Delegates vote to remove Queen's role in Church

The Liberal Democrats called for sweeping changes to the monarchy yesterday when they voted unanimously to strip the Queen of her historic role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

The Liberal Democrats called for sweeping changes to the monarchy yesterday when they voted unanimously to strip the Queen of her historic role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

During the debate on constitutional reform, the party passed a crucial amendment urging the Government to separate Church and State and allow Roman Catholics to succeed to the throne.

Delegates also voted to ban bishops from the House of Lords as part of wider reforms to create an elected senate as the second chamber of Parliament.

In passing the amendment to bar the Queen from "holding a position of high authority within any denomination, church or faith", the LiberalDemocrats bcame the first mainstream party to back disestablishment.

The party also called for the reform of the 1701 Act of Settlement, "to remove religious discrimination in the succession to the throne".

Alex Feakes, a leading member of the Liberal Democrat Youth and Students who moved the amendment, said that the current status of the Queen as Supreme Governor of the Church struck at the heart of the party's belief in a liberal society.

"This anomaly gives the wrong signals to the people of this country who are not Anglican who would otherwise like to participate in the governance of the country," he said.