Labour Humanists: Evict the Bishops
The UK is the only Western democracy that has clerics in its parliament as of right. With reform of the House of Lords currently a hot topic, Labour Humanists are hosting an open debate on whether it is time to evict the ”Lords Spiritual.”
Entrance is free but you must book at the link below.
Chair: David Aaronovitch
Yes: Polly Toynbee, President of the British Humanist Association; and Jonathan Bartley, Co-director,Ekklesia
No: The Rt Revd Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester and Convenor of the Lords Spiritual; and Rt Hon Baroness Elizabeth Butler-Sloss
Time and date: 7:30pm, Wednesday 27 January 2010
Location: Committee Room 10, Houses of Parliament, London, SW1A 0AA
Note: The room has changed from 4 to 10 due to popular demand.
The room is fully accessible and has suitable audio support facilities. Please use the Cromwell Green entrance (the main public entrance for Parliament) and take the public route to the Committee Corridor.
“The UK is the only Western democracy that has clerics in its parliament as of right” says your sub-heading.
Which says it all, really:
“The only Western democracy..” But it’s not, is it? Democratic, I mean, to have the House of Lords in any shape or form.
“Clerics in its parliament as of right..” Not just undemocratic, but positively medieval, to give positions of power and authority to people who believe (or rather would have us believe that they believe) in an imaginary being.
Undemocratic? That’s an understatement. I would say it borders on Criminal.