The situation in the UK

The Lords Spiritual of the United Kingdom, also called Spiritual Peers, are the 26 bishops of the established Church of England who serve in the House of Lords along with the Lords Temporal.

The Lords Spiritual normally do not vote on matters of law or state in the House of Lords, but they have done so in special cases

The presence of religious leaders in the British legislature is strongly opposed by secularist organisations such as the British Humanist Association and the National Secular Society who have consistently campaigned for their removal.

The Bishop of Winchester, the Right Reverend Michael Scott-Joynt, in the debate in the House of Lords declared that the current orthodoxy was that sexual orientation was "more akin to ethnicity than it is to religious belief".

Rt Rev Peter Forster, Bishop of Chester -
Criticised by Cheshire police after suggesting homosexuals should seek medical help to reorientate their sexuality.

The newly formed Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (FCA), which counts five homegrown bishops among its backers, is aimed at congregations and clergy unhappy with the Church of England's position on the blessing of same-sex unions, the ordination of women as priests.

One of the English churchmen supporting the FCA is Michael Nazir-Ali, bishop of Rochester, who continues to draw criticism for his views on homosexuality, he has issued a 'warning' "The values of culture are not necessarily values of the Christian faith" adding: "We will resist compromise ... We need to make sure that God's will for human beings and their flourishing is set forth clearly."
He advocates in the press and the pulpit that homosexuals should "repent and be changed"

The bishop, who retires in September, was one of several high-profile clergymen to address congregations in the Greater London area recently to rally support.

Not all UK bishops share these views however, many in the Church of England are concerned about the tail wagging the dog