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London: The left-wing British Green Party has said it wants to see the Church of England separated from the state if it wins the next general election, which should take place before August 2029.
The Church of England has been the “established” church since the Reformation of the 16th century, with the British monarch serving as its supreme governor. For Conservatives, this relationship is not merely formal, but fundamental to British identity.
The Green Party has come under fire for seeking to remove centuries of British history and tradition by separating the church from British politics, with critics calling it the latest move against Christianity in Britain.
GB News reported last month that a Green Party policy document states: “No person shall hold office in the State, or be excluded from holding any such office, by reason of his or her spouse’s membership or non-membership of any religion or sect of religion.”
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King Charles ascended the throne in September 2022 following the death of his mother, and his coronation took place in May 2023. (Richard Pohle – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Michael McManus, research director at the Henry Jackson Society, a British think tank, told Fox News Digital. “Britain is a tolerant society, but one with clearly Christian origins and culture. The goal of displacing the Church of England could be seen as an attempt to reject that moral foundation, without making it clear what would come in its place.”
High-profile figures have also weighed in on the debate, with actor and comedian John Cleese replying to a comment about the Greens’ proposal on
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The Greens are a growing political force, coming second to Reform UK in a recent YouGov poll. Another YouGov poll linked the Greens’ rise in popularity with young voters in the country, finding that a majority of people between 18 and 24 supported them, while also performing well with women and other groups.
Jack Polanski, leader of the UK Green Party. (Finbar Webster/Getty Images)
A Green Party spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “We will set out our detailed plans for government at the time of the next general election, just as we did at the last general election. As always, our members will shape our priorities. These will again address the real and immediate needs of people and planet, such as tackling the climate crisis, reducing the cost of living and rebuilding our public services, including the NHS. Our focus is on the issues that affect ordinary people most.”
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Green Party leader Zac Polanski has defended the secular state. He has also been criticized for his support of legalizing drugs such as heroin and cocaine, his climate policies, and his anti-Israel position.
A view of the Christmas morning Eucharist service at Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, United Kingdom, on December 25, 2022. (Stuart Brock/Anadolu Agency)
The timing of the Green Party pressure is particularly sensitive as it comes on the heels of the House of Lords (Hereditary Peerage) Act 2026, passed last month, removing the last hereditary peer from Parliament. With the hereditary principle abolished, the presence of “Lords Spiritual” became the next logical target for constitutional reformers. There are currently 26 seats reserved for archbishops and bishops of the Church of England in the House of Lords.
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As Britain heads towards the 2026 local election cycle, the “church and state” debate is going to be a big issue. For the Greens, it represents their commitment to a “diverse and inclusive” Britain. For his opponents, this is a dangerous move that risks “de-Christianizing” the country at a moment of profound social uncertainty.
Whether the proposal will garner a new “religious vote” or fade behind the urgency of other issues remains to be seen. What is clear, commentators say, is that the image of the established church is being viewed through the lens of a more intense and more polarized political battle.
