by Joseph Terry, Premier (Photo: Unsplash)
This week, three Church of England bishops will take up their new roles as members of the House of Lords.
The Rt Rev Rick Simpson, Bishop of Durham; the Rt Rev Michael Beasley, Bishop of Bath and Wells; and the Rt Rev Dr Jonathan Gibbs, Bishop of Rochester, will be formally introduced to the House as Lords Spiritual.
They join the Bishops of Blackburn and Birmingham, who were introduced to the House of Lords earlier this month.
Here’s how the Church of England’s representatives in Parliament, known as the Lords Spiritual, play a crucial role in democracy.
How many Church of England bishops are in the House of Lords?
There are 26 seats reserved in the House of Lords for Church of England bishops, known as the Lords Spiritual.
Five of these seats are reserved for the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and the Bishops of London, Durham and Winchester, with the Bishop of London one currently vacant.
The remaining 21 seats are allocated to other eligible diocesan bishops across the Church of England. The maximum number of Lords Spiritual has been capped at 26 since 1847.