet.

  7. This is essential if we are to modernise the upper house. Remove all religion

  8. Go further with Lords reform.

    Scrap Bishops and hereditary peers altogether. They can keep their titles of Lord and Dame if they like, but out of the Lords you go.

    Cap the number of peers at the same number as that of MPs.

    Parties can still nominate their chums for peerages, but they have to remove others judged by their attendance and number of votes cast in the Lords.

    10% each year get removed based on similar criteria. You don’t attend and you don’t vote, you’re out. Have a public vote on those going into the Lords in their place, and peers entering via this sign a pledge to have no political party allegiance during their time in the Lords.

    /rant

  9. Goodness! Why is it that every fellow who spouts modernity aims to destroy tradition without improving anything.

  10. How about politicians being barred from being in the lord’s.

  11. Yes. Considering most bishops seem to be in the paper for covering up or engaging in abuse then I don’t see a need for them in the Lords. But I don’t see a need for the Lords anyway.

    Besides, a Bishop isn’t a politician. They shouldn’t sit in a political chamber.

  12. Agree, we are not ruled by people who think they hear voices!

  13. Scrap the lords spiritual. Scrap hereditary peers. Keep it appointed but change the process of appointment to an independent body made up of experts, former MPs, former members of the lords, former business leaders, charity CEO etc. downsize the seats to half the commons. Establish either length of service limits or members have to re-submit for appointment every 5 years or so. Make it easier to kick members out, especially when it comes to non-attendance. You want the honour, do the job.

  14. The house of lords need root and stem reform. It’s basically just ex politicians now.

  15. Better yet, scrap the right of Harriet Harman to sit in the House of Lords

  16. The same Harriet Harman who had ties to the Paedophile information exchange?

  17. The House of Lords needs reforming.

    Bishops are a minor issue when political parties keep stuffing it with more and more peers.

  18. The lords should be an upper house of review based on electoral performance, no one else.

    I’d really like to see the pompous title of Lord completely removed from them, if someone has a legacy peerage good luck to them, but calling old political hacks who end up in the lords is ridiculous

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