Unelected Bishops

I have just signed the following petition on the P.M.'s website:

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to remove the unelected bishops from the House of Lords.

Christianity is a relatively benign religion and there is the weight of tradition behind the episcopal presence in the House of Lords, but the bishops should go, for at least the following reasons:

- We will be unable to get any effective check on the at present excessive power of the House of Commons until the Lords is fully elected.

- Other religions are claiming unelected places on the grounds that Christians have them. They have a point. This point needs to be removed.

- Clerics can stand for election if they wish to be involved in government.

- The presence of Lords Spiritual discriminates against secular, humanist, agnostic and atheist citizens.