Catholic MPs back women clergy

by Matthew Grimley and Angus Macdonald MOST Catholic MPs are expected to back legislation approving the Anglican ordination of women when it comes before the House of Commons, possibly before Easter, according to a Catholic Herald survey.
The MPs include senior figures such as Charles Kennedy, the Liberal Democrat president, and Tom Clarke, Shadow Scottish Secretary, as well as backbenchers on both sides of the House.
The Herald's poll, based on responses from 20 MPs, bears out claims made by Emma Nicholson, Conservative MP for Devon West and Torridge, who is the leading proponent of women's
ordination in the Commons. She has repeatedly asserted that there is massive support for the legislation, and that Catholic MPs are among its most active proponents.
A few Catholics have decided to abstain on the issue, pointing to the anomaly of non-Anglican MPs having the power to vote on internal Anglican affairs. David Alton, Liberal Democrat MP for Mossley Hill, said: "I'm disinclined to vote. I believe these things are internal matters for the Church of England." Kevin McNamara. Labour MP for Hull North, said that Anglican affairs were none of his business. Joe Benton, Labour MP for Bootle, said that he would be taking advice from Catholic and Anglican clergy in his constituency before deciding how to vote.
Andrew MacKinlay, Labour MP for Thurrock, said he was unsure which way to vote: "I'm torn on this one. On the one hand, this question shouldn't be a matter for this place, so I'm tempted to abstain, but on the other hand. I happen to agree with women priests, so I'm tempted to vote yes."
Kevin McNamara, Labour MP for Hull North. who will abstain, said: "I don't regard Anglican orders as valid, so it's a non-issue for me."
The only Catholic MP to tell the Catholic Herald that he would vote against the legislation was Bill Cash, Conservative MP for Stafford. It seems likely that opposition will otherwise be confined to a small number of dissident
Anglican MPs, led by Agriculture Secretary John Gummer and Social Security Minister Anne Widdecombe.
Nor is there likely to be significant Opposition when the Bill comes before the House of Lords. Although Peers would be unable to veto the legislation, there had been fears that they would attempt to delay it. But political observers now say that the two-thirds of the Anglican bishops in the Lords who support women's ordination will be able to carry the rest of the House with them.
Some Catholic peers have indicated that they will abstain in the vote. Lord Rees Mogg told the Catholic Herald that he made a point of never voting on Anglican matters. Lord Rawlinson, the former Attorney General, said: "I
always keep clear of controversies involving the Church of England. I leave that to my Anglican friends."
Members of both Houses are reluctant to interfere with a decision which has already been made by the General Synod, the Church of England's own parliament. The last time this happened, in 1928, Parliament's veto of the revised Prayer Book caused a major constitutional crisis and calls for the Church to be disestablished.
This time, with the constitutional position of the Church already in doubt after recent royal revelations and last week's call for a re-think of Church-State links by the second most senior Anglican Archbishop Dr John Habgood, MPs of all Churches seem reluctant to rock the boat.