Greens’ plan to disestablish Church of England sparks row 2026

Key Points

• A Green Party policy document has reportedly proposed “disestablishing” the Church of England, ending its status as Britain’s state church if the party enters government.
• According to reporting in the Daily Mail, the document suggests abolishing bishops’ automatic seats in the House of Lords and removing the Church of England’s representative in the House of Commons, currently Labour MP Marsha de Cordova.
• The reported plans would fully separate Church and state, including removing the Prime Minister’s formal role in the appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
• The document is said to state that no person should hold or be barred from state office because of their or their spouse’s religious affiliation or non‑affiliation.
• The policy would overturn arrangements dating back to the 16th‑century Act of Supremacy, which established the monarch as Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
• The alleged Green proposals sit alongside other radical policies reported from the same documents, including legalising hard drugs, reversing Brexit and extensive animal welfare reforms.
• The Greens currently have a small Westminster presence but recent electoral gains, including Hannah Spencer’s by‑election victory in Gorton and Denton, have increased Labour’s concern about a growing Green challenge.
• Sources within Labour have told Premier Christian News that the party is “rattled” by Green momentum ahead of May by‑elections and is bracing for tougher contests in key seats.
• The story about disestablishment first emerged through the Daily Mail and has since been amplified by outlets and commentators including Premier Christian News, The Sun and various social media accounts.
• Premier Christian News has approached both the Green Party and the Church of England for comment but neither had issued a detailed formal response at the time of reporting.
• Critics quoted in coverage have framed the proposal as an attack on British history and tradition, while supporters argue it would modernise democracy and ensure religious neutrality in public life.
• The reported move to remove bishops from the Lords overlaps with a broader cross‑party debate about the future of “Lords Spiritual” and wider House of Lords reform.

England (Britain Today News) March 16, 2026 – The Green Party is facing intense scrutiny after reports in the Daily Mail and subsequent coverage by Premier Christian News and other outlets claimed the party has drawn up plans to “disestablish” the Church of England, stripping it of its status as Britain’s official state church and severing historic constitutional ties between Church and state.

How do reports describe the Greens’ plan to ‘disestablish’ the Church of England?

As reported by Premier Christian News, citing claims first made in the Daily Mail, an internal Green Party document is said to set out a constitutional overhaul that would formally end the Church of England’s established status in Britain. The document reportedly states that the party would “abolish” bishops in the House of Lords and remove the Church’s institutional representative role in the House of Commons, which is currently exercised by Labour MP Marsha de Cordova as Second Church Estates Commissioner.

According to the summary carried by Premier Christian News, the plans would also eliminate the Prime Minister’s traditional – though largely ceremonial – role in the appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury, further loosening the centuries‑old link between the Church and the state. Social media posts and commentary drawing on the same Daily Mail material have characterised the proposals as a move to “drop” the Church of England as Britain’s established church and make it a fully self‑governing institution without special constitutional privileges.

What changes to Parliament and public office are allegedly proposed?

As reported by Premier Christian News, referencing the Daily Mail’s story, the key institutional change would be the removal of bishops – the so‑called “Lords Spiritual” – from their automatic seats in the House of Lords. Coverage circulating via platforms such as Breaking Brexit News and other commentators summarises this as “expelling” bishops from the Lords and ending a system that has existed in some form since the 14th century.

In addition, Premier Christian News reports that the same Green Party document would “eradicate” the dedicated Church of England representative in the House of Commons, a role that currently allows the Church to have a formal voice in parliamentary debates and scrutiny. According to text quoted by both Premier Christian News and derivative reports on social media, the policy paper also sets out a broader principle that

“no person shall hold office in the state, or be excluded from any such office, by virtue of their or their spouse’s membership or non‑membership of any religion or denomination of religion,”

effectively prescribing religious neutrality in access to public roles.

How would these plans affect the historic Church–state relationship?

