Petition · past parliament · Cabinet Office
Remove all Bishops from the House of Lords
Closed
1,200 signatures
What the petition asks
Remove all 26 Church of England bishops appointed to the House of Lords by the UK Parliament and end the automatic right for bishops to be appointed seats.
The UK is a Christian minority country; for the first time, the census in England and Wales reflects this - there is no reasonable justification in a fair democracy for bishops to vote on laws in the House of Lords.
This is an undemocratic and unusual practice. The only country other than the UK to appoint clerics to its legislature is Iran.
Public institutions should be inclusive and representative of the UK's diverse society, without giving special privileges to members of one faith.
This is an undemocratic and unusual practice. The only country other than the UK to appoint clerics to its legislature is Iran.
Public institutions should be inclusive and representative of the UK's diverse society, without giving special privileges to members of one faith.
Timeline
| 5 Dec 2022 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 5 Jun 2023 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
1,200
Status
Closed
Department
Cabinet Office
Opened
5 Dec 2022
Closed
5 Jun 2023
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.