Government & Parliament
Archbishops of Canterbury have been members of the House of Lords by virtue of their office since parliament first began many centuries ago. In today's Lords there are two types of member - the Lords Temporal (usually known simply as Peers) and the Lords Spiritual (the two archbishops and 24 most senior bishops of the Church of England). The Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior member of the Lords, being the first member entitled to take the oath of allegiance at the start of a new parliament after the Lord Speaker. Dr Rowan Williams took his seat in the Lords in March 2003, shortly after becoming Archbishop, and this section contains details of his parliamentary speeches and questions since that date. Further information on the Lords Spiritual and the Church of England in parliament can be seen here.
Recent items relating to Government & Parliament and House of Lords are shown below:
November 2011
Archbishop's speech at Lord Mayor's Banquet
14 November 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, delivered a speech at the annual Lord Mayor of London's…
Archbishops question case for elected House of Lords
11 November 2011
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York question the rationale for a wholly or mainly elected House of…
October 2011
Archbishop of Canterbury’s Statement on Egypt
18 October 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, today asked a supplementary question in the House of…
August 2011
Archbishop speaks in House of Lords on unrest
11 August 2011
Following the recall of the House of Lords in response to the events of recent days, the Archbishop of…
June 2011
New Statesman Leader
9 June 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has guest-edited the New Statesman in an edition published…
March 2011
Archbishop: "Big Society - Small World?"
21 March 2011
In his Commemoration Oration at King's College London, the Archbishop of Canterbury today welcomes the…
Relations between the Church and state today: what is the role of the Christian citizen?
1 March 2011
An address given by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, at Manchester University, 1 March…
February 2011
Faith in Politics? Lecture by Gordon Brown
16 February 2011
The Archbishop hosted a lecture given by the Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP entitled "Faith and Politics?", asking…
January 2011
Archbishop's address to the APPG on Penal Affairs
18 January 2011
The Archbishop's address to the APPG (All-Party Parliamentary Group) on Penal Affairs, at the House of…
November 2010
Archbishop's toast at the Lord Mayor's Dinner at Guildhall
15 November 2010
The Archbishop of Canterbury proposed a toast to the late Lord Mayor and the Court of Alderman at the…