As relayed by Breaking Brexit News in a post attributing its information to the Daily Mail, the proposals would

“undo nearly 500 years of British history”

by targeting arrangements that date back to Henry VIII’s break with Rome and the 1534 Act of Supremacy. That Act helped to entrench the monarch’s position as Supreme Head – and later Supreme Governor – of the Church of England, weaving the Church directly into the fabric of the British constitution.

According to the same report, the Green policy document’s language on equal access to public office regardless of religion is designed to

“untangle the state entirely from religious affiliation,”

meaning no denomination would enjoy formal constitutional privilege. Premier Christian News notes that this would effectively codify a full separation of Church and state in England and, symbolically, remove the last vestiges of direct governmental influence in the choice of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

What wider policy context around the Greens is being reported?

Breaking Brexit News, again citing the Daily Mail as its source, presents the alleged disestablishment policy as part of a broader Green Party platform that includes measures such as legalising hard drugs, reversing Brexit and implementing sweeping animal welfare and environmental reforms. The same post highlights proposals to abolish most zoos, introduce a “two‑tier” dog licensing system distinguishing breeding and non‑breeding animals, and regulate all animal breeders and dog owners, reflecting the party’s long‑standing focus on animal rights and welfare.

The Sun’s coverage, under a headline condemning “loony” Greens, similarly frames the reported Church of England plan within what it describes as a radical agenda, including demands to re‑enter closer European arrangements and expanded rights and services for migrants, though detailed wording of the Green documents is not fully reproduced in that article. Premier Christian News, while concentrating on the Church–state element, also notes that the Greens’ wider manifesto is increasingly attracting media attention as the party translates its policy platform into concrete electoral gains.

How significant is Hannah Spencer’s by‑election win for the Greens?

As reported by Premier Christian News, internal Labour figures believe the controversy around the Church of England proposals comes at a time when the Greens are already gaining visibility, particularly after Hannah Spencer’s by‑election victory in Gorton and Denton. Guardian News’ coverage of that contest highlights that Spencer, a local plumber and councillor, secured almost 15,000 votes, overturning a Labour majority of around 13,000 in what had long been considered a safe Labour area.

Television coverage of the by‑election result, including international broadcasters, has described the win as a “landmark” moment for the party and noted that Labour fell to third place behind Reform UK in the constituency. Premier Christian News reports that sources within Labour say the party has been “rattled” by the Greens’ growing popularity and is now preparing for a “tough fight” in looming May by‑elections, where Green candidates may again seek to harness discontent on the left of the political spectrum.

How have other media and commentators reacted to the alleged disestablishment plan?

Premier Christian News presents the story in a religious‑news context, stressing the potential implications for the Church of England’s constitutional status and noting that further comment has been sought from both the Green Party and the Church. The outlet reports that at the time of publication, neither had provided a full on‑the‑record response setting out their position on the specific wording and scope of the reported proposals.

In contrast, coverage and commentary originating from the Daily Mail and amplified by social media accounts such as Breaking Brexit News and individual commentators like Darren Grimes have described the policy as a “radical” or “dismantling” move affecting

“another pillar of British history and tradition.”

Some of these posts explicitly link the reported disestablishment plan to wider cultural debates, drawing parallels with controversies over statues, historical memory and national identity, although the underlying Green document itself is not reproduced in full in those commentaries.

What is the current official response from the Greens and the Church of England?

Premier Christian News reports that it has approached both the Green Party and the Church of England for further comment on the claims contained in the Daily Mail report and the exact content of the alleged policy document. At the time of its article’s publication on 16 March 2026, the outlet stated that no detailed official statements had yet been issued clarifying whether the proposals reflect current Green Party policy, a draft discussion paper or an older internal text.

Without direct comment from the party or the Church, most coverage remains based on descriptions and excerpts of the document as reported by the Daily Mail and then summarised by other media and online commentators. Premier Christian News notes that the story continues to develop and that further response from both the Greens and Church authorities may reshape how the proposals are interpreted in the coming days.