→Criticism: Trimmed. New source is citable, but merely expands on the existing criticism of a lack of democracy and accountability in the appointments system. The "case study" of one gay candidate for the episcopacy in 2003 and 2010 who may or may not have been blocked because of his sexuality doesn't merit a generalisation about the "effective exclusion of members of the LGBTQ community". Corrected date/accessdate error and other cleanup.
The presence of the Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords has been criticised, bywith some claimingmedia commentators and organisations arguing that the system to beis outdated and non-democratic by some media commentators and organisations.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/belief/2010/mar/14/lords-reform-bishops-reserved-benches |title=Goodbye to the bishops | |first=Polly |last=Toynbee ||author-link=Polly Comment is freeToynbee |work=The Guardian |date=14 March 2010 |access-date=2013-08-14 August 2013 |location=London}}</ref> The [[British Humanist Association]] saidhas described it wasas "unacceptable" that "the UK is the only Western democracy to give religious representatives the automatic right to sit in the legislature".<ref>{{cite web |date=2013-08-14 August 2013 |title=Report on bishops in Lords fails to address justice and equality |url=http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/news/UK/070212theosinjusticehol |access-date= |publisher=[[Ekklesia (think tank)|Ekklesia]]}}</ref><ref>[https://humanism.org.uk/campaigns/secularism/constitutional-reform/bishops-in-the-lords/ Bishops in the House of Lords]. Humanists UK. Retrieved 11 April 2018.</ref> There has also been criticism of the "anomaly of having religious representation from one of the four nations of the United Kingdom but not from the other three"; while the appointment procedures have been described as "secretive and flawed".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Peterson |first1=Scot |title=Lords Spiritual: a problem of transparency and legitimacy |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/lords-spiritual-problem-of-transparency-and-legitimacy/ |website=OpenDemocracy UK |publisher=OpenDemocracy UK |date=5 February 2012 |access-date=10 July 2022 }}</ref>
[[Richard Chartres]], then [[Bishop of London]], defended the bishops in 2007, saying they are "in touch with a great range of opinions and institutions", and suggesting the inclusion of "leading members in Britain's [other] faith communities".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Blake |first1=Daniel |last2=Mackay |first2=Maria |date=9 February 2007 |title=Bishop of London Defends Church's Position in House of Lords |work=[[Christian Today]] |url=http://www.christiantoday.com/article/bishop.of.london.defends.churchs.position.in.house.of.lords/9475.htm |access-date=}}</ref>
There has been strong criticism of the 'anomaly of having religious representation from one of the four nations of the United Kingdom but not from the other three' as well as effective exclusion of members of the LGBTQ community. The method by which they are chosen has been severely criticised as being 'secretive and flawed'.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Peterson |first1=Scot |title=Lords Spiritual: a problem of transparency and legitimacy |url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/lords-spiritual-problem-of-transparency-and-legitimacy/ |website=OpenDemocracy UK |publisher=OpenDemocracy UK |access-date=24 May 2012}}</ref>
