House of Commons (Removal of Clergy Disqualification) Act 2001
Encyclopedia
The House of Commons Act 2001 (c.13) is an Act
of the Parliament
of the United Kingdom
. The purpose of the Act was to remove the disqualifications for clergy
in standing for election as Members of Parliament
and sitting in the House of Commons
. The Act also allowed clergy to sit in other elected bodies including the European Parliament
. Some bishops of the Church of England
continue to be disqualified, as they sit in the House of Lords
as Lords Spiritual
.
Previously clergy were disqualified to sit in the House of Commons due to the House of Commons (Clergy Disqualification) Act 1801 and section 10 of the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975
.
The Bill was a reaction to the selection of the late David Cairns
, a laicised Catholic priest, as the Labour candidate for the safe seat of Greenock and Inverclyde
. Member of Parliament Siobhain McDonagh
had previously introduced similar legislation in 1999, but it had run out of Parliamentary time.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The purpose of the Act was to remove the disqualifications for clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
in standing for election as Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and sitting in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
. The Act also allowed clergy to sit in other elected bodies including the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
. Some bishops of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
continue to be disqualified, as they sit in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as Lords Spiritual
Lords Spiritual
The Lords Spiritual of the United Kingdom, also called Spiritual Peers, are the 26 bishops of the established Church of England who serve in the House of Lords along with the Lords Temporal. The Church of Scotland, which is Presbyterian, is not represented by spiritual peers...
.
Previously clergy were disqualified to sit in the House of Commons due to the House of Commons (Clergy Disqualification) Act 1801 and section 10 of the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975
House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975
The House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that prohibits certain categories of people from becoming members of the House of Commons...
.
The Bill was a reaction to the selection of the late David Cairns
David Cairns (politician)
John David Cairns was a Scottish Labour Party politician, who was a Member of Parliament from 2001 until his death. He represented the constituency of Inverclyde. He was the Minister of State at the Scotland Office until he resigned on 16 September 2008...
, a laicised Catholic priest, as the Labour candidate for the safe seat of Greenock and Inverclyde
Greenock and Inverclyde (UK Parliament constituency)
Greenock and Inverclyde was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1997 until 2005, when was replaced by the Inverclyde constituency...
. Member of Parliament Siobhain McDonagh
Siobhain McDonagh
Siobhain Ann McDonagh is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Mitcham and Morden since 1997. She previously served as an Assistant Whip in the Labour Government, but was fired following comments regarding a leadership contest to replace PM Gordon Brown.She...
had previously introduced similar legislation in 1999, but it had run out of Parliamentary time.