The National Secular Society (NSS) notes that the “UK stands alone among Western democracies in granting religious clerics seats in its legislature – 26 bishops who can vote on our laws simply by virtue of their office”.
But it has recently reported that the British dependency of the Isle of Man is making progress in ending religious privilege in its legislature.
The NSS reports that:
“A bill to remove the bishop’s vote in the upper chamber of the Manx legislature has progressed to the next legislative stage.
The Anglican bishop of Sodor and Man sits by right and has voting privileges in the Legislative Council (LegCo), the upper chamber of Isle of Man’s parliament, Tynwald.
LegCo is now set to debate a select committee report on the bishop’s vote early next month.
The report concluded it is for “each individual Member” to decide whether the bishop retains their vote.
Reserved seats for religious representatives in legislatures are “rare”, it adds.
Delays in the publication of the select committee report had prompted concerns that the bill might be timed out.
The bill has already been passed by the lower elected chamber, the House of Keys, and is supported by a majority of Manx residents.
The Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell has expressed opposition to the plans, saying removing the vote would reduce the bishop to “something like a chaplain to Tynwald, rather than an equal member whose voice and opinion is taken seriously.”