I am strongly in favour of the bishops continuing their constitutional position in the second Chamber. They carry out a valuable role, reflecting the fact that we have an official Church of England in our constitution. I do believe, however, that the cost of the second chamber must be reduced.
A secure electoral system is vital to a healthy democracy, and the public must have confidence that our elections are secure and fit for the 21st century. I believe that voters being required to bring photographic identification to their polling station is an important way of achieving this.
Both the High Court and Court of Appeal have supported the actions of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and the Supreme Court refused the claimants’ permission to appeal. Importantly, the case brought before the High Court was dismissed on all grounds, including notice, in October 2019.