Tag: House of Lords

Bishop of Derby takes part in end of year tributes

The Bishop of Derby joined in end of year tributes to the staff of the House of Lords and those who have retired in 2025:

The Lord Bishop of Derby: My Lords, I shall not detain the House long, but on behalf of these Benches I echo the appreciative comments that we have just heard from the Front Benches about all those who have retired, or are about to retire, as colleagues, working alongside us here. It is a real privilege to have the final opportunity on behalf of us all in your Lordships’ House to thank those who work with us, both front of house and behind the scenes, for their outstanding care and service in keeping this House and our work here running smoothly.

As we near the end of this year’s journey through Advent and approach Christmas, I know that all Members will join me in wishing not just each other but all our colleagues here a restorative recess. I pray that they may know the joy of the angels, the eagerness of the shepherds, the perseverance of the wise men, the obedience of Joseph and Mary, and the peace of the Christ child this Christmas. Happy Christmas, and a good New Year when it comes.

Hansard

Votes: House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill

On 9th July 2025, the House of Lords debated the Hereditary Peers Bill in report. Votes were held on an amendment to the bill, in which a Bishop took part:

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Bishop of Manchester pays tribute to Black Rod on her retirement

On 9th July 2025, the Bishop of Manchester spoke during tributes to Black Rod upon her retirement, wishing her well and raising the value of her work over her years in the position:

The Lord Bishop of Manchester: My Lords, as Convenor of the Lords Spiritual, I offer our heartfelt thanks to Sarah for the way she has welcomed and worked with those of us on these Benches over the past seven and a half years. As others have noted, although I will not repeat it, she has held office at a point of great change, from overseeing the response to the pandemic—during which I arrived here in a very pared-down Introduction—and keeping the Palace operational throughout, to managing those major royal events under two monarchs.

As the first ever Lady Usher of the Black Rod, Sarah’s very title embodies the process of change—a very welcome one. I am not sure that there was a viable alternative. While we on these Benches now have women Members who remain styled “Lord Bishop”, to have had to refer to Sarah as “Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod” may have provoked the kinds of arguments over sex and gender that have more recently occupied the time and energy of the Supreme Court; I am so glad that we were spared that.

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Votes: House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill

On 2nd July 2025, the House of Lords debated the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill in report. Votes were held on amendments to the bill, in which Bishops took part:

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Bishop of Manchester to be Convenor of the Lords Spiritual

The Bishop of Manchester, David Walker, has been appointed as Convenor of the Lords Spiritual.Bishop David Walker in the House of LordsParliament TV

Bishop David will take over the role of supporting and coordinating the work of the 26 bishops in the House of Lords from the Bishop of St Albans, Alan Smith, on his retirement at the end of May. Bishop Alan has served as Convenor since 2022.

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Hereditary Peers Bill: Bishop of St Albans supports amendment on nomination of peers following passage of the bill

The Bishop of St Albans spoke at the committee stage of the House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill on 1st April 2025, supporting an amendment tabled by Baroness Mobarik which “would require the Prime Minister to give groups in Parliament the ability to nominate individuals to be appointed as life peers to replace the number of hereditary peers in their group. This could include reappointing some hereditary peers as life peers.”

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: My Lords, I will not detain the Committee for long. I find myself very much in sympathy with the intention of this amendment and particularly with what the noble Baroness, Lady Goldie, said a few moments ago.

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Hereditary Peers Bill: Bishop of Sheffield outlines opposition to amendments reducing number of Lords Spiritual

The Bishop of Sheffield spoke in a debate on the Hereditary Peers Bill on 12th March 2025, opposing amendments that would reduce the number of Lords Spiritual in the House Lords:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, I am sorry to disappoint the noble Lord, Lord Moore, in the fact that the Bench of Bishops is briefly going to speak up on its own behalf. He may be surprised, as may many noble Lords opposite, that in the first eight months of the current Parliament the Bishops have voted 29 times, and only five times with the Labour Government. The Bishops are not party political; we really do seek to improve and scrutinise legislation. That is by the way.

I am grateful for the opportunity offered by this range of amendments to address some of the concerns expressed by Members of this Committee about the place and role of those of us who serve on these Benches. Although we are not whipped and do not have a party line, the Lords spiritual are pretty much all of one mind that your Lordships’ House would benefit from some reform, not least to do with numbers and patronage. As noble Lords would expect, we believe that a reformed House of Lords should include Lords spiritual and should continue to reflect the present constitutional arrangement.

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Hereditary Peers Bill: Bishop of Leeds points out constitutional implications of Lords Reform

The Bishop of Leeds spoke in the second reading debate on the Hereditary Peers Bill on 11th December 2024, pointing out the nuances of the role of the Lords Spiritual in the HoL, and the constitutional implications of House of Lords reform:

The Lord Bishop of Leeds: My Lords, I rise to speak in the gap because there was a clerical error. My name should have been on the list and was not, so the remarks about Bishops being strangely mute are perhaps unmerited. I too congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Brady, on his maiden speech. All I can say to the noble Baroness, Lady Quin, is that the end is now more nigh than when this debate began, but I wish her well in the future. We heard Jesus quoted earlier:

“Greater love hath no man than this, than to lay down his life for his friends”.

Your Lordships will remember that Jeremy Thorpe famously said of Macmillan, after the night of the long knives:

“Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his friends for his life”.

That might provide another lens through which to see this debate.

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Bishop of Sheffield urges consideration of civil society role of the House of Lords

The Bishop of Sheffield spoke in a debate on House of Lords reform on 12th November 2024, supporting the principle of reform and outlining the role of the House of Lords in providing independence, expertise and a voice from civil society:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, I welcome the opportunity for a meaningful debate on this matter. The Lords spiritual have a long history of constructive engagement on the question of reform. I pay tribute especially to the noble and right reverend Lord, Lord Harries of Pentregarth, who served on the Royal Commission on the Reform of the House of Lords, which produced the Wakeham report in 2000. That commission encouraged

“a broadening and deepening of religious representation in the second chamber”

to reflect the diversity of our multifaith society, a principle that these Benches have supported before and since. We stand ready to assist any future appointments commission in that task.

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Bishop of Sheffield asks about public feedback on House of Lords sessions

The Bishop of Sheffield asked a question on the public reception and feedback on recorded sessions of the House of Lords on 14th October 2024, during a discussion on behaviour and courtesy in the House:

The Lord Bishop of Sheffield: My Lords, it is surely a very good thing that the dealings of this Chamber are broadcast live, but it does mean that our interactions with one another are witnessed far beyond this place. Can the noble Baroness tell the House whether any attempt is made to monitor or record comments from the public in reaction to the broadcasts and, if so, what use is made of that feedback?

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