MPs give backing to Bill on UK women bishops

MPs backed women bishops this week in a controversial Bill pressing the Church to remove the bar on the consecration of women. Labour MP Andy Reed described as ‘spurious’ the theological arguments against women’s ministry. He said the fact that women can be archdeacons and deans but not bishops was “simply wrong”.

“How can the Church preach equality when it institutionalises discrimination,” he declared. He admitted that he while was in favour of disestablishment, Parliament had a right at the current time to make its views known to the Church of England. “We should be able to express our support for the role of women in every field of British life – to express our view, in the broadest terms, that women and men are equal, albeit different.” He said women priests believe that the Church is dragging its heels and listening to ‘ultra-conservatives’ rather than its mainstream. “That certainly smacks of the ultra conservative tail wagging the mainstream dog,” he added.

He attacked the fact that the Church was delaying the vote until 2012 for women bishops and said the 10-Minute Rule Bill was a mechanism for sending a clear message to General Synod. He said the Bill had significant support from senior bishops for taking this unusual step of ‘initiating’ church legislation. Conservative MP Sir Patrick Cormack spoke against the Bill, confessing that if women were consecrated he would probably leave the Church of England. “I do not wish to divide the House. It is premature to have brought the measure forward,” he said. “We should leave Synod to decide whether it wishes to bring a measure and then we will have ample and proper opportunity to debate it.”

The 10-Minute Rule Bill, originally sponsored by Welsh MP, Chris Bryant, will be read for a second time in October. It stands little or no chance of ever becoming law. From MPs give backing to Bill on women bishops