Chris Clark - Labour Humanists

Chris Clark for the Labour Humanists: There is no reason for anyone to occupy a place in the British parliament as of right.

The Labour manifesto of 2005 pledged that we would complete the job of reforming the House of Lords, making it a modern, democratic chamber fit for the needs of the twenty-first century.

The draft legislation trailed in the Queen’s Speech set out two options for the reformed second chamber, with either 80% or 100% of members elected. Under the 100% elected option, there would be no reserved places for Church of England Bishops.

A 100% elected second chamber is the most democratic way forward. There is no reason for anyone to occupy a place in the British parliament as of right. Last year the Government addressed one of our constitution’s long-standing oddities, in removing the Law Lords from the legislature and founding a supreme court. The next step is to deal with the democratic deficit and ensure that anyone sitting in the reformed second chamber has a mandate to be there. If the remaining members of the Lords are confident that people will agree with their opinions and/or will want to be represented by them, then they should stand for election and let the people decide.

Advocates of retaining some appointed members point to people from non-political backgrounds with substantial experience, or special areas of expertise, who may not wish to stand for election. These people certainly have a contribution to make. So the question we must ask is, would a 100% elected chamber mean we lose the benefit of their wisdom and experience?

The answer is that we can listen to what these people have to say without handing them a permanent seat and vote in our parliament. For a start, those who decline to stand for election can still contribute to public debate by writing or speaking outside parliament. And just as the Select Committee system sees parliamentarians asking questions of subject experts from business, charities and campaigning organisations, there is nothing to say that representatives from faith communities could not be invited to give evidence in a similar way.

The only religious institution currently represented in the Lords by right is the Church of England – a single denomination of a single religion. This discriminates against members of other religions and those with non-religious belief systems like humanists. Preserving the status quo is unthinkable.

One response to this is to say that this religious privilege should be extended to other religions and/or other Christian denominations. Thankfully, the Government has already ruled this option out in the White Paper of 2008, which confirmed that no seats in the reformed second chamber will be reserved for representatives of other religions.

So, is it time to evict the Bishops? Our answer is that they should give up the seats they hold as of right and, if they wish, compete in an open contest – Labour Humanists say, let the people decide.

Chris Clark is Labour’s prospective parliamentary candidate for Ashford and a member of the executive committee of Labour Humanists

For the BHA position on Bishops in the Lords see:
http://www.humanism.org.uk/campaigns/constitutional-reform/bishops-in-the-lords

The British Humanist Association is not a party political organisation. The Labour Humanists are affiliated to the BHA as are a number of other groups with party political affiliations.

Open debate

Labour Humanists are hosting an open debate on whether it is time to evict the “Lords Spiritual.”

Time and date: 7:30pm, Wednesday 27 January 2010
Location: Committee Room 10, Portcullis House.
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
Tickets: FREE and open to all, though you have to book. Parliamentary Passholders still need to register.