The Equality Act 2010 still contains exemptions that can permit sex-based restrictions in some appointments for the purposes of an organised religion. We ask Parliament to amend the law so that no religion operating in the UK may bar women from clerical or leadership roles.

We believe Dame Sarah Mullally’s enthronement as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury shows that female religious leadership is both possible and legitimate. Religious freedom should not extend to institutional sex discrimination. We believe that no organisation operating in the UK should be permitted to exclude women from leadership by rule, custom or doctrine.