Timeline set for removal of bishop's vote in bill

The Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man can currently vote in Legislative Council and Tynwald

A bill that would strip the Bishop of Sodor and Man of their vote in Tynwald is set to return to the House of Keys for a final decision.

The Constitution Bill would remove the bishop's voting rights in both the Legislative Council and Tynwald Court but see their position on both bodies retained.

An amendment has been added by the council that means the vote will be removed when the current bishop, the Right Reverend Tricia Hillas, leaves their post or five years after the bill receives Royal Assent.

MLC Gary Clueit said the timeline was needed to remove the risk of pressure being placed on Bishop Hillas to remain in post "for as long as possible to preserve that vote".

He put forward the amendment which was voted through by the Legislative Council, and the bill will now return to the House of Keys for a final vote.

Bishop Hillas, who sits on on the council, told the chamber "any internal pressure" to remain in post "would only be because of a sense of service of the people of this island, however I would expect to manage that as any of us would".

The legislation was brought forward as private member's bill by Ramsey MHK Lawrie Hooper in 2023 to ensure elected officials only could vote on making and changing laws, and not an appointed religious figure.

It came off the back of a debate on a proposal to remove the Bishop's position entirely, which was rejected.

'Hardest decision'

Bishop Hillas agreed that the time period for the vote to removed should be five, not three years.

"Given that the Church of England retirement age is an absolute hard cut-off at 70, most bishops leave their positions between the age of 65 and 68," she said.

Concerns have been raised through the debate that the loss of a vote could threaten the status of the Diocese of Sodor and Man.

Supporting the bill, MLC Rob Mercer said: "This has been one of the hardest decisions we've had to make in this place, none of us take that responsibility lightly.

"We've paused to consider evidence, to commission a report, we've reviewed the consultation, and we've considered constitutional consequences carefully and independently.

"The bishop's seat remains, the bishop's voice remains, and the relationship between the church and island remains strong."

The Right Reverend Tricia Hillas is the current Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man

"But the vote - the power to make or un-make law should belong only to those who are part of the uniquely Manx democratic processes of how our parliament, Tynwald, is maintained," Mercer added.

The bill will now return to the House of Keys for consideration of this latest change for its final reading.