James H Davies via his MP
I am writing as your constituent to express my concerns
about the government's proposals on Lords Reform and specifically
on the issue of Bishops sitting as of right in a reformed chamber.
I urge you to make representations on my behalf opposing the proposals
to the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg MP, who is leading work
on Lords Reform, and to the Joint Committee which is scrutinising
the draft Bill.
The package of proposals on Bishops do not simply
maintain the status quo but give even more privileges to the Church
of England—some of which even the Archbishop of Canterbury,
Rowan Williams, and the Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, have
strongly opposed in their submission to the Joint Committee, stating
that the Church of England did not seek exemptions proposed 'by
the Government for the Lords Spiritual from the tax deeming provisions,
the serious offence provisions and those on expulsion and suspension'.
Durs is the only democratic country to give seats
in its legislature to religious representatives as of right, and
I believe that having any reserved places for Bishops in parliament
is unfair, unequal and against the aims of a more transparent
and legitimate second chamber. The government's new proposals,
which in effect create a new largely independent, and largely
unaccountable, place for the Church of England in parliament,
are unnecessary, and even the Church of England leadership think
they go too far.
I urge you to make my concerns known in parliament
in whatever ways you are able.
20 December 2011
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