{"id":6793,"date":"2026-04-05T17:42:31","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T17:42:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/6793\/"},"modified":"2026-04-05T17:42:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T17:42:31","slug":"surging-uk-green-party-pushes-church-state-split-critics-warn-of-break-from-britains-christian-roots","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/6793\/","title":{"rendered":"Surging UK Green Party pushes church-state split, critics warn of break from Britain\u2019s Christian roots"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">LONDON: The left-wing British Green Party has said it wants to separate the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/faith-values\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Church of England from the state;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Church of England from the state&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Church of England from the state<\/a> if it wins the next general election, which must be held before August 2029.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The Church of England has been the &#8220;established&#8221; church since the 16th-century Reformation, with the British monarch serving as its supreme governor. For traditionalists, this link is not merely ceremonial but is the foundational bedrock of British identity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The Greens have come under fire for seeking to remove centuries of British history and tradition by separating the church from British politics, with critics characterizing it as the latest move against Christianity in the U.K.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gbnews.com\/politics\/green-party-church-of-england-plans-zack-polanski\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:GB News reported;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;GB News reported&quot;}\" class=\"link \">GB News reported<\/a> last month that the Green Party policy document stated: &#8220;No person shall hold office in the state, or be excluded from any such office, by virtue of their or their spouse&#8217;s membership or non-membership of any religion or denomination of religion.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/uk-flag-clash-foreign-banners-fly-citizens-push-back-against-woke-policies-reshaping-britain\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Uk Flag Clash As Foreign Banners Fly, Citizens Push Back Against Woke Policies Reshaping Britain;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Uk Flag Clash As Foreign Banners Fly, Citizens Push Back Against Woke Policies Reshaping Britain&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Uk Flag Clash As Foreign Banners Fly, Citizens Push Back Against Woke Policies Reshaping Britain<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"King Charles standing in ceremonial attire during his coronation.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/98fa063e6911436b4efe0581220d4e2f.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>King Charles ascended the throne in September 2022 following his mother&#8217;s death, and his coronation was in May 2023.<\/p>\n<p>(Getty Images)<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Michael McManus, the director of research at the Henry Jackson Society, a U.K. think tank, told Fox News Digital, &#8220;Britain is a tolerant society but with clear Christian origins and culture. Aiming to disestablish the Church of England could be seen as an attempt to reject that ethical foundation without being clear what would replace it instead.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS\/mvaj7wvj\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Read On The Fox News App;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Read On The Fox News App&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Read On The Fox News App<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">High-profile figures have also weighed in on the debate, with actor and comedian John Cleese responding to a comment about the Greens&#8217; proposal by stating on X: &#8220;The UK has always been based at the deepest level on Christian values, regardless of dogma. Despite the many mistakes made by churches, for centuries British people have been influenced by Christ&#8217;s teaching. If these values are replaced by Islamic ones, this will not be Britain anymore.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/politics\/former-uk-pm-defends-trump-highlighting-sharia-law-britain-during-un-speech\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Former Uk Pm Defends Trump For Highlighting &#039;Sharia Law&#039; In Britain During Un Speech;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Former Uk Pm Defends Trump For Highlighting &#039;&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Former Uk Pm Defends Trump For Highlighting &#8216;Sharia Law&#8217; In Britain During Un Speech<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The Greens are a growing political force, placing second behind <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/reform-uk-proposes-deporting-600000-asylum-seekers-sweeping-new-immigration-crackdown\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Reform UK;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Reform UK&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Reform UK<\/a> in a recent YouGov poll. Another <a href=\"https:\/\/yougov.com\/en-gb\/articles\/53923-how-would-britain-vote-at-the-start-of-2026?utm_source=website_article&amp;utm_medium=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=53923\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:YouGov poll;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;YouGov poll&quot;}\" class=\"link \">YouGov poll<\/a> linked the Greens&#8217; rise in popularity with younger voters in the country, finding a majority of those between 18 and 24 supported them, while also doing well with women and other groups.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"UK Green Party leader Zack Polanski.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/77409e793e687c58a15db57b4ccf717b.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>UK Green Party leader Zack Polanski.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">A spokesperson for the Green Party told Fox News Digital, &#8220;We will be\u00a0setting\u00a0out our detailed plans for government at the\u00a0time of the next General\u00a0Election,\u00a0just as we did at the last General Election. As always, our members will be shaping our priorities.\u00a0These\u00a0will again address the\u00a0real\u00a0and\u00a0immediate\u00a0needs of people and the planet,\u00a0such as\u00a0tackling\u00a0the climate crisis, bringing down the cost of living and rebuilding\u00a0our\u00a0public services, including the NHS. Our focus is on the issues that impact ordinary people most.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/churchill-shakespeare-uk-flag-all-under-siege-modern-britain-commentators-say\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Churchill, Shakespeare And The Uk Flag All Under Siege In Modern Britain, Commentators Say;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Churchill, Shakespeare And The Uk Flag All Under Siege In Modern Britain, Commentators Say&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Churchill, Shakespeare And The Uk Flag All Under Siege In Modern Britain, Commentators Say<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Green Party leader Zack Polanski has defended a secular state. He has also drawn criticism for his support of legalizing drugs such as heroin and cocaine, his climate policies and anti-<a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/world\/world-regions\/israel\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Israel;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Israel&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Israel <\/a>positioning.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Christmas morning Eucharist service at Canterbury Cathedral with clergy and congregation\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"540\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/d3f0c86b22dfe9c2e0c7ea84901d43c7.jpeg\"\/><\/p>\n<p>A view of Christmas morning Eucharist service at Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, United Kingdom, on Dec. 25, 2022.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The timing of the Green Party&#8217;s push is particularly sensitive as it comes on the heels of the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Act 2026, which passed last month, removing the last hereditary aristocrats from Parliament. With the hereditary principle gone, the presence of the &#8220;Lords Spiritual&#8221; has become the next logical target for constitutional reformers. There are currently 26 seats reserved for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/church-england-appears-stop-using-word-church-sound-more-relevant-study\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Church of England;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Church of England&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Church of England<\/a> archbishops and bishops in the House of Lords.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a href=\"https:\/\/foxnews.onelink.me\/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Click Here To Download The Fox News App;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Click Here To Download The Fox News App&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Click Here To Download The Fox News App<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">As the U.K. heads toward a local 2026 election cycle, the &#8220;Church and State&#8221; debate looks set to become a wedge issue. For the Greens, it represents their commitment to a &#8220;diverse and inclusive&#8221; Britain. For their detractors, it is a dangerous move that risks &#8220;de-Christianizing&#8221; the country at a moment of profound social uncertainty.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Whether the proposal will mobilize a new &#8220;religious vote&#8221; or simply fade behind the urgency of other issues remains to be seen. What is clear, commentators say, is that the image of the established Church is increasingly being viewed through the lens of a much sharper and more polarized <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/category\/world\/uk-politics\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:political fight;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;political fight&quot;}\" class=\"link \">political fight<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Original article source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/surging-uk-green-party-pushes-church-state-split-critics-warn-break-from-britains-christian-roots\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Surging UK Green Party pushes church-state split, critics warn of break from Britain\u2019s Christian roots;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Surging UK Green Party pushes church-state split, critics warn of break from Britain\u2019s Christian roots&quot;}\" class=\"link \">Surging UK Green Party pushes church-state split, critics warn of break from Britain\u2019s Christian roots<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"LONDON: The left-wing British Green Party has said it wants to separate the Church of England from the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6794,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[3592,3594,3595,497,3591,3596,23,3593,1998,5,6],"class_list":{"0":"post-6793","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-uk","8":"tag-british-green-party","9":"tag-british-history","10":"tag-british-identity","11":"tag-british-politics","12":"tag-church-of-england","13":"tag-fox-news-digital","14":"tag-green-party","15":"tag-the-greens","16":"tag-u-k","17":"tag-uk","18":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@UnitedKingdom\/116353338067477466","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6793","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6793"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6793\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6793"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6793"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6793"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}