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:
December 2007
Why Social Cohesion Needs Religion - Building Bridges Conference, Singapore
6 December 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has given a wide-ranging lecture today in Singapore,…
July 2007
Archbishop Receives Award for Environmental Role
13 July 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has received an award from parliamentarians for his…
May 2007
Multiculturism: Friend or Foe - Archbishop's lecture
16 May 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, delivers an address at London's Toynbee Hall, in which…
Tribute to Prime Minister Tony Blair
10 May 2007
Responding to the Prime Minister's announcement that he will stand down on 27 June, the Archbishop of…
April 2007
Politics, Morality and Leadership: Newsnight With Gavin Esler
25 April 2007
A transcript of the interview conducted by Gavin Esler and transmitted on BBC2's Newsnight programme…
Moral Vision Should be at the Heart of Politics
24 April 2007
In his lecture in Hull, the birthplace of William Wilberforce - the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan…
'Freedom and Slavery' - Wilberforce Lecture 2007
24 April 2007
In an address given at the invitation of the Wilberforce Lecture Trust, at the City Hall in Hull, the…
March 2007
House of Lords Speech Opposing 'Super Casinos'
28 March 2007
The Archbishop spoke in the debate on gambling and super casinos and, along with the Bishop of Southwell…
January 2007
Press Conference: Remarks on the Sexual Orientation Regulations and Supercasino Proposals
30 January 2007
During a press conference today at Lambeth Palace the Archbishop gave the following answers to supplementary…
Legislating For Conscience - interview with BBC News
24 January 2007
An interview between the Archbishop of Canterbury and the BBC's Robert Pigott, for BBC News at Ten. The…