Bishops

The 24 most senior bishops in the Church of England are entitled to sit, speak and vote in the House. Apart from the two archbishops (of Canterbury and of York) and the Bishops of Durham, London and Winchester, the seniority of bishops is measured in the number of years they have held office. If a bishop who sits in the House becomes changes his title, he retains the right to sit, as the right is conferred on the individual and not on the bishopric. Normally, archbishops are given a life peerage on retirement. There is no automatic right to a life peerage on retirement for any Lord Spiritual.