Jim, the House of Lords is no longer made up of "a bunch of non-qualified toffs", neither do they have "a track record of long-term persecution, a claim of divine right"

There are now 92 hereditary peers out of 790. You may think that's 92 too many, but the fact remains that the overwhelming majority are there because they have achieved eminence and expertise in all walks of life, including business, trade unions, the arts the sciences, politics and yes religion too. Like it or not (and I quite understand why you do not) it is part of society, and religious leaders of all faiths and denominations bring a different perspective to bear. Just because it is a perspective you disagree with doesn't mean it should not have a voice.