David Burnside: The archbishop does not speak for Church of Ireland members like me when he attacks the UK internal market bill

The opposition of the Anglican Primates of the UK and Ireland to the UK Internal Market Bill should cause major alarm and annoy tens of thousands of pro-Union members of the Church of Ireland.
By Alex Kane
Published 22nd Oct 2020, 11:46 BST
Updated 22nd Oct 2020, 12:21 BST
The Most Reverend John McDowell, Archbishop of Armagh, was one of the Primates who wrote to the Financial Times fiercely critical of the UK Internal Market BillThe Most Reverend John McDowell, Archbishop of Armagh, was one of the Primates who wrote to the Financial Times fiercely critical of the UK Internal Market Bill
The Most Reverend John McDowell, Archbishop of Armagh, was one of the Primates who wrote to the Financial Times fiercely critical of the UK Internal Market Bill

The Most Reverend John McDowell, Archbishop of Armagh, wrote to the Financial Times alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of Wales John Davies, and the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church Mark Strange

has no authority on this subject to speak on behalf of members of the Church of Ireland, of which I am one, and ally on a party political basis with Sinn Fein, Irish nationalist and Scottish and Welsh separatist political parties.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

For the Anglican Primates to say that the Bill threatens the Good Friday Belfast Agreement is a total misunderstanding and misrepresents that agreement which enshrines the principle of consent allowing us to be governed as an integral part of the United Kingdom and not some annex of Brussels on the window ledge of the Union.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, also wrote to the Financial Times, as did the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of Wales John Davies, and the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church Mark StrangeThe Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, also wrote to the Financial Times, as did the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of Wales John Davies, and the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church Mark Strange
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, also wrote to the Financial Times, as did the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of Wales John Davies, and the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church Mark Strange

The United Kingdom government and Parliament will regain its sovereign independence through Brexit and has every right to take decisions safeguarding the independent government of the United Kingdom against the EU’s continuing attempts to impose conditions on our exit which deny the British people the benefits of taking back control in areas such as competition policy/state aid/de-regulation and fishing.

The Primates are trying to undermine the independent government of the UK and ally with separatist/nationalist communities across Great Britain and Ireland.

The unelected members of the House of Lords, including the Bishops, have no democratic mandate and the Primates should return to their churches and deal with God’s laws and stay out of party politics.

David W B Burnside, Ballymoney

Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

——— ———

A message from the Editor:

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers — and consequently the revenue we receive — we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor

Related topics:Ireland