MPs favour disestablishment says poll
-26/4/04
A new poll suggests a majority of MPs are in favour of ending the historic link between the Church of England and the state.
The figures from CommunicateResearch show that 57% of a representative sample of members are in favour of disestablishment.
The poll follows what appears to be growing interest in reforming church-state links. Last year the Fabian Society called [0] for a shake-up in relations between church and state, and in 2002 the Evangelical Alliance launched an Inquiry [1] on the subject.
The constitutional position in which the Queen is officially both the supreme governor of state and the church is regarded by many as an anomaly.
It means that the Prime Minister is left to decide on episcopal appointments such as that of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Tony Blairís decision to appoint gay clergyman Canon Jeffrey John as the Dean of St Albans drew criticism from some.
Figures such as Desmond Tutu have also called [2] for reform of the way that the Archbishop of Canterbury is appointed and recognition that such decisions effect the whole Anglican communion, not just the Church of England.
Researchers quizzed 106 Labour MPs, 63 Conservatives, and 32 from smaller parties, and data was weighted to reflect the distribution of parties in the House of Commons.
There was an even greater majority in favour of disestablishment among Labour MPs and those from the smaller parties, while 57% of Conservatives remained opposed.
Despite the results, only 37% of all MPs believed disestablishment would happen in the next 10 years.
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