This Forum Expresses Support and Admiration for British Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron –

At Least on the Subject of Allowing Women to be Bishops in the Church of England

A constant theme of The Dismal Political Economist has been the wrong headed economic policies of British Conservatives.  In the name of ideology and faith-rather-than-reality based economics the government of Britain has pursued economic programs that are self-defeating and make the country worse off, not better off.

But unlike American Conservatives, the British version sometimes displays properties that appeal rather than repel.  Such is the recent statement by Britain’s Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron on the decision of the Church of England not to admit women as Bishops.

David Cameron today condemned the decision of the Church of England to defeat moves to allow women to become bishops.

In a rare intervention into religious matters, he said he was “very sad” about the outcome and challenged the Church to “get with the programme”. Downing Street sources later rejected suggestions that it could take years for the vote to be reversed. . . .

He told the Commons: “I’m a strong supporter of women bishops. I’m very sad about the way the vote went yesterday and I’m particularly sad for the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, because I know he saw this as the major campaign he wanted to achieve at the end of his excellent tenure of that office.”

Mr Cameron added: “I’m very clear the time is right for women bishops, it was right many years ago. They need to get on with it, as it were, and get with the programme.

Yes government and church should be separate, and yes any religious organization has the right to operate as they see fit.  But that right to discriminate while absolute is not a right to be free of criticism when religious groups do discriminate. 

Finally, compare the position of the British Conservative Prime Minister with that of American Conservatives who defend the rights of religious organizations to impose their religious beliefs on others.  Yes American Conservative positions in this area are just another example of why they are not true Conservatives